以世界咖啡館模式探討有線電視公用頻道的近用與推廣

Abstract

臺灣有線電視在1993年取得合法地位，因其系統網路之鋪設需使用公用資源，故將有線電視為「準公用事業」，必須肩負回饋社會之義務，《有線電視法》第23條第二項規定下，有線電視公用頻道（Public Access Channel）因此誕生，旨在實踐媒體近用權、透過電視打造一個全民都可以使用的公共論壇，讓電視的閱聽人由被動的受眾有機會轉變為內容的產製方。在過去相關的研究中顯示，有線電視公用頻道普遍存在認知度低、近用度低等問題，自1993年至今三十年，新傳播科技的進步使得社會環境、公民的媒體使用習慣已與過去截然不同，有線電視公用頻道作為公民實踐媒體近用權的一種方式，其存續意義值得被重新探討。本研究統合國內外研究文獻，並透過世界咖啡館勾勒出民眾對於有線電視公用頻道的想像，再輔以有線電視公用頻道經營／管理者深度訪談的經驗分享，探討有線電視公用頻道的近用情況與未來推廣可能方向。研究發現，在數位匯流的時代下，有線電視公用頻道的認知與近用仍不足，有線電視用戶數下降以及網路及影音串流平台等新的近用媒體方式更受歡迎，更加劇有線電視公用頻道的困境，然而在新冠病毒（Covid-19）疫情影響下，將地區界線拉回現代社會，有線電視公用頻道似乎迎來轉機。以公共領域的概念來說，即使現今新科技網路媒體的崛起，擴大也提升了媒體近用的範圍與程度，不代表可以忽視其他相對弱勢媒體的傳播公民權，因此不應消滅有線電視公用頻道的存在。

Cable television in Taiwan gained legal status in 1993. Due to the need for utilizing public resources for its network infrastructure, cable television was designated as a"prospective public utility" and was obligated to contribute to society. As stipulated in Article 23, Section 2 of the Cable Television Act, the Public Access Channel was established with the aim of realizing the right to media access, creating a public forum accessible to all through television, and transforming TV viewers from passive audiences into content producers. Previous research has indicated that public awareness and utilization of the Public Access Channel have been generally low. Over the past thirty years, advancemㄈents in new communication technologies have drastically changed the social landscape and citizens' media consumption habits. Considering the Public Access Channel as a means for citizens to exercise their right to media access, its continued significance warrants reexamination. This study integrates domestic and international research literature, outlines public perceptions of the Public Access Channel through a metaphor of a "world café," and supplements these findings with insights from in-depth interviews with operators and managers of the Public Access Channel. The study investigates the current state of utilization of the Public Access Channel and explores potential directions for future promotion.The research findings indicate that, in the era of digital convergence, both awareness of and utilization of the Public Access Channel remain insufficient. Declining cable television subscriptions and the popularity of new media formats such as online streaming platforms have exacerbated the challenges faced by the Public Access Channel. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has, to some extent, shifted attention back to local communities, potentially providing a turning point for the Public Access Channel.From a public domain perspective, despite the rise of new technology and online media, which has expanded and enhanced the scope and extent of media access, this does not negate the importance of recognizing the communication rights of other relatively marginalized media. Therefore, the existence of the Public Access Channel should not be eliminated.