Taipei - Taiwan's most popular cable television channel TVBS
came under criticism Wednesday for reportedly trying to boost its
popularity by airing a video in which a gangster challenged police
and one of his rivals.
The channel admitted in a statement that two of its reporters had
produced the video and 'were sacked after we found out'. 'We
apologize to the public for our negligence in news censor,' TBVS
said.
TVBS aired the five-minute recording of Chou Cheng-pao, a
notorious gangster in Taichung, central Taiwan, challenging the
police and another gangster, Liu Rei-rong on Tuesday.
The footage, shot in a motel room, showed Chou sitting in a bed
with guns and rifles lying in front of him as he admitted to
participating in three recent gun battles in Taichung and voiced
grievances against Liu.
'If I see you again,I will kill you!' Chou shouted into the camera
while, waving a pistol and pulling the trigger.
The video sent shockwaves across Taiwan and left many people
fearing for their safety and doubting whether police or gangsters
were in control.
TVBS claimed that Chou had made the tape himself and sent it to
the channel.
But on Wednesday afternoon, local press found out that two TVBS
reporters had shot the video for Chou in the motel room.
Other media outlets denounced the channel for faking news to boost
its popularity, while the Government Information Office (GIO) called
on the nation to condemn TVBS's actions.
'By producing the fake video for Chou Cheng-pao, TVBS became a
tool in his crime. This self-degrading act deserves our strongest
condemnation,' GIO Director Cheng Wen-tsan said.
'I will recommend that the National Communications Commission
probe it and hand down penalties,' he added.
It was not clear Wednesday whether TVBS executives had approved
the scam or if they were kept in the dark as the TVBS statement
claimed.
Since Taiwan dropped restrictions on the media in the late 1980s,
the country's television market has ballooned from three state-
controlled TV stations to 100 24-hour cable channels, triggering
fierce competition among TV companies and reporters.
In the battle for scoops and viewers, some Taiwan channels
sensationalize or even fabricate news.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
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