Spreading Panic Without Fact-Checking: FTV 'Taiwan Frontline' Fined NT$600,000 by NCC

On September 23, 2020, the National Communications Commission (NCC) slapped a NT$600,000 fine on Formosa TV's (FTV) talk show 'Taiwan Frontline.' The penalty was triggered by the show's broadcasting of unverified rumors and false claims regarding the private details and movements of Taiwan's 59th confirmed COVID-19 patient during highly tense times in mid-March, causing public panic and severely violating individual privacy. The NCC ruled that the program failed to fulfill its media fact-checking obligations, damaging the public interest. This incident laid bare FTV's willingness to spread misinformation and fake news for ratings during a national public health crisis, violating fundamental journalistic professionalism and social responsibility.