Covering Taiwan, Centering Local Perspectives: A Journalism Panel with Silva Shih, Afore Hsieh, Wen-Yee Lee, and Emily Y. Wu

In this special collaboration with Ghost Island Media,  host Emily Y. Wu discusses the importance of local and diverse perspectives when it comes to global coverage of Taiwan. Taipei-based journalists Silva Shih, Afore Hsieh, Wen-Yee Lee join Emily in this wide-ranging discussion.  

Taiwan's upcoming election has become one of the most closely monitored  events in decades, drawing the attention of foreign press members, international scholars, and think-tank or trade delegations. This heightened interest is reflected not only in the increased number of books published about Taiwan, spanning countries such as Denmark, Germany, and the U.S., but also in the creation of numerous high-quality newsletters dedicated to Taiwan this year.

As global attention on Taiwan intensifies, so does the significance of the work undertaken by domestic journalists. During a recent news forum hosted by RTI, the Chief China Correspondent of the New York Times emphasized the crucial role of local journalism, stating that the ideas shaping global news often originate from local reporting. In light of this, Emily Y. Wu, Silva, Wen-Yee, and Afore provide a glimpse into the landscape of local reporting during this period of rare foreign press attention and international curiosity focused on Taiwan. 

Many thanks to our panelists, Emily, and the team at Ghost Island Media for partnering with us for this collaborative episode.