Fit to wipe my arse.

Want some definitive proof that there's no neutral press in Taiwan? Want some definitive proof that the media here is a propaganda machine?

Ok, then you are asking for too much... but I do have something scandalous concerning press integrity to share with you.

The Liberty Times (自由時報) is one of the major newspapers in Taiwan. It supports the pan-green camp (Democratic Progressive Party, who has been in power for the last 8 years: pro-independence, has large grassroots following). Their rivals are China Post (中國時報) and United Daily (聯合報) - which are supporters of the pan-blue camp (The Chinese Nationalist Party, previously enforced despotic one party rule in Taiwan, imposed 50 years of martial law and white terror, murdered many dissenters, and now the major opposition party - yes, I'm as surprised as you are).

So recently a porcelain company in Taiwan, Franz, got a rare photo opportunity with the Pope. Unfortunately, the photo also featured Wang Shaw-lan (王效蘭), publisher of United Daily, third from left. Here's the photograph as released by CNA, the Taiwanese Central News Agency.

Now, when the photo was released on Liberty Times, it inexplicably altered. Can you spot the difference? Curious, isn't it? How Wang seems to have vanished from the scene. This photo was published by Liberty Times on the 17th of December, 2007, D10, if you are interested.

So what happened? Of course people noticed this rather obvious absence. And according to Liberty Times, the photo came to them that way, and they apologize for not noticing that it had been edited. Franz, however, insists that they edited the image at the request of Liberty Times.

I think the truth of the matter is a foregone conclusion - why in the name of everything Liberty Times does not stand for would anyone alter the image? And another question: did Liberty Times think that nobody would notice? They apparently take us for idiots. (Oh, by the way, this isn't the first time it's been caught editing photographs to suit their liking.) In another instance, the title of a paper being read by a man in a photograph, originally United Daily, was changed to Liberty Times, on 18th of October, 2005.

So, if Liberty Times has no qualms about changing photographs to suit themselves, then what's to stop it from changing news to suit themselves? After all, it is the Liberty Times - meaning, prone to taking liberties with the times.

I lament for the quality of free press in Taiwan.

I must add, my impression is that the other two major papers are not much better - when I come across some evidence I shall of course share them with you. Keep your eyes on this space for further farces.