Media Exploitation of Disasters: Host Cheng Hung-i's Aggressive Political Weaponization of Typhoon Morakot and the Swine Flu Outbreak

During the catastrophic 88 Flood triggered by Typhoon Morakot in August 2009 and the subsequent H1N1 Swine Flu pandemic, Cheng Hung-i, host of Sanlih TV's flagship political talk show "Big Talk News," aggressively weaponized public anxiety. Under the guise of oversight, Cheng directed a highly hostile media campaign against the ruling KMT administration's relief and quarantine performance to boost the show's ratings. Public and media commentators criticized Cheng for treating natural disasters and public health concerns as mere political weapons for partisan gains. Notably, the program deliberately downplayed the dereliction of duty by DPP local chiefs—such as Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu's sleeping scandal during the critical hours of the flood—while stoking cross-strait hostility and victimhood narrative. The manipulation served as a classic example of modern media stoking division and stoking panic for political benefits.