Taiwan Today

Preaching a religion need not be too demanding, as long as one has fervor. But becoming an effective pastor is another matter. For centuries, an associa­tion of the Roman Catholic Church, the Society of Jesus – Jesuits – has made great efforts to transmit God's message universally in more effective ways. A successful case is present on this island.

Today, Kuangchi, meaning "light" and "inspiration," a Jesuit-managed cul­tural & educational audio-visual service agency, is a familiar name with Taiwan's viewing public. Its credits appear at the beginning of all its TV productions. The Kuangchi Program Service has earned the title "Channel 4" - the Republic of China has only three TV channels - for its role as the largest independent TV production agency. It is also the oldest producer, starting production before the inception of Taiwan's three TV networks.

But Kuangchi is much more than just a TV program service. Commercial TV productions account for only a small proportion of its annual output. It also produces film, radio, and other audio­ visual programs for Chinese around the world, and offers a range of technical training courses.

Father Jerry Martinson, deputy president of Kuangchi, describes the non­-profit organization's main objective as helping to improve the quality of life on Taiwan by means of the mass media. "In effect, it is an exchange of views between two different, old, and far-reaching cultures through the media. As Mateo Ricci did about 400 years ago in ancient China, we feel that we too may enter Chinese society."

In a 24-year effort for ever-higher quality, Kuangchi has produced thousands of programs. A number have won special audience acclaim, and formal awards. Acme, a weekly prime-time TV program exploring science and advanced technology on Taiwan, is broadcast by all three networks. It currently receives audience survey ratings of over 70 per­cent; it won the first-place award for public service TV programs. Remarkable Professor and Children's World, educational productions aimed at stimulating children's interest in the natural sciences, literature, and social values, are the most popular among local TV programs aimed at educating school-age audiences.

The most successful of all Kuangchi productions for television may have been its Taiwanese drama serial The Silly Daughter-in-Law. It ran for 259 episodes and was viewed by record-breaking audi­ences, as compared to the numerous other Taiwanese serials - long a specialty of Kuangchi. Almost 15 years ago, when Canadian Father Raymond Parent, Kuangchi technical advisor, began direct­ing the ROC's first Taiwanese-dialect drama serial, he had to work hard to deal with the dialect. "In the beginning, I was assisted by a script-writer, and took language lessons on the job. Though my Taiwanese was then understandable to my colleagues, it suffers now for lack of practice," he comments.

Kuangchi has produced a series of video casselle tapes; these are for use in conducting group dynamics sessions aimed at achieving mutual understanding and acceptance. Since most subjects dis­ cussed in the tapes involve young peo­ ple's problems, sex and inter-personal relationships for instance, they have been used widely in middle schools, churches, and social organizations throughout Taiwan, Iiong Kong, and Singapore-wherever substantial num­ bers of people speak Mandarin.

To assure the attraction and effectiveness of its teaching efforts and materials, Kuangchi provides them in the form of shadow or puppet shows, cartoons, and costume fables packaged for use on closed-circuit TV, as film shows, or in slide presentations for kin­dergarten tots.

In 1979, the International Year of the Child, Kuangchi created the audio cassette production Would You Like to Listen to Me? which was later awarded a Golden Tape Awards trophy. The special program is a compilation of hundreds of interviews with kids, who are seldom asked about their feelings by adults. "Listening to that tape, one is really surprised to find out what is truly on those little kids' minds," remarked Linda Shaw, a planner in Kuangchi's audio­ visual section and one of the script­ writers of Acme. Last year, the Interna­tional Year of the Retarded, a slide program on the disabled was produced by Kuangchi.

In radio, its starting point, Kuangchi continues to concentrate all its efforts on daily Mandarin programs for Southeast Asia and mainland China, broadcast by shortwave from Radio Veritas in Manila and the Central Broadcasting Company in Taiwan. The Catholic Mass is broad­cast in Mandarin once a month to main­land China.

Because 80 percent of letters re­ceived in response to shortwave radio programs ask questions about religion, Kuangchi sent two of its writers to Hong Kong and Thailand for research and in­terviews with mainland Chinese refugees.

Instead of profits, Kuangchi concen­trates on benefits to its listeners. Says Rose Wang, manager of Kuangchi's audio-visual section, "It is quality con­trol, not budget control, we think of when a program is in process. We have faith that, if the product serves its consumers well, it will make money too."

Unfortunately, this result is not always achieved, especially in the case of TV productions. Since Kuangchi does not have its own stations, before its TV productions reach the screen, they must pass muster with advertisers. At present, many independent TV producers are active in Taiwan, and Kuangchi faces its biggest challenge ever. "Actually, we are glad to have others in the trade. We urge ourselves on to better ways," said Father Parent.

Kuangchi takes pride in relying on its own financial resources; nevertheless, large quantities of outside capital were needed to purchase new, modern equip­ment and to construct a long-planned, 2,500 sq. foot, six-story studio. The building, with four stories underground, was completed late last year. Construc­tion costs of US$2,500,000 were met by European and American benefactors.

Kuangchi has come a long way since its inception in 1958, when the ROC had no TV stations. Then, Father Phillip Bou­rell bought a used recording system from a U.S. Army broadcasting station, and started the Kuangchi Recording Studio in Taichung, central Taiwan. With this limited equipment, Fr. Bourell produced classical-music and English­ teaching programs, and a "mini radio drama" for Chinese stations; they gained immediate popularity. A couple of years later, looking ahead to the day when TV would be brought to Taiwan, Fr. Bourell moved his studio to Taipei.

Kuangchi has a 130-member staff, most trained on-the-job. "Those with a sense of mission are very welcome. Though they have little professional knowledge or experience, motivated newcomers have the potentialities to be competent workers," said Fr. Parent, who admits himself to learning on-the-job with Kuangchi.

"Kuangchi makes an additional con­tribution to the ROC's audio-visual scene through its on-the-job training for green hands," notes Fr. Martinson. Because of staff movement to greener pos­tures, Taiwan's oldest TV production center always has new blood; the average age of its staff is 31. Many of these young Kuangchi staff members have gone abroad for short-term media training and experience.

Though many of Kuangchi's veter­ans have accepted offerings of attractive pay, high positions, and other incentives and moved out to competitive organiza­tions, a core group prefers to stay on. "It is pursuit of an ideal that keeps us togeth­er; above all, it is working circumstances that allow us to spare no effort in striving for that ideal," said Linda Shaw.

Attracted by its sophisticated equipment and lofty objectives, talented outsiders have, in turn, come to Kuangchi from important jobs in other companies. Lo Yih-min, a noted script-writer, came to Kuangchi two years ago to be chief of its programming and directing section. "For me, it's an honor to be one of Kuangchi's contributors - to respect my own work and enjoy the company of others who respect theirs."

In addition to its servicing of the Chi­nese audio-visual media, Kuangchi plays a role as a bridge between East and West -importing Western technology and ex­porting Chinese culture. Its current planning contemplates importation of more scientific, documentary, and religious films for adaptation, broadcast, and distribution to Chinese audiences in Taiwan. Also, it expects to produce video cassettes on Chinese culture and religions for distribution to Western audiences.