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US lawmakers call for
NTDTV rethink
CONTRACTED OUT: New Tang Dynasty TV said it
wanted to stay with Chunghwa Telecom, as the Taiwanese government stake ensured
more protection than a commercial operator
AFP, WASHINGTON
US lawmakers called on Taiwan to ensure the continued operation of a Falun
Gong-linked television network as the spiritual movement is concerned its
satellite contract could be terminated as a result of pressure from China.
New Tang Dynasty Television (NTDTV) makes its way onto some Chinese televisions
through a commercial satellite operated by -Chunghwa Telecom, in which Taiwan¡¦s
government is the largest stakeholder. The contract runs out in August and the
company has said it would not renew it.
In letters this week to Taipei authorities, several members of the US House of
Representatives known for their support of Taiwan voiced concern that political
considerations may have been part of the decision.
¡§As a supporter of a robust bilateral relationship between our two governments,
I am concerned that Chunghwa Telecom¡¦s decision could reflect poorly on the
government of Taiwan,¡¨ wrote Representative Shelley Berkley, a member of US
President Barack Obama¡¦s Democratic Party from Nevada.
Representative Gerry Connolly, a Democrat from Virginia, urged a ¡§speedy
resolution¡¨ of the issue and said that because of the -government stake in the
company. ¡§any decision made by the satellite company could be perceived as
official [Taiwan] policy.¡¨
Chunghwa Telecom has said that there was insufficient bandwidth on the new
satellite it launched with Singapore Telecommunications and that it had offered
to help NTDTV find a new satellite.
¡§We¡¦ve been trying to solve the issue, but apparently our efforts have not been
accepted as the matter has been politicized,¡¨ spokeswoman Chen Hui-yen said
earlier in Taipei.
Media rights group Reporters Without Borders has cast doubt on the explanation.
NTDTV focuses on news and cultural programming often unavailable in communist
China, which strictly controls the media.
Samuel Zhou (©P¥@«B), executive vice president of New Tang Dynasty, said that the
network wanted to stay with Chunghwa Telecom as the Taiwanese government stake
ensured more protection than purely commercial satellites, which could face
intense pressure.
Zhou, who recently visited Taiwan for talks on the dispute, said Taiwan had a
special role to play as a democracy in the Chinese world.
¡§It¡¦s good to have economic development. There is nothing to blame, but still
the Taiwanese government should not yield and take a step back on democracy,¡¨
said Zhou, who is based in New York.
Falun Gong¡¦s Buddhist-inspired teachings focus on meditative, martial arts-like
exercises. China banned Falun Gong in 1999 and declared it an ¡§evil cult¡¨ after
growing alarmed at its organizational clout.
The group says its practitioners are treated harshly in China and even killed.
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