Mirror Media Explained

Mirror Media is a Taiwanese media company. It was founded in 2016 as an eponymous tabloid magazine, and also owns the subsidiaries,,, Mirror Voice (鏡好聽) and MBRAVO (鏡采創意).

Background

Pei Wei was chief editor and publisher of the Taiwanese edition of Next Magazine.[1] [2] During his tenure as editor, Pei was credited with the growth of Next Magazine. A number of articles published in the magazine during his editorship resulted in legal action against Next, as well as Pei personally. A 2002 report on allegations of embezzlement within the National Security Bureau resulted in a raid of company offices.[3] For reports on the personal lives of politicians published within Next Magazine, Pei has been subject to lawsuits alleging libel and defamation.[4] [5] [6] Mirror Media was founded in 2016,[7] [8] with Pei leading a group of former Next Magazine employees.[9] Mirror Media subsequently became the main competitor of Next Magazine.[9]

Television

, a subsidiary of Mirror Media, submitted its first application to the National Communications Commission for a television news channel in December 2019.[10] The application underwent the formal review process starting in January 2021,[10] [11] and was withdrawn for revision in May,[12] before it attained preliminary approval by September.[13] In January 2022, the National Communications Commission formally approved the establishment of the channel.[14] Mirror News was the first television news channel to be granted NCC approval since the United Daily News channel began broadcasting in July 2012.[15] Prior to the NCC's formal approval, Mirror News pledged not to air political talk shows during prime-time viewing hours, opting for investigative journalism in that slot. Mirror News also promised to hire retired National Chengchi University journalism professor as the first full-time ombudsman for any Taiwanese news channel, to devote two hours of airtime broadcasting news in Taiwanese Hokkien, and to emphasize international news, as well as news reports regarding children and teenagers. The NCC's approval was granted alongside the issuance of 26 other conditions, in addition to the goals set by Mirror News as a company. The approval process was noted by outside observers for its length and the presence of required conditions to be met.[16] Prior to its first broadcast, Mirror News went through several changes at executive positions.[17] [18] Mirror News planned to begin broadcasting on Channel 508 of Chunghwa Telecom's multimedia-on-demand system on 2 May, and become publicly accessible on cable channels from 8 May.[19] In March 2024, the Legislative Yuan's Transportation Committee voted to investigate the broadcasting license granted by the National Communications Commission to Mirror News.[20]

Notes and References

  1. News: Lin . Chieh-yu . President Chen's daughter gets engaged . 19 January 2022 . Taipei Times . 2 July 2001.
  2. News: Liu . Li-jen . Chen . Yi-ching . Pan . Jason . Want Want's Tsai behind Next Media bid: report . 19 January 2022 . Taipei Times . 8 November 2012.
  3. News: Tsai . Ting-i . Prosecutors try to muzzle 'Next' over state-secrets leak . 19 January 2022 . Taipei Times . 21 March 2002.
  4. News: Tsai . Ting-i . DPP legislator plans to sue 'Next' over allegations that he beat up his wife . 19 January 2022 . Taipei Times . 24 May 2002.
  5. News: Chuang . Jimmy . Prosecutors indict 'Next' editor . 19 January 2022 . Taipei Times . 23 May 2004.
  6. News: Huang . Shelley . Former deputy defense minister sues magazine . 19 January 2022 . Taipei Times . 25 April 2009.
  7. Book: Lee . Chun-Yi . Sullivan . Jonathan . A New Era in Democratic Taiwan . 2018 . Taylor & Francis . 9781351665926 . 151 .
  8. News: Chen . Wei-han . Prosecutors urged to stymie Ma Ying-jeou's travel plans . 19 January 2022 . Taipei Times . 27 October 2016.
  9. News: Shan . Shelley . Next Digital Ltd to finalize sale . 19 January 2022 . Taipei Times . 18 July 2017.
  10. News: Shan . Shelley . Mirror TV pledges to avoid prime-time political talk shows . 19 January 2022 . Taipei Times . 21 January 2021.
  11. News: Shan . Shelley . NCC, Mirror TV management to meet on Dec. 1 . 19 January 2022 . Taipei Times . 18 November 2021.
  12. News: Shan . Shelley . NCC denies report that chairman tried to influence review . 19 January 2022 . Taipei Times . 27 August 2021.
  13. News: Shan . Shelley . NCC head denies boosting Mirror Media channel bid . 19 January 2022 . Taipei Times . 1 October 2021.
  14. News: Shan . Shelley . NCC approves Mirror News application . 20 January 2022 . Taipei Times . 20 January 2022.
  15. News: Strong . Matthew . Taiwan approves news TV channel proposal for first time in decade . 19 January 2022 . Taiwan News . 19 January 2022.
  16. News: Shan . Shelley . IN FOCUS: Mirror News' fight for license puts NCC in spotlight . 8 February 2022 . Taipei Times . 8 February 2022.
  17. News: Shan . Shelley . Mirror News must file to change business plan: NCC . 28 March 2022 . Taipei Times . 28 March 2022.
  18. News: Yeh . Kuan-yin . Lee . Hsin-Yin . Newly-established Mirror TV appoints 4th chairman in a month . 29 March 2022 . Central News Agency . 29 March 2022.
  19. News: Shan . Shelley . Embattled Mirror News to begin broadcasting on May 2 . 20 April 2022 . Taipei Times . 21 April 2022.
  20. News: Shan . Shelley . Committee passes resolution to probe Mirror News license . 12 March 2024 . Taipei Times . 12 March 2024.