with disabilities. This problem shows that the NCC has failed to comply with
the CRPD and to fully fulfill its responsibilities as a national communications
competent authority as stipulated by the PDRPA.
(2) To reduce discriminatory reporting, the NCC stated that it reviews radio and
television operators’ broadcast content during assessments and license
renewals as a means of monitoring whether the operators use discriminatory
epithets or descriptions in their news reports and present discriminatory content
or news reports about such persons, ultimately giving rise to prejudice and
discrimination against them. However, in actual practice, this measure is only
one of many items24 used in assessing radio and television operators during
assessments and license renewals and has little effect on the review results.
During reviews, the NCC merely requests that operators provide “gender
equality, child protection, and multicultural achievement-related content” as
well as “other administrative sanction-related content.” Unfortunately, the
former merely encourages (rather than mandates) operators to practice gender
equality, child protection, and multicultural achievement, whereas the latter
(i.e., the MOHW and local governments sanctioning operators for releasing
discriminatory reporting) is close to being “non-existent.” For instance, even
after the MOHW announced guidelines for media reporting on persons with
mental disorders, no radio or television operators were sanctioned for
discriminatory reporting following reviews between 2016 and 2019.25 Thus,
no cases of radio or television operators being denied licenses or receiving
unfavorable reviews because of discriminatory reporting.
(3) The NCC declared that it will send letters to the MOHW if it is found that radio
and television operators use discriminatory epithets or descriptions in their
news reporting in violation of the MHA. For example, from 2016 to 2019, the
NCC sent letters to inform the MOHW of three news reports (covering two
cases) suspected of violating the MHA (i.e., a March 28, 2016 case involving
a girl in Neihu26 and a July 4, 2019 case involving a woman torturing and
24
25
26
According to the assessment regulations, the items to be examined consist of 6 major items and 40
sub-items. “Gender equality, child protection, and multicultural achievements” is merely one of the
sub-items.
The sanctioning units include the MOHW, the NCC, and local governments. However, the NCC
contends that, between 2016 and 2019, no sanctions (for discriminatory reporting) were imposed on
any radio or television operator during their assessments or license renewals.
Neihu girl case on March 28, 2016: On April 13, 2016, the NCC sent letters to inform the MOHW of
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