CTi News

CTi News (Chinese: 中天新聞臺; pinyin: Zhōng Tiān Xīnwén Tái; Zhuyin Fuhao: ㄓㄨㄥ ㄊㄧㄢ ㄒㄧㄣ ㄨㄣˊ ㄊㄞˊ) is a Taiwanese 24-hours news online and, until December 2020, cable television channel, operated by Chung T'ien Television.

CTi News
Country Republic of China
NetworkChung T'ien Television
HeadquartersTaipei, Taiwan
Ownership
OwnerChina Times Media Group
Sister channelsCTi Variety, CTi Entertainment, CTi International
History
Launched1 September 1994
Closed12 December 2020 (cable TV channel)
Links
Websitewww.ctitv.com.tw
Availability
Cable
Cable TVChannel 52 (until 11 December 2020)
Streaming media
YouTubeLive streaming

CTi News was known for its support of Kuomintang politician Han Kuo-yu, who attracted a huge wave of supporters and led the opposition party to a sweeping victory in the 2018 Taiwanese local elections, when he was elected mayor of Kaohsiung. It is also considered a "China-friendly"[1][2] or "pro-Beijing" [3] media outlet.

Closure on cable television

CTi News's application to renew its broadcast license was rejected by Taiwan's broadcast regulator, the National Communications Commission (NCC), on 18 November 2020. The NCC's decision cited repeated violations of rules regarding accuracy in reporting.[3] It is the first television news channel to have its license terminated in this way since NCC was created in 2006.

There is dispute over whether the NCC's non-renewal of CTi News's broadcast license represents a violation of freedom of the press.

Reporters Without Borders issued a press release stating that while the licence cancellation's effect on CTi News staff was unfortunate, the action did not represent infringement of press freedom.[4]

On the other hand, CTi News said that press freedom in Taiwan had died and the Kuomintang party denounced the decision as an attack on press freedom which sent out a chilling effect. [5] Kuomintang had accused the ruling Democratic Progressive Party of seeking to close the news channel, saying that the renewal consideration process was scripted by Tsai Ing-wen's government. Referring to a classified document from the Presidential office leaked out in May 2020, which described two newly appointed members of the "supposedly independent" regulator as siding with the ruling party and able to cooperate in dealing with CTi News, Kuomintang pointed out the fact that a renewal application hearing, the first of its kind in Taiwan, was hosted by these two members in October 2020, just as written in the document.[6][7]

On 11 December, Kuomintang Chairperson Chiang Chi-chen and former President Ma Ying-jeou dressed in mourning clothes and called for international attention to the deteriorating press freedom in Taiwan at an international news conference. Ma commented that President Tsai's actions went against her pledge to protect freedom of speech, and questioned that the statement made by Reporters Without Borders "does not resemble commentary from professional media personnel".[8][9][10]

CTi News was forced to end its broadcasts on Taiwan's cable television channel 52 when its broadcast license expired at 00:00 on 12 December 2020. It continues to broadcast on its YouTube channel and its own app, while its sister channels CTi International (abroad only), CTi Entertainment and CTi Variety also continue to broadcast on cable and satellite.[11]

References
  1. "Taiwan pulls plug on China-friendly news channel". Yahoo! News (Singapore). Agence France-Presse. 18 November 2020. Archived from the original on 18 November 2020. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  2. "Taiwan to shut down China-friendly tycoon's news channel". Reuters. 18 November 2020. Archived from the original on 23 January 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  3. "Taiwanese pro-Beijing television news channel taken off air". South China Morning Post. Associated Press. 12 December 2020. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  4. "Taiwan: the non-renewal of CTi news channel's licence does not go against press freedom". Reporters Without Borders. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  5. "Taiwan to shut down China-friendly tycoon's news channel". Channel News Asia. 18 November 2020. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  6. "國民黨：總統府密件漏天機 中天新聞台審照依劇本演" (in Chinese). China Times. 15 October 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  7. Kuomintang Culture and Communications Committee (15 October 2020). "總統府密件漏天機，中天新聞台審照依劇本演？" (in Chinese). Kuomintang. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  8. "CTi denied press freedom, KMT says". Taipei Times. 12 December 2020. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  9. "Johnny Chiang, Ma Ying-jeou protest CTi News shut-down". The China Post. 12 December 2020. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  10. "Safeguard Press Freedom, Hold Gov't Accountable" international news conference on YouTube
  11. 【中天亞洲台轉播】中天新聞52台停播倒數活動 2020-12-12 (in Chinese). JY TV YouTube Channel. Dec 12, 2020. Retrieved Dec 12, 2020.
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