Do you think this type of broadcast media ends up creating a superficial, childish culture?
Helluva first post. Short answer? Yes.
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I was discussing this with my dad and my dad said that Taiwanese TV stations just want to save money. I told him others will perceive Taiwan as having a childish, superficial culture. He said Taiwan doesn’t have this problem.
Variety shows that invite guests on whose only claim to fame is that they have large breasts. The entire discussion of them is about their breasts and for a finale the female MCs get to feel said breasts. Yeah, pretty much.
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Taiwanese TV stations enjoy talking about car accidents, street fights, restaurants, etc. The political talk shows are mostly a joke.
I just never watch Taiwanese news channels and instead go on websites like Time Magazine.
Your father is correct!
Taiwan doesn’t have a problem with everyone seeing it is a shallow, childish and superficial culture.
It’s absolutely clear with no ambiguity whatsoever!
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LMAO.
I find that many locals here will complain about small things and hold grudges permanently.
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I was watching a news broadcast with my wife last night (my Chinese is terrible, so she translates). There were about two minutes of screaming (that’s what newscasters and reporters do here) about how the virus is getting out of hand in the UK and South Africa and then there was screaming, with a video of a dog running around a busy street (repeated over and over), for ten minutes. It’s good to see that the local media have their priorities straight.
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no, i think they reflect the already existing culture
You have 10 networks competing for the same 24 hour news market, some heavily tainted by politics, most trying to avoid stepping on anyone’s toes. Of course they end up producing fluff pieces at best, downright stupifying in between, plain propaganda at worst. Pick your poison.
Yes, but I don’t think it’s necessarily any worse than it is in the UK or the US. Actually, US broadcast media is probably even worse at doing this than it is in Taiwan. Watching US broadcast news media is torture and it makes no difference which side of the pseudo-“political divide” you go to. These outlets may attempt to give the illusion of depth from time to time (though they usually don’t even bother to do that), but they have about as much depth as a wet towel.
The difference is that the US (and UK) has a thriving industry for people who want to break away from the superficial trite that is the majority of the broadcast media. I’m sure Taiwan has its equivalent outlets, podcasters, YouTubers, etc., but I don’t think there’s anywhere near the level of yearning for these alternatives in Taiwan as there is in the US/UK.
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“…have about as much depth as a wet towel”.
Interesting turn of phrase, did you invent that?
I’d like to think I did, but in all likelihood I probably read it somewhere else and got it lodged in the back of my brain.
…like a wet towel?
If you read it somewhere it must have been in an Edward Lear book because it doesn’t make any sense. Not to me anyway 
If a Taiwanese wants to see something apart from what all the media outlet puts out, their only choice is consume American or European media. All the Taiwanese media stuff is just of one genre, no diversity at all.
You will notice any Taiwanese who wanted something else just ends up learning to like American stuff.
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There is the expression, to have the depth of a puddle. I suppose if one wanted a shallower body of water than a puddle, a wet towel is a good option!
There’s almost no quality programming in Taiwan, like…None.
Their 60 mins is Sisy Chen translating foreign news clips.
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