Whistleblower or Tattletale: The Case for Ordinary Heroes

• Main Authors: Yuan Chou, 周原
• Other Authors: 黃銘傑
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2011
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/33715955881939623046

碩士 === 國立臺灣大學 === 新聞研究所 === 99 === It is truly amazing that nearly four decades after the events of the Watergate scandal, the misnomer for whistleblowers in the Taiwanese media is still the term “Deep Throat.” To the public, the whistleblower remains an elusive, unknowable figure, part conspiracy theory myth, part stereotypical tattletale. The Chinese culture places great emphasis on loyalty. The concept of a positive character who informs on his fellows can be difficult to swallow. And yet, the Taiwanese society is not without its share of positive instances of whistleblowing. In the past five years alone, there have been four famous whistleblowers, concerned in three separate cases, involving natural gas provider Shin Hai Gas Corporation, air travel giant China Airlines, and cable news channel Era News, respectively. The stories of these whistleblowers raise an important question: what can Taiwan do for its courageous citizens who go against their own employers for the greater good? This report focuses on the past, present, and future of Taiwanese whistleblowers. By conducting field research, we attempt to present the exact sequence of events that propelled these four whistleblowers into the public spotlight. At the same time, we analyze the legal protection afforded whistleblowers in more advanced countries, such as Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, as well as the concepts of corporate governance and legal compliance, in our search for a solution to the whistleblower dilemma. While a clear-cut solution may ultimately elude us, this report hopes to spark a series of interdisciplinary discussions on the matter of whistleblowers, and to find a proper place in the public narrative for these ordinary heroes. For too long, whistleblowers have been besmirched as opportunistic tattletales. Redressing that wrong will go a long way in helping society become more appreciative and protective of them.