Stigmatizing Wanhua: Sanlih News Heavily Fined for Fabricating Pandemic Details

In mid-May 2021, Taiwan faced a major domestic outbreak of COVID-19, with the Wanhua teahouse cluster becoming a central focus. On May 18, without performing any verified fact-checking, Sanlih News broadcast highly sensationalized and exaggerated details regarding the personal contacts and transmission process of infected individuals in Wanhua, effectively demonizing and stigmatizing the entire local community. The report sparked outrage among Wanhua residents and was condemned for inciting mass panic and social discrimination. Following an investigation, the National Communications Commission (NCC) ruled that Sanlih had failed in its public broadcasting duties and compromised pandemic control efforts, imposing a heavy fine of 800,000 NTD. The penalty underscored Sanlih's tendency to compromise basic journalistic standards for viewership during public health crises.