Liberty Times Should Dispel Public Misgivings

Liberty Times Should Dispel Public Misgivings

(Commentary)

Source: United Daily News

May 6, 2010

Does the Liberty Times have a survey center? It released a photo of a “polling center” a few days ago in an effort to downplay suspicions, but the public’s questions are still on the rise. The public is still in doubt: Is it a real “polling center”?

The Liberty Times is usually regarded as an official mouthpiece of the Taiwan Independence movement and the Green camp. In fact, it is very common for media outlets to back a particular political ideology in a democracy. However, the media’s bottom line should still be a commitment to professionalism and ethical integrity. They may report different takes on the “facts,” but they should never deliberately fabricate the “facts.” One classic example from the Liberty Times archives is the exclusive story it ran on the “Southern Front Project,” a non-existent diplomatic project that former President Chen Shui-bian concocted in order to cover up his acts of embezzling the State Affairs Funds. If the Liberty Times reporter had fallen for the story, it would merely be a matter of clumsy professional judgment. However, if the Liberty Times had been aware that it was a cover story but still shamelessly released the fabricated report in behalf of the corrupt President Chen, the Liberty Times should be viewed as a “common criminal” with political motive in the disguise of a journalist. This kind of act is despicable and shameful!

The current accusations against the Liberty Times are much worse, because it had been a passive “accomplice” in spreading Chen Shui-bian’s fabrications in the “Southern Front Project” news story. By contrast, if the Liberty Times does not in fact have its own certified polling center but still made up polling results of a non-existent survey, it would be the “principal offender.” When it dares to fabricate “public opinion,” how can it continue to have a foothold in Taiwan?

In the face of such doubts, if the Liberty Times still has any sense of shame, should it not be determined to clear its name? In particular, as a mouthpiece for the Taiwan Independence movement and the Green camp, the Liberty Times should contest the accusations for the sake of its supporters so that it does not tarnish the social image of the Taiwan Independence movement or the Green camp.

Since the Liberty Times has revealed the photo of its “polling center,” it should immediately invite impartial third parties to visit the site and allow the public to “share the precious experience of the Liberty Times’ miraculous public survey.”

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