麻州議會提案支持台灣媒體自由

麻州議會提案支持台灣媒體自由

麻州州參議員培竹西里（Anthony W. Petruccelli）於州參議院中提案表達對於台灣媒體自由倒退的憂心。該議案於4月9日送交麻州參議院聯合程序委員會審理，並將於近日轉交退伍軍人與聯邦事務委員會。

該議案認為，壹傳媒旗下電子媒體─壹電視出售案，將傷害台灣新聞媒體自由，呼籲台灣國家通訊委員會應駁回該案。

議案中寫道：「麻州參眾兩院共同認為，台灣國家通訊委員會應駁回該併購案，並尋求保護台灣媒體多元化的解決方式，以確實保障自由民主的價值。」

台灣人公共事務會麻州分會長張皓博，讚揚會員Joseph McHugh在此事上的努力，並表示：「努力促成這項法案能適時被提出，證明了這個行動有著基層公民的支持。」

台灣人公共事務會會長高龍榮博士補充：「台美人對於壹傳媒併購案被駁回的事實感到欣慰，但我們也認為目前NCC送審至立法院的相關法規不夠縝密。尤其是NCC的版本所規範的『壟斷紅線』是以收視率界定，而非市占率，我們認為這樣的標準實在過於鬆散。」

「邱吉爾曾說過：『自由媒體是人民各項權利的守護者，也是暴政最危險的敵人。』我們呼籲台灣政府應好好思考邱吉爾的這段言論。」

MASSACHUSETTS STATE SENATE INTRODUCES LEGISLATION SUPPORTING MEDIA FREEDOM IN TAIWAN

Massachusetts State Senator Anthony W. Petruccelli (R) introduced a bill expressing concern about the erosion of press freedom in Taiwan. On April 9, the bill was sent to the Joint Rules Committee of the Massachusetts Senate and will be officially assigned to the Veterans and Federal Affairs Committee within the next few days. 

The bill determines that the sale by Next Media of Next TV will jeopardize the freedom of media in Taiwan, and must not be allowed by Taiwan's media regulators.

The bill reads: “RESOLVED by the Massachusetts State Senate, the House concurring, that it is the sense of the Senate that Taiwan’s media regulators must disallow the sale, and find a solution that respects media diversity in Taiwan, in keeping with the values of freedom and democracy.

Crediting FAPA member Joseph McHugh for leading this campaign effort, Herbert Chang, president of the FAPA Massachusetts Chapter says: “This is an important campaign that has garnered the support of citizens at the grassroots level, as is evident by the timely introduction of this piece of legislation.”

FAPA President Mark Kao, Ph.D. adds: “Taiwanese Americans are encouraged by the fact that Next Media’s plan to sell its print business in Taiwan has fallen through. However, they feel that the laws that Taiwan's media regulator - the National Communications Commission (NCC) - have submitted to the Legislative Yuan are not strict enough. Especially since the NCC version defines its “red line” by ratings rather than market share. We believe this standard is insufficient.”

“Winston Churchill already said: “A free press is the unsleeping guardian of every other right that free men prize; it is the most dangerous foe of tyranny.” We urge Taiwan’s government to heed Churchill’s words.”

《本文已刊登於2013-04-18第66期台灣守護週刊》