Mass media, according to the textbook definition, comprises television, radio, and newspapers, as these are the media that reach the largest number of people. Of these, television has the advantage of delivering stories in both visual and auditory format, and TV news undeniably carries the most weight in comparison. Its convenience makes it a more influential player in providing information to the masses.
Of course, the formidable power of the Internet as an information delivery system is not to be underestimated, but for the time being, television news remains the most popular way for the general public to keep up with events.
The penetration rate of television sets in Taiwan was 99.51 percent in September 2003, according to a report released by the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics. Because this information is more than a year old, it is safe to assume that the rate is now even higher. In comparison, about 60 percent of Taiwanese households are equipped with personal computers.
Taiwan's television news channels experienced explosive growth in the 1990s, with between 10 and 15 channels all broadcasting news shows, at least six of which provided almost round-the-clock news coverage. The fierce competition between television stations can be seen in the large number of satellite news gathering (SNG) vehicles prowling the streets of Taiwan, each looking to scoop the others. Local viewers are getting more and more accustomed to live coverage of breaking news around the island.
Competition has become so fierce that it is not uncommon for news vans to arrive on the scene of a crime even before the authorities, as recently happened in Taipei when a four-year-old girl, a victim of particularly severe abuse at the hands of her inebriated father, slipped into a coma and had to be rushed to hospital, only to be turned away by several hospitals in the nation's capital. The young girl was finally admitted to a hospital in a city more than 100 kilometers away from Taipei.
The incident, though tragic, might have gone unreported were it not for the fierce competition among news gathering teams. As a result of the public outrage over the story, two doctors, accused of forgery and injury caused by professional negligence, have been charged by the Taipei District Prosecutors Office. Moreover, the story has spurred a wider examination of flaws in the nation's healthcare system. This particular story illustrates how Taiwan's media is slowly living up to the fourth-estate role that the press must play in any democracy.
