Self-restraint in the media and the establishment of an Audit Bureau of Circulation system have been major topics in the media of late. They show that today, ten years after the lifting of the ban on new newspapers, Taiwan's media is maturing and seeking ever-more reasonable rules of the game. We can be sure that these moves will make relations between government, media, and people even more constructive.
US president Thomas Jefferson, author of the US Declaration of Independence, said something to the effect that, if forced to choose between having a government and no newspapers, or newspapers and no government, he would choose the latter without any hesitation. This shows the democratic spirit of the US at its inception, and also that the media by nature should play the role of spokesperson, informant, and protector of rights for the people. In order to keep watch on the government, the media must have effective channels of access, and skilled and knowledgeable staff to make reports and commentaries of value. Most importantly, the owners and employees of newspapers must have a moral foundation and conscientious understanding that what they have is an important public tool.
Keeping an eye on the government is not the only responsibility of media. In fact, the media can reflect all aspects of society. And no matter how great the changes may be in the quality or forms of media, there is one highly convenient medium which is capable of reporting on a wide variety of matters of daily interest from home and abroad-including society news, general information, and entertainment-that is the elder statesman of the media: newspapers.
Since the lifting of the ban on new newspapers in Taiwan, for citizens this has been a period of media liberalization. The points of view adopted by the newspapers have interacted with the social atmosphere, and have become the indicators of the era. I still recall that, not long after the lifting of the ban, new newspapers appeared in droves, and many in journalism thought they could finally realize their ideals. Yet, ten years down the line, the newspapers still standing are mainly the same ones as before. The most significant change is that, whereas before two major papers dominated the market, now three do. Competition has become intensified, and a news war has become a sales war and a contest to sponsor major cultural events. For consumers, this has meant prize giveaways, and more choices. But, it has also been difficult to avoid commercialization, vulgarization, and even provocation, in the process.
The most important issue in all this is: What kinds of reporting best serve the public interest? Most people would say: accurate, timely, and in-depth reporting. But that does not fully resolve the problem. Take for example the recent case of Pai Hsiao-yen, which has raised moral issues about reporting. (Pai, the 18-year-old daughter of a TV celebrity, was kidnapped and murdered.) While the victim's fate was still unknown, the media was already following the victim's family. After the body was found, the incessant detailed reporting was inconsiderate to the privacy of the victim and her family. Did the public really need to know the details of the crime and investigation? Did the media, in the midst of intense competition, forget itself? Did the struggle for the market undermine journalists' standards?
In covering news of society, the media easily is provocative and exaggerates. In political news, it has predetermined biases and grasps at shadows. Conspiracy theories and politicization of news abound. Freedom of the press has become tarnished. And all these worrisome phenomena arise from the media itself. No wonder many scholars and observers of the media feel that, since the lifting of martial law, the media has been its own worst enemy.
But there is no need to be too worried, because media people are a very sensitive bunch, and are natural critics. Media needs no outside supervisor, for it can watch itself carefully. Not to mention the fact that many elders in the profession and media scholars have not let down in their efforts. We can be sure that the ability of media's constituent elements to criticize each other will guarantee the rights of citizens. And we can be confident that those in this field will make greater demands on themselves in terms of personal standards, professionalism, and serving the public. In this way our society will be further enriched.
In this issue, with the tenth anniversary of the lifting of newspaper restrictions nearly upon us, and amidst a wave of self-examination in the media, we look behind the newspaper wars at the difficulties and strategies in an era of constant change. We also offer a look at today's reporters and photographers, on the front line of the news, who sometimes are excited, and sometimes are disappointed, but who never become cold or oblivious to events.
Of the many other articles, two in particular-"Lotus, Flower of Paradise" and "A Pet幯 Memoir" (about an ROC agricultural aid team in Guatemala)-are especially worthy of close reading. They are the kinds of stories you are sure not to see very often in other media. And if you are interested in the vital issues of foreign policy and Taiwan's future, be sure to check out the interview with Foreign Minister John Chang.
