License to adult TV channel sparks row in Taiwan

29 October, 2007:

A decision by the National Communications Commission of Thailand to issue a license to a new, free, cable adult TV channel has elicited a mixed
reaction from the country’s legislature as well as experts.

While many female legislators expressed their dislike of the decision on the adult channel, their male counterparts, however, said the move would contribute to a higher birth rate.

It was a company called the Star-Winged Corporation which received an operating license for the new channel, the Taipei Times newspaper reported.

In the opinion of Diane Lee, legislator of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), the National Communications Commission’s decision could contribute to social problems and have a negative physical and psychological impact on children and teenagers.

According to her, “many of our social scandals occur because our children and teenagers have misconceptions about sex. If we relax restrictions on adult programming like this, it is surely a cause for concern.”

A spokesman for the National Communications Commission said that the Star-Winged Corporation would not be required to charge a subscription fee for the channel. However, the channel would be encoded and people would have to buy set-top decoder boxes to view it.

The company’s proposed channel would provide adult movies from Japan and the United States as well as “erotic visuals.”

The spokesman explained that the National Communications Commission’s approval process was routine and that it had not “deviated significantly” from its policy on adult programming.

Kuo Su-chun, KMT’s whip in Taiwan’s legislature, described the adult channel as a “time bomb,” adding that “television channels are supposed to be suitable for all families to watch together.”

Lin Chih-yang, CEO of Star-Winged Corporation, opined that the issue had been blown out of proportion. “This is the same kind of programming that we already have on our pay channels, and any reports that we are actually going to show hard-core porn are completely inaccurate,” he said.

To stay within the bounds of the law, genitals will be electronically blurred in the video broadcast by the Star-Winged networks.

Jeng Cherng-jye, gynecologist and honorary president of the Taiwan Association for Sexuality Education, remarked, “Despite the controversy sparked by the National Communications Commission’s decision, wider availability of adult programming would be beneficial on a number of levels. Even the new adult channel will end up broadcasting the same mediocre pornography we already get on the paid adult channels. The public will come out on top because they can now save on their cable bill.”

Jeng Cherng-jye estimates that, out of the nearly 5 million cable subscribers in Taiwan, less than 10% possess set-top cable boxes.

He said he hoped that the new adult channel would import better-quality adult programming from Europe and the United States with higher production values and “more interesting narratives,” according to the Taipei Times.

Jeng went on: “There is a lot that couples can learn from such programs that might improve their sex lives. I suppose it is possible that it might translate into a higher birth rate.”