From Propaganda To Protest: Taiwan’s History Through Media｜TaiwanPlus News

Why It Matters

The display reframes Taiwan’s democratic transition as a media-driven struggle, highlighting how communication technologies shaped public opinion and political change; understanding this dynamic is crucial as Taiwan and other democracies confront rapid digital information flows and disinformation risks. It signals that control over media channels remains a central battleground for political legitimacy and civic action.

Summary

A National Taiwan Museum exhibition traces Taiwan’s media history from colonial propaganda to grassroots protest, displaying more than 200 artifacts including an anti-communist propaganda train model, martial-law era typewriters used for underground Tang Wai newspapers, and a Wi‑Fi hotspot used during the 2014 Sunflower Movement. The show argues that radio, film, print and evolving technology both reinforced authoritarian narratives and later enabled dissidents to challenge the regime and mobilize overseas support, as with 1980s broadcasts that amplified outrage over the Lin family murders. Curators emphasize continuity in how communication tools are wielded by competing political forces, underscoring technology’s dual role as instrument of control and of civic mobilization. The exhibit also warns that modern information environments are not closed but overwhelmingly large and susceptible to malicious uses.

Original Description

A new exhibition at the National Taiwan Museum explores how media shaped public opinion from the colonial era through martial law and democratization. Featuring more than 200 artifacts, the exhibit traces how governments used propaganda tools like radio, trains and newspapers, while pro-democracy activists later used underground publications and new technology to challenge authoritarian rule.

📹 Reporter(s): Eason Chen/Tiffany Wong

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