Veteran Anchor Laid Off After 28 Years: TVBS News Production Will Become 'Rougher'

Wu Anqi, a veteran anchor who spent 28 years at TVBS, has spoken out about the impact of recent layoffs on news production. Following her dismissal, Wu appeared on a YouTube channel created by National Taiwan University journalism students, where she candidly shared her concerns. She believes that the reduction in staff will inevitably lead to a "rougher" quality of news reporting.

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It will become very rough... It is very obvious that it has become very rough. The background stories that should be further understood, the people who should be asked on-site, may not be able to do so due to insufficient manpower, it will just become very rough, which is quite regrettable.

Wu explained that with fewer personnel, the newsroom struggles to conduct the in-depth background research and on-site reporting that is crucial for comprehensive coverage. "The background stories that should be further understood, the people who should be asked on-site, may not be able to do so due to insufficient manpower," she lamented, adding that the overall news product will become noticeably coarser.

When questioned about whether the company still aims to maintain the same quality standards, Wu expressed skepticism. She observed that management does not seem concerned about the perceived decline in news quality, primarily because viewership numbers have remained relatively stable. "We ourselves feel regretful, but the superiors, because they see no significant change in ratings, feel it doesn't matter," Wu stated. She suggested that the decision to cut staff is largely driven by a desire to save money, a common approach in corporate management.

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We ourselves feel regretful, but the superiors, because they see no significant change in ratings, feel it doesn't matter. So, they cut the staff to save some money, which is probably an answer that is easy to think of in corporate management, an action that is easy to take.

Wu also reflected on the broader changes in the media landscape, noting an increasing emphasis on "traffic" and personalization. She feels the industry is becoming more vulgar, prioritizing "young and beautiful" presenters and chasing online trends, akin to becoming "influencers." While acknowledging the value of personal branding, Wu stressed that it should be built upon professionalism, not merely social media engagement, especially when journalists lack adequate resources and opportunities for substantive reporting.

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The industry changes are obvious to everyone, which is to be young and beautiful, to wear short skirts, this is... becoming more vulgar, chasing traffic, becoming like influencers.