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Cheng Hung-yi to
leave ‘Talking Show’
TOO GREEN: Sources said Cheng’s resignation
might be related to the pressure Beijing is placing on SET-TV as it attempts to
break into the Chinese TV market
By Wu Chih-wei, Huang Chien-hua and Hou Cheng-hsu / Staff
reporters
Popular Talking Show host Cheng
Hung-yi is shown in a screen grab from a recent episode of the TV show.
Photo: Screen grab courtesy of SET-TV
SET-TV (三立電視) confirmed yesterday that
Cheng Hung-yi (鄭弘儀), host of the popular political TV talk show Talking Show
(大話新聞), known for its pro-localization views, is to leave the program at the end
of this month.
SET-TV spokesperson Chang Cheng-fen (張正芬) said yesterday that Cheng tendered his
resignation prior to the Lunar New Year holiday because he wishes to take care
of his wife and spend more time with his family.
However, sources said Cheng’s resignation might be related to the pressure
Beijing is placing on SET-TV as the company attempts to break into the Chinese
market.
There have been allegations that the network’s recent bid to enter the Chinese
market came under pressure from Beijing due to the show’s pro-localization slant
and its severe scrutiny of the administration and policies of President Ma Ying-jeou
(馬英九).
The network is known for its pro-localization news and dramas, with the company
hoping to establish SET-TV as the “Drama Kingdom.” In the past years, the
company has been expanding overseas, having produced TV dramas that have been
shown in countries such as Japan and South Korea.
However, unlike other Taiwanese drama shows produced by other stations that have
been aired on various channels in China, popular TV dramas produced by SET-TV,
such as Fierce Wife (犀利人妻), have not been aired in China, despite their
high ratings in Taiwan, sources said.
SET-TV was listed on the stock market in 2000, but it delisted and became a
private company in 2005. During that time the company had overseas shareholders,
which created tension between SET-TV chief Lin Kun-hai (林崑海) and pan-green
parties ahead of the 2008 presidential election.
In 2008, then-Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislator Alex Tsai (蔡正元)
attempted to buy a 17 percent stake in the company held by Excelsior Capital
Asia in Hong Kong, but that attempt was blocked when Lin bought back the shares
for NT$1.3 billion (US$43.9 million).
Cheng has been the core of Talking Show. Due to his image and reputation,
he has been able to interview many political heavyweights, including former
president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) and former Democratic Progressive Party chairperson
Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文).
Recent ratings for Cheng’s show have been between 0.8 and 0.9, far outstripping
its rival show on TVBS, 2100 Talk Show (2100全民開講), hosted by Lee Tao
(李濤), which has a 0.5 rating.
Cheng’s most recent exclusive interview with Lee on May 15 also gave the show’s
rating a boost and the interview has been rerun several times.
Sources said the management informed Cheng at the beginning of this month that
the show would be undergoing a full makeover.
Sources said Cheng had stated in private many times that he could not accept the
company’s request that he change the style of the show due to his loyal audience
group and stable ratings.
Due to Cheng’s strenuous opposition, the management at SET-TV could only make
minor changes, such as ensuring the show is now made by SET-TV itself and not
outsourced to other studios so that the company could increase its control of
its content.
Rumors about Cheng quitting the show started when he took a five-day break in
February and he was replaced by the editor-in-chief of the news department, Chen
Ya-lin (陳雅琳), the source said.
There had been conflict at the time because Cheng was not happy that SET-TV
demanded that he follow the Makiyo case, leading to tensions between Cheng and
the station’s management, the source said.
The Makiyo case involved a Japanese-Taiwanese singer and actress, and her
friend, Takateru Tomoyori, who beat and seriously injured Lin Yu-chun (林余駿), a
taxi driver.
Chang said anchorwoman Liao Hsiao-chun (廖筱君) has been tapped to be the temporary
host of the show.
She declined to comment when asked about the any change in style or management.
SET-TV hopes to have the chance to work with Cheng again and it has benefited
greatly from his talents, Chang added.
News of Cheng’s resignation also caused a stir on the Internet, where netizens
created a Facebook page petitioning for Cheng to stay on.
It had gathered nearly 4,000 signatures as of press time yesterday, with some
lambasting SET-TV, saying they would boycott the show if it was not hosted by
Cheng.
Additional reporting by Chen Hui-chen, Yi Hui-tsu and CNATranslated by Jake
Chung, staff writer
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