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Taxpayer funding of
pop singers misguided
By Chiang Li-jung 蔣理容
The musical Dreamers (夢想家), commissioned by the former Council for Cultural
Affairs (CCA) to celebrate the centennial of the Republic of China, cost more
than NT$215 million (US$7.1 million) of taxpayer money.
It was roundly condemned by the arts community over the cost of the production
compared with the actual quality of the performance, with many saying they were
“horrified” by the amount spent.
The newly established Ministry of Culture (MOC) inherited the financial legacy
of this travesty from the council, and there has yet to be an adequate
explanation offered to the public for the waste it entailed.
Recently, the ministry’s Bureau of Audiovisual and Music Industry Development
announced the recipients of this year’s subsidies for pop music production and
integrated marketing.
The subsidies are part of the bureau’s 2013 Pop Music Industry Development
Project, which has a budget of almost NT$100 million.
In response to concerns of behind-closed-doors selection processes, the ministry
gave assurances that the procedure was tried and tested, and that the main
objective was to “inspire the creativity of musicians with a view to stimulating
the pop music market.”
For the time being questions such as who will receive the subsidies and how much
they will receive, what are the projects or productions these subsidies are
intended to support can be set aside.
However, comments made by Tseng Chin-man (曾金滿), head of popular music at the
bureau, bear consideration.
“When we were deciding who would be awarded the subsidy, we had only seen the
business proposal, we hadn’t actually listened to the music, but we thought the
proposal was very creative,” Tseng said.
He also said of another artist that 95 percent of the songs on the individual’s
first release were original compositions, and that the marketing had been very
topical, which helped reinforce the artist’s brand.
Resulting performances, design work and overall visual experience inspired
others, and so helped develop talent, Tseng said.
For this reason, the ministry considered the CD to be quite innovative, and
decided to award the artist a subsidy of NT$3.5 million.
Another singer, who had just released a third solo album, was awarded NT$6
million.
The reason given was that “the content represents an improvement from this
performer’s previous two releases, and strengthens the performer’s image and own
individual characteristics, being an excellent example of success in moving to a
solo career from having performed as part of a group.”
We pay our taxes to support these clueless officials who have control of the
allocation of resources.
Here we have these young performers, who have already had their international
debuts, going cap in hand to the ministry and asking for money, and these
clueless officials give it to them.
Chiang Li-jung is deputy CEO of Chiang Wei-shui's Cultural Foundation.
Translated by Paul Cooper
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