Taiwan Public Television budget dispute

In late July 2026, Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan began reviewing the 2025 central government budget and considered a freeze and cut of more than NT$10 billion from the Public Television Service (PTS) grant. Over 50 frontline producers from PTS and its subsidiary channels petitioned lawmakers, warning that the cut would halve the NT$21 billion grant that funds news, drama, documentaries, children’s and cultural programmes. The producers linked the budget freeze to a stalled election for PTS’s eighth board of directors, noting that board‑review committee resignations had halted the selection process.

By early August 2026, the budget proposal remained under review, and PTS Chairman Hu Yuan‑hui publicly offered to forgo his salary if the cuts were dropped, emphasizing the need for stable financing. The producers’ petition had gathered more than 100,000 signatures and attracted support from prominent actors, who warned that reduced funding could lower production quality and weaken Taiwan’s media competitiveness. The situation reflects an ongoing political dispute over public‑media financing and governance.