Under scrutiny over Channel 52, CTS predicts financial losses of NT$260m
By Shelley Shan / Staff reporter
Chinese Television System (CTS) is expecting financial losses of NT$260 million (US$9.14 million) this year, general manager Leon Chuang (莊豐嘉) told the Legislative Yuan’s Education and Culture Committee yesterday.
CTS aims to generate profits three years after it starts broadcasting its news channel on cable television, Chuang added.
The Ministry of Culture was scheduled to brief the committee on progress in drafting a public media act.
Chinese Television System general manager Leon Chuang speaks at a news conference in Taipei on Friday last week.
Homeplus defends its bid for Channel 52
By Shelley Shan / Staff reporter
Homeplus Digital Co yesterday told the National Communications Commission (NCC) that its CTS News and Info channel is qualified to be broadcast on Channel 52, as it has a well-rounded fact-verification mechanism and does not produce news based on online videos or surveillance footage as frequently done by other cable news channels.
The commission on Nov. 18 last year unanimously rejected CTi News’ license renewal application, which previously broadcast its programs on Channel 52. Cable operators nationwide have left the channel vacant since Dec. 12, when CTi News’ broadcast license expired.
The commission on Feb. 8 received an application from Homeplus to fill the vacant spot with CTS News and Info channel, which is not included in the channel lineup in any of the 12 cable systems it owns.
FEATURE: CTS seeks Channel 52 approval, despite flak
By Shelley Shan / Staff reporter
On Nov. 18 last year, when National Communications Commission (NCC) Chairman Chen Yaw-shyang (陳耀祥) urged cable operators to consider “giving Taiwan Broadcasting System [TBS] a chance” to take over Channel 52, it was widely perceived as an unprecedented and inappropriate move.
Critics said that the cable channel lineup is based on negotiations between cable system operators and channel operators, not the NCC.
The commission, they said, has no right to intervene in negotiations and should not compromise its neutrality by publicly endorsing a network or channel such as suggesting that TBS, the nation’s public broadcasting group, follow CTi News in controlling Channel 52.
Homeplus backs CTS bid to secure Channel 52 slot
INCLUSIVE SCHEDULE: CTS’ general manager said that the channel would include content from PTS’ Hoklo and Hakka news channels
By Jake Chung / Staff writer, with CNA
Chinese Television System (CTS) and Homeplus Digital Co have partnered to file an application for CTS News and Info channel to move to Channel 52, which has not been in use for the past two months.
The channel was originally licensed to CTi News, but has been vacant since the National Communications Commission on Nov. 18 last year announced that it would not renew the channel’s broadcast license, which expired on Dec. 13.