PTS Chairman Hu Yuan-hui Ejected from Legislative Hearing

Public Television Service (PTS) Chairman Hu Yuan-hui (胡元輝) was ordered to leave a Legislative Yuan Education and Culture Committee hearing on Thursday, triggering a day-long parliamentary standoff that has reignited debate over political interference in Taiwans public media. The confrontation began when KMT Legislator Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) argued that Hu lacked legal standing to appear before the committee, citing the Legislative Yuans recent removal of the board extension clause from the Public Television Act (公視法). Opposition legislators maintained that the 7th PTS board term has legally expired and Hu is therefore the "former chairman," not entitled to participate in official proceedings.

Culture Minister Li Yuan (李遠) protested vigorously, insisting that the Foundation Act still permits board extension when a new board cannot be formed — a legal interpretation that would keep Hu in his position. "I firmly defend the independence of public broadcasting media," Li told the committee. But Convenor Lo Ting-wei (羅廷瑋), who chaired the session, sided with the KMT interpretation and had Hu escorted from the chamber. The ejection immediately escalated into partisan warfare. DPP legislators attempted to bring Hu back into the proceedings in the afternoon session, but Lo responded by calling four successive recesses, effectively paralyzing the committee for the remainder of the day. The tactic — described by Liberty Times as "five rounds of obstruction" — prevented any further business from being conducted.

Hu expressed grave concern about the implications for Taiwans public media ecosystem. "If the board ceases to function, all major work plans, financial transactions, and policy functions would be paralyzed," he warned in a public statement following his ejection. He also pointed out a historical precedent: the Public Television Act previously lacked an explicit board extension provision, and the Foundation Acts general extension mechanism had historically sufficed. "The removal of this provision from the Act does not invalidate my tenure under the Foundations governing rules," Hu argued. CNA reported that Culture Minister Li later personally thanked Hu for his "determination to protect the pure land of public media."

Both parties traded accusations of political manipulation behind the scenes. DPP Legislator Wu Szu-yao (吳思瑤) condemned the ejection as "political bullying of cultural workers in the halls of Congress," asking rhetorically: "If you cant take control of PTS, will you instead destroy it?" She accused the opposition of openly negotiating board and supervisor appointments — essentially attempting to seize control of the public broadcaster through procedural means. The KMT countered that the DPP itself has long used political influence over public media appointments and that the removal of the extension clause was a legitimate legislative action to prevent indefinite board terms.

The standoff reflects deeper tensions over the governance of Taiwans public broadcasting institutions, which are required by law to maintain political independence. The 7th PTS boards term has been mired in controversy as the process to form a new board has stalled, with political parties unable to agree on candidate slates. Media observers warn that the legislative confrontation risks setting a precedent where parliamentary committees can unilaterally determine who is — or is not — a legitimate public media executive, undermining the statutory independence that the Public Television Act was designed to protect.