The Struggle for Press Freedom in Taiwan: From Martial Law to Modern Day Challenges

Freedom of speech is a very normal thing in the eyes of many people, but it was once inconceivable for the Taiwanese in the recent past.

Martial Law Period (1949-1987)

Martial law in Taiwan had been lasted for 38-year-long, between 20 May 1949 and 14 July 1987, was the second longest imposition of martial law in the world. In 1949, martial law was announced when the government of the Republic of China retreated to Taiwan. The purpose for it was to suppress communist and Taiwan Independent activities in Taiwan. During the period, the government strictly controlled the media industry as well. Newspapers, magazines and book publication were under surveillance, and being asked to run propaganda articles for the government. In 1950s, the government took additional steps by imposing five restrictions on newspapers. The prohibitions at that time listed as below,

• Page-restriction: The government limited the number of pages of newspaper content and suppressed the content output on the grounds that paper production was not enough.
• Paper-restriction: Newspaper offices can not purchase white newspapers themselves, and must be distributed by the government in a unified manner to control the number of newspapers printed.
• Certificate-restriction: If a newspaper office wanted to enter the market, it must purchase the registration certificate issued by the old newspaper, and the newspaper can only be published after the registration is changed. As a result, from 1960 to 1987, the number of Taiwan newspapers remained at 31.
• Print-restriction: The government restricted newspapers to be published in the location of the printing factory declared at the time of registration, which is like confining a newspaper to a certain area and preventing it from expanding abroad.
• Price-restriction: If it is necessary to adjust the price of newspapers, it must be approved by the government. Not until 1988, the ban on press in Taiwan was lifted.

The Meaning Behind Press Freedom Index

Press Freedom Index is calculated by five categories(political context, legal framework, economic context, sociocultural context and safety). It shows the level of freedom enjoyed by journalists and media in 180 countries and territories. Looking back at the press freedom of index this year, Taiwan has ranked 35th and ranked first in Asia. However, as we can gather from the previous context, this accomplishment has been the result of arduous efforts.

Generally speaking, Taiwan has a rich media environment with around 600 TV and radio broadcasters. Over 2000 newspapers were operated in Taiwan. Although journalists have experienced the principles of media freedom in general, they still confront challenges from strong political polarization, limited journalists’ editorial independence and low level of trust in the media.

30 Years After the Ban of Press Has Been Lifted

In Taiwan, although journalists can complete reports without threats in most cases. However, it is undeniable that the government or its public institutions may still influence the content of media reports through advertising support. For example, due to the government’s advertising budget or opportunities for project cooperation, journalists still face a certain degree of pressure, which affects whether they report government-related content, as well as the amount, form and angle of reporting. At the same time, news editing and interviewing still lack independence in Taiwan. “The media should not be a political tool, but to report the truth.” Sometimes it is difficult for readers to identify news reports or sponsored articles, which leads to low level of trust.

There is still progress to be made in creating an optimal environment for press freedom. And that is why there has never been a better time than now to discuss it.