When Taiwan’s National Communications Commission recently renewed the license of a certain TV drama channel, it called on the company to reduce its percentage of South Korean dramas during prime time. In the context of today’s television industry, the NCC’s stern reminder seems to be no more than a mere formality.
Taiwan’s channels, especially the nonprofit Public Television Service, need to learn from the successes of Japan and South Korea. Both countries successful promotion of their TV industries through program protection is a constant reminder to Taiwan. But restricting foreign shows is just a means toward improving program quality and competitiveness. If in the long term domestic dramatic series cannot make a better showing, giving them a monopoly will still be in vain.
Dramas were once Taiwan’s most profitable TV programs. When the media was liberalized and channels proliferated after 1993, competition became fierce. The subsequent invasion by mainland Chinese, Japanese and South Korean dramas greatly affected Taiwan’s television.
A limited production mindset is the chief reason for the decline of domestic dramas, however. Broadcasting laws stipulate that TV channels must air a certain proportion of self-produced programs, but to cut costs most channels tend to use talk shows or reruns. The few locally produced nativist dramas and idol dramas are conventional, crudely made and very similar to each other.
Producers often blame this situation on the market and audience, as if well-made dramas would be appreciated by only a few. They forget that Taiwanese have been knowledgeable and active viewers, starting 50 years ago, when during hard economic times there were more than 100 touring troupes supported solely by ticket sales.
After television dramas appeared and audiences gradually got used to sitting in front of their TV sets to follow the action, standards of production and ratings formed a vicious cycle.
There are frequent reports of channels aggressively recruiting creative talent to film an epic program, seeking investment from the National Development Fund, or applying to the government for low-interest loans or subsidies. Inevitably, however, such projects rely on hot topics of the moment or ready-made production to quickly recoup their capital, with very few seriously developing a topic or cultivating talent through rigorous production techniques and marketing strategies.
In contrast, Japanese and Korean TV dramas are more carefully produced. Munhwa Broadcasting Corp.’s “Dae Jang Geum,” for instance, had a dedicated production team, with scholars to authenticate the historical background, costumes, food, medicine and customs involved in the story. Though the budget was large, the show generated high ratings and substantial profit, as well as elevating the image of Korean culture.
In a similar way, for Japan Broadcasting Corp.(NHK)’s “Ryomaden,” details concerning the emperor in Kyoto, the Tokugawa Shogunate in Edo, and the Satsuma, Choshu, Tosa and Kishu domains were meticulously checked by experts, along with costuming, makeup and set design. Moreover, every episode included an introduction to the characters, history and historical sites, thus stimulating tourism by providing viewers with reference information.
MBC is a South Korean public trust run along commercial lines, while NHK is Japan’s public television station. Their high quality productions are testimony to the more advanced film and TV industries in their countries.
The lessons to be learned from Japan and South Korea are simple. Taiwan, however, can only exhort producers to do better, with no way—no laws or regulations—to enforce changes in methods of production.
Taiwan Public Television Service (PTS), of which society expects so much, is poorly organized, with little government control over the governing board and operating system. As a result, PTS can only put out shows similar to those on other stations, or buy foreign programs. Although it produces better dramatic series than most channels, it seems to limit itself to dramas designed to compete for the Golden Bell Awards and lacks the ability and audacity to produce grand historical series.
How can such lackluster shows lead the way for a resurgence in Taiwan’s TV dramas? (THN)
Chu Kun-liang is a professor at Taipei National University of the Arts. These views are the author’s and not necessarily those of Taiwan Today. Copyright ©2012 Chu Kun-liang
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