A Taiwanese-language TV channel operated by the Public Television Service (PTS) may greet viewers as early as mid-2019, thanks to a dedicated budget of NT$400 million approved by the Executive Yuan on Aug. 23.
A PTS channel devoted to Taiwanese-language content will join existing broadcasters that service Taiwan's Hakka and indigenous groups. The NT$400 million package is in addition to the NT$90 million in subsidies that the Ministry of Culture has set aside to help PTS and Chinese Television Service (CTS) produce Taiwanese-language shows in 2018.
A combined NT$1.99 billion ― which includes the TV channel package and a NT$90-million budget for the PTS Foundation ― has been approved by the Executive Yuan for funding PTS and CTS operations in 2019. This marks a 150% increase in comparison to the amount of funding received in 2016.
With a special grant from the government's Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program, PTS produced a new series titled "On Children (你的孩子不是你的孩子)," exploring family dysfunction to great acclaim this year.
Plans are also underway for adapting the 2016 historical fantasy novel "Lady the Butterfly (傀儡花)" by Chen Yao-chang (陳耀昌) and 2011 short stories collection "The Magician on the Skywalk (天橋上的魔術師)" by Wu Ming-yi (吳明益) into signature series by PTS.
The Ministry of Culture will continue to support the Taiwan Broadcasting System (公廣集團) ― a public broadcasting group comprising PTS and CTS ― and will seek to amend Taiwan’s Public Television Act to consolidate resources regarding public broadcasting services.
A proposed "public media act" will also tackle challenges associated with the rise of globalization in the digital era, and produce quality content that can widen the global perspective of Taiwanese viewers.
Read the original press release here.
PTS is holding an open call for old photos of the now-demolished Chunghwa Market Bazaar, which is featured prominently in "The Magician on the Skywalk."