TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Veteran journalist Chan I-I (詹怡宜) opens up about her transformative 34-year journey as TVBS marks over three decades of reshaping Taiwan's media landscape in Friday's (Oct. 3) episode of "The View from Taiwan." Her candid reflections reveal how the pioneering network overcame early uncertainty to emerge as one of Taiwan's most trusted news sources. The interview showcases the evolution of Taiwan's broadcast journalism from restrictive beginnings to today's dynamic media environment.
From Uncertainty to Industry Leadership
Chan joined TVBS during its precarious early days, candidly admitting she "couldn't be sure TVBS would continue to survive." The network launched during an era when Taiwan's media landscape operated under rigid government constraints, with presidential news mandatorily leading every broadcast and vice-presidential coverage automatically following as the second story. This restrictive environment left little room for journalistic creativity or independent editorial judgment.
"We can hardly imagine it now," Chan explains with a knowing smile. "TVBS was established with the ambitious goal of becoming a freer news organization that could report more diversely and truthfully," she recalls. The network's founding vision represented a bold departure from Taiwan's tightly controlled media environment of the early 1990s.
Creating Meaningful Content Amid Ratings Pressure
The network has grown exponentially, now employing over 500 dedicated staff members across its comprehensive news division, including cutting-edge new media operations. TVBS maintains a bustling 24-hour newsroom where seasoned reporters and fresh talent remain perpetually ready to cover breaking news developments at any moment. The newsroom's open-floor design fosters collaboration between different departments, creating a dynamic environment that reflects modern journalism's fast-paced demands.
Chan's acclaimed documentary program "Step by Step, Discovering New Taiwan" (一步一腳印 發現新台灣) emerged as a deliberate response to the industry's obsessive focus on ratings during the turbulent early 2000s. The media environment had shifted dramatically, prioritizing sensational, eye-catching content over substantive journalism, leaving news "meaningless," according to Chan. Her program represented a conscious effort to restore depth and meaning to Taiwan's broadcast landscape.
"Everyone was thinking about how to achieve better ratings and beat other stations," she recalls with evident frustration about that era's competitive atmosphere. "We wanted to create a program where people could speak normally, but we faced the challenge that normal conversation doesn't generate ratings." This fundamental tension between meaningful content and commercial success would define much of Chan's subsequent career trajectory.
The groundbreaking program has meticulously documented over 4,000 compelling human stories during its remarkable two-decade run, creating an invaluable archive of Taiwan's social transformation. Chan currently prepares an ambitious book project featuring 17 carefully selected stories that align with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Each chosen narrative represents ordinary people making extraordinary contributions to their communities and Taiwan's sustainable future.
Nurturing Future Journalists
Chan expresses growing concern about the alarming decline in journalism career interest among Taiwan's young people, who increasingly prefer becoming social media influencers or pursuing alternative digital careers. Many talented individuals now perceive traditional journalism as exhausting, underpaid work that subjects practitioners to relentless public criticism and political pressure. This trend threatens the future of quality journalism in Taiwan's rapidly evolving media landscape.
"I really hope young people are willing to become journalists," Chan emphasizes with genuine passion for her profession. "Being a journalist means learning to tell stories, training your expression skills, and ultimately knowing how to preserve the stories of this era, this country, and this time period." Her words reflect a deep understanding of journalism's role as society's historical chronicler and guardian of collective memory.
She firmly believes journalism provides an irreplaceable sense of mission and purpose, even as artificial intelligence rapidly transforms the global media landscape. "Even in the AI era, there are still some essential things — the most important being the emotional impact of storytelling," Chan notes thoughtfully. Human connection and emotional resonance remain journalism's most powerful tools in an increasingly automated world.
Despite prevailing industry trends toward highly opinionated journalism, Chan steadfastly maintains that news organizations should strive for neutrality and objectivity. She observes with concern that many contemporary journalists and television hosts now prioritize having strong, provocative viewpoints to attract specific demographic audiences. This strategic approach has unfortunately led to increasingly polarized coverage that divides rather than informs Taiwan's viewing public.
"I still believe we should make this effort because being trusted is more important than anything else," Chan states with unwavering conviction. She emphasizes that responsible media outlets should consistently provide audiences with memorable, meaningful content that genuinely helps their daily lives or offers positive encouragement. Trust, she argues, represents the foundation upon which all credible journalism must be built in Taiwan's competitive media environment.
Chan advises aspiring journalists to carefully remember their initial motivations for entering this demanding profession, recalling her own infectious excitement 34 years ago when she first walked to work at the Independent Evening Post (自立晚報). "I was so happy thinking I was going to be a journalist," she remembers with a nostalgic smile. "I imagined journalists as having a sense of justice, writing things people would read and be influenced by."
Her remarkable journey powerfully demonstrates that meaningful journalism extends far beyond breaking news coverage to preserving the human stories that define our times and inspire future generations to pursue truth. Chan's career is a testament to journalism's enduring power to document social change and foster understanding across Taiwan's diverse communities. ◼