By Shelley Shan / Staff reporterSixteen radio licenses are to be auctioned or allocated via a draw this year after the Executive Yuan approved a plan submitted by the National Communications Commission (NCC) earlier this week. They include 10 FM licenses for community radio stations, five FM licenses for regional broadcasters and one AM license for a regional radio service, the commission said. The number is a reduction from the 34 licenses previously proposed by the commission — 22 FM licenses for community radio stations, nine FM licenses for regional radio broadcasters, two AM licenses for regional radio services and one FM license for national radio services. With an oversaturated market and the rise of streaming media services, the commission adjusted the number of radio licenses to be released, it said. Licenses for community radio stations would be distributed via a draw, while qualified operators interested in obtaining regional broadcasting licenses would need to bid for them, it said.

Source: Taipei Times March 10, 2017 16:02 UTC