Over NT$1 Billion Budget Cuts and Freezes! TaiwanPlus Faces 'Funding Collapse' Crisis as PTS Board Issues Rare Statement

The Legislative Yuan is currently reviewing the central government's budget for fiscal year 2026. Today (29th), the Public Television Service (PTS) Board of Directors issued a statement revealing that proposed cuts and freezes to government donation funding for PTS have exceeded NT$1 billion, amounting to nearly half of the allocated donation budget. The subsidy for TaiwanPlus, the international broadcasting platform, also faces near-total elimination. PTS warns that if these proposals pass, public media operations will be severely impacted, potentially forcing the suspension of children's programming and drama production.

PTS's 2026 budget documents show the government has allocated NT$2.72185 billion in donation funding. The PTS Board stated that while these budget cut and freeze proposals are still under review, the scale of the proposed reductions is so significant that they have taken the rare step of publicly appealing to legislators to support the government's donation and subsidy budgets.

What would a cut or freeze of over NT$1 billion mean?

The PTS Board emphasized that public media is not merely a platform for news and program broadcasting but is also closely tied to the development of Taiwan's domestic film and television industry. If budgets are drastically reduced, not only will daily operations be affected, but audiences may be forced to rely heavily on reruns. The production capacity for children's programs and dramas, which has been gradually built up in recent years, could face 'funding collapse or suspension'.

The statement acknowledged that the public broadcasting group still has shortcomings and will continue to reflect on public criticism and accept societal evaluation. However, it warned that if funding cuts exceed what is necessary for normal operations, the impact will not be limited to PTS alone but will also affect collaborating filmmakers, production companies, and viewers.

Why mention 26 years of only NT$900 million?

PTS pointed out that for the past 26 years, the government has consistently allocated NT$900 million annually in donation funding without adjusting for inflation or expanding public service responsibilities. In contrast, public media in other countries receive operational funding that is ten to dozens of times higher than Taiwan's.

The PTS Board questioned in the statement: 'It is difficult to imagine any organization in Taiwan maintaining the same operational budget for 26 years without changes in mission or function.' It emphasized that even with increased budgets, PTS now shoulders more channels, digital services, and content production responsibilities, making the consequences of drastic cuts and freezes difficult to estimate.

Is the delayed board election PTS's fault?

Some legislators have proposed budget cuts or freezes citing the failure to complete the current board's re-election. However, PTS clarified that under current regulations, the nomination and review of board candidates fall outside the authority of the PTS Foundation. The foundation has no power to determine candidate lists or participate in the selection process.

The PTS Board stated: 'Political issues should be resolved within the political sphere and must never come at the cost of sacrificing the operation and services of the PTS Foundation.' It emphasized that the public broadcasting group is a public asset belonging to all citizens: 'Destruction is easy, but construction is difficult,' urging legislators to carefully assess the long-term impacts of budget cuts and freezes on the media environment and civil society.

Is TaiwanPlus really a 'disaster'?

Notably, Minister of Culture Lee Yung-te admitted on the 2nd that TaiwanPlus 'is indeed a disaster.' However, on the 4th, Lee retracted his statement, explaining that under pressure during budget review, he had 'spoken in error' out of a desire to protect the budget.

In response, Kuomintang legislator Lo Chih-chiang, a vocal critic of TaiwanPlus, criticized Lee for treating the Legislative Yuan's budget review as a 'theatrical performance.'

More exclusive reports from Storm Media: · Lee Yung-te admits TaiwanPlus 'is indeed a disaster' — Huang Kuo-chang: 'Should we continue pouring public funds into it?' · Ko Chih-en criticizes TaiwanPlus for 'low production output despite an NT$800 million budget' — Minister of Culture: 'Further cuts will create a vicious cycle' · TaiwanPlus becomes a 'minister-certified disaster'! Lo Chih-chiang reveals editor-in-chief receives vice-minister-level salary but is not even based in Taiwan