The media play an indispensable role in any society. Their roles include conveying information, providing a public forum, transmitting culture, and educating, and they impact many aspects of national life, particularly politics and economics. In this month’s cover story we explore the question of how to convey information to people rapidly, effectively and meaningfully in an era of information overload.
As the coronavirus sweeps the globe, the skills in communication and coordination that Taiwan’s government has displayed in its timely, foresighted response have amazed many observers worldwide. How was this done? Our report takes readers back to the early days of the outbreak, when Taiwan activated the Central Epidemic Command Center and adopted critical measures like border controls, contact tracing, and combating false information, as well as rapidly ramping up production of surgical face masks. We look in depth at the Taiwan model for disease control that has won global acclaim.
The rapid spread of information today depends in part on “Internet celebrities” who produce “self-media.” It also involves the efforts of startups performing “information visualization.” We look at how these firms bring together government statistical data, issues of public concern, and international trends to help readers see the deeper levels of meaning behind the numbers. We also report on the present state of development of “participatory budgeting” in Taiwan, and how it fills a gap in representative democracy by helping to match government services more closely to people’s needs, take care of disadvantaged groups, and build channels of communication.
As always, in this month’s issue we go to various places across Taiwan to discover beautiful stories, on themes such as the architecture of the train stations at Xincheng and Fuli in Hualien County, the achievements of the Yu-Hsiu Museum of Art in Nantou County, or the principles behind the fish ladders built at the Long’en Wier on the Touqian River in Hsinchu County by river conservationist Tzeng Chyng-shyan, to help migratory fish species return to their spawning grounds.
We also report on Muslim-friendly businesses in Taiwan, and the efforts of government and the private sector to promote Muslim tourism. We hear the moving stories of immigrant ceramic artist Tjung Seha and of 83-year-old nun Maryta Laumann, founder of the Department of Textiles and Clothing at Fu Jen Catholic University.
The media is a two-edged sword: Good reporting can break down barriers of ethnicity and social class, and can convey knowledge, values, and social norms, while also fulfilling the function of transmitting culture. Such reporting has been our goal at Taiwan Panorama for more than 40 years.
