 A screen capture from “Iris” |
By Kim Young-jin
A proposal pending in Taiwan to increase the quota for locally-produced programming on cable television aims to bolster the domestic market, not cool the fever for Korean soap operas, the Taiwanese mission in Seoul says.
Submitted to legislature earlier this month, the measure would amend the cable television law to require channels and system operators to maintain a minimum 40-percent ratio of domestic programming ― double the current 20 percent.
“The amount of Taiwanese content being broadcast has been so low that, for the past 20 or so years, foreign content has dominated cable television,” Taipei’s representative office said in a statement. “As a result, Taiwanese actors have experienced long-term unemployment, and there has been a weakening of cultural autonomy.”
Headlines here said the proposal aimed specifically to restrict the number Korean dramas.
“As long as Korean dramas maintain their high standard and quality, they will have no problem maintaining their popularity in Taiwan's free market. The amendment is not targeted at any specific country.”
The bill is expected to be proposed to a procedural committee when the congress opens it new session in February. If approved, implementation of the measure would still take some time as it would involve procedures at the World Trade Organization, the office said.
The proposal raised concern here when Lin Shu-fen of the major opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), who spearheaded the bill, mentioned the prevalence of Korean dramas to illustrate the need for the amendment.
Lin later clarified her remarks by saying the revision aims to improve Taiwanese TV stations and “is by no means a battle against South Korean pop culture,” according to reports.
The office also pointed out that the quota is reasonable by international standards and popular imports from the United States, China, Japan and other countries would face the same conditions.
South Korean soap operas have been huge in Taiwan for years, with the three major drama channels filling most of their programming with the popular shows.
“Korean producers have nothing to worry about because Korean dramas are still very welcome among Taiwanese people,” an official of the office said.
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