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Group slams Next
Media deal
MEDIA MATTERS: A coalition of academics and
activists called on the government to intervene in the proposed media merger,
which it said may harm media autonomy
By Chen Ching-min and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff
writer
Academia Sinica research fellow
Shih Jun-ji, second right, along with National Chung Cheng University associate
professor Kuang Chung-hsiang, first right, Chang Chin-hwa, a professor at
National Taiwan University, and others, speaks at a press conference in Taipei
yesterday held by the 901 Anti Media Monopoly Coalition.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
Media activists yesterday urged the
government to intervene to prevent politics from reaching into the press and
controlling freedom of speech, saying that this freedom and the liberal media
the nation has enjoyed over the past decades may be put at risk if Chinese
capital gained control of the media.
The calls came amid reports that China Trust Charity Foundation chairman Jeffrey
Koo Jr (辜仲諒) has asked Formosa Plastics Group (台塑集團) chairman William Wong (王文淵)
and a Singapore-based equity fund to join him in buying Next Media Group’s
(壹傳媒集團) four Taiwanese outlets: the Apple Daily, Next TV, Next Magazine and the
Sharp Daily.
Since Hong Kong Media mogul Jimmy Lai (黎智英) announced that he was selling his
four outlets in the country for NT$17.5 billion (US$600 million), the deal has
drawn a lot of attention. Lai said in an interview with the Apple Daily
published on Oct. 18 that he decided to finalize the sale after ensuring that
none of the funding would come from Want Want China Times Group (旺旺中時集團)
chairman Tsai Eng-meng (蔡衍明), with a contract with the buyers set to be signed
tomorrow.
However, the Chinese-language Wealth Magazine reported on Nov. 8 that of the
NT$17.5 billion pooled by Koo and his associates, up to NT$9 billion came from
Tsai.
Many people have expressed misgivings that if the deal goes through, Tsai’s
group would dominate the media landscape. Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)
caucus whip Pan Men-an (潘孟安) yesterday cited a United Daily News report of a
meeting in Taipei on Wednesday among the potential buyers where Tsai reportedly
gave a “friendly reminder” to Wong and Koo that they ought to be more careful,
as they are still operating businesses in China.
“It is both surprising and worrisome that this would have been said,” Pan said,
adding that the inaction of President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration on
media mergers is harming autonomy.
Pointing to comments Tsai Eng-meng reportedly made, in which he said: “How can a
newspaper not accept lobbying, or disregard other opinions of China in its
stance,” DPP caucus secretary-general Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) said such a media
management style would unquestionably harm the nation.
“The Next Media buyout is an issue of national security and it is possible that
China might use the deal to influence Taiwan in the future and block stories
that tarnish its image, such as news about Falun Gong practitioners,” Tsai Chi-chang
added.
DPP Legislator Hsu Chih-chieh (許智傑) said China is attempting to use economic
means and the press to gradually take over Taiwan, adding that if Taiwanese
media is controlled by Chinese capital, it would relegating it to Beijing’s
mouthpiece.
Activist group the 901 Anti Media Monopoly Coalition yesterday asked the
National Communications Commission and the Fair Trade Commission to intervene in
the deal by demanding Next Media Group file an application for a merger and hold
a formal meeting.
Media mergers should not be a game between corporations, as this would let them
swallow the freedom and dynamism of the national media, said Chang Chin-hwa
(張錦華), a professor at National Taiwan University’s Graduate Institute of
Journalism, who is also a representative of the Coalition.
Both Next Media Group and its potential buyers should uphold a promise not to
fire any of the existing staff, while those dismissed on Oct. 1 should be
reinstated if they are willing, Chang said, adding that future owners of the
group should also meet with employees to sign a collective agreement and
self-regulatory guidelines.
Additional reporting by CNA
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