Media and politicians need to have framework

Lung-chu Chen

The complex and changeable nature of Taiwanese politics are key variables affecting the implementation of government policy. Within many media organizations, in-depth coverage of issues makes way for a herd mentality and superficial reporting.

The media often become the battleground for verbal confrontation -- or as we call it affectionately in Taiwan, "saliva battles" (口水戰) -- between political figures. Such agitated, politicized performances impede the people's right to information and to rational policy debate. Dancing to the batons of politicians, the people forget government policy blueprints and the details of their implementation.

The government's power comes from the mandate given to it by the people. The government must therefore answer to the people. Given Taiwan's limited indigenous resources, government policy should focus on taking care of majority interests, not merely those of a particular group or region. If the ruling and opposition parties -- or the central and local governments -- differ in their view of what governance involves, then each party or faction may present its political platform and try to reach a consensus through rational negotiation within the nation's existing operational frameworks, in order to facilitate the smooth implementation of policy.

Politicized thinking and the machinations of the media can easily reduce issues to nothing more than chat-show fodder. Politicized issues may even be brought to the floor of the Legislative Yuan for a "showdown between the ruling and opposition parties." When bills become a matter of partisan confrontation, social justice becomes the victim, while most people and the political parties only care about who wins and who loses, not about whether effective laws will be passed. How can such a situation promote development?

To move towards becoming a mature, modern society, Taiwan needs to establish a stable operational basis. To the people's capacity for soul-searching and self-reflection, it must add leadership from a legislature exercising rational debate and news media exercising self-restraint. In other words, the nation's media's primary purpose is to fulfill their role to maintain the Fourth Estate and it is imerative that they tolerate criticism directed at them from all areas of society. The media should not endlessly attempt to expand the scope of press freedom by fabricating news sources. With this vision, society will naturally foster open, rational debate on public issues.

When the media stops providing a stage for grandstanding politicians, they can concentrate on coverage of the strengths and weaknesses of existing legislative procedures. With the legislature and the media doing their jobs properly, the differences between the ruling and opposition parties will receive rational debate in the legislature. When the media start to reflect the real voice of the people, justice and reason will finally be upheld in Taiwan.

Chen Lung-chu is chairman of the Taiwan New Century Foundation.