CTi News' Operating License Set to Expire 中天新聞台執照今到期首家停播新聞台

發布時間：2020/12/11 20:36 更新時間：2020/12/14 21:03

C. Chuang

CTi News' operating license expires on Dec. 11, and the channel will go off the air at midnight. It is the first news channel to be forced to go off the air in 15 years. The Kuomintang held an international press conference on Dec. 11, where it accused the Tsai Ing-wen administration of silencing opposing voices and harm democracy and freedom of speech, thereby turning Taiwan into a dictatorship.

CTi News' operating license expires on Dec. 11, and the channel will go off the air at midnight. It started a continuous livestream for 42 hours on Dec. 10 to count down. It erected large screens outside its office building and its news anchors took turns broadcasting from there. The channel intends to continue broadcasting on Channel 52 until it fades to black. Many people braved the rain to amass outside the building and show their support. On Dec. 11, the Kuomintang convened an international press conference on safeguarding press freedom. It urged the international community to be concerned about this issue. Former President Ma Ying-jeou spoke during the press conference. He said he chose to wear a black suit that he uses for funerals to mourn the death of Taiwan's freedom of the press.

The U.S. Department of State releases a country report on human rights practices every year. In this report, freedom of speech... and freedom of the press are its benchmark. Freedom House, an NGO based in Washington, D.C., also publishes an annual report called "Freedom in the World." I'm calling on these two organizations to take a long and hard look at the Tsai government's policy and practices.

If a ruler, for the sake of personal preferences or for the sake of evading media criticism and oversight, the state apparatus to intervene in the personnel appointments of an independent organization such as the NCC, or worse, demands that this independent organization cooperates in shutting down a news channel, then this independence is fake independence.

The KMT criticized the Tsai Ing-wen administration for throttling freedom of speech on national security grounds and utilizing the state apparatus to silence opposing voices. It said these actions are restoring authoritarianism. Meanwhile, the New Power Party focused on the issue of media reform. It expressed concerns about how to supervise CTi News if it becomes an online news channel, and urged the continuation of media reforms.

We know that the Executive Yuan has already submitted its version of the draft regulations governing Internet audiovisual services. However, we wish to quickly amend laws.

The NPP said media convergence is widespread, and Taiwan should consult the EU's Audiovisual Media Services Directive. It urged authorities to accelerate the formulation of relevant management regulations.

中天新聞台執照將於11號到期，12號凌晨零時起將正式在有線電視系統上停播。中天新聞從10號開始，舉行倒數42小時不斷電直播，在大樓外架設大螢幕、擺放椅子，主播輪番上陣播報新聞，宣示要播到52台變成黑畫面為止，不少民眾在細雨中到場支持。國民黨11號也召開「捍衛新聞自由」國際記者會，呼籲國際社會關切此事，出席參與的前總統馬英九表示，自己特別穿上參加公祭的黑西裝，要替台灣將逝去的新聞自由哀悼。

前總統馬英九表示：「美國國務院，每年發布各國人權報告。報告中言論與新聞自由，都是重點。總部設於華盛頓的自由之家，每年也發布自由度評比。我呼籲這兩個單位，嚴正關切蔡政府的政策及作為。」

國民黨主席江啟臣表示：「如果執政者，可以因為自己的好、惡，或為了逃避媒體的批判與監督，而濫用國家機器來干預。像是NCC等獨立機關的人事任命，或要求獨立機關配合關閉新聞台，那就是假獨立。」

國民黨痛批，蔡政府以國安為名箝制言論自由，動用國家機器封殺不同聲音，是向獨裁靠攏，讓威權復辟。而時代力量則是聚焦媒體改革議題，提出中天轉戰網路新媒體後便無法可管，強調媒體改革不能就此停止。

時代力量黨主席陳椒華表示：「網際網路視聽服務管理法草案，我們知道這個草案，其實已經行政院版已經送出來，但是我們希望趕快來修法。」

陳椒華指出，如今匯流媒體已相當普遍，我國應參考歐盟的「視聽媒體服務指令」，呼籲主管機關加快腳步訂定相關管理法規。