Some scholars argue that one reason partisan political talk shows are so popular in Taiwan is that they give their similarly biased viewers the addictive feeling that "their" voices are being heard, and "their" views expressed. (photo by Jimmy Lin)

Few people in Taiwan can be unfamiliar with political talk shows like 2100 The People Speak, DaHwa News, and Sisy's Show. These programs, with the same unchanging hosts and commentators, which provide round-the-clock criticism, analysis, satire, censure, speculation, and revelations about political figures and news events, and work to create controversial issues on their own, have been called "a unique local product" of Taiwan. Watching political talk shows has even become one of the things that mainland tourists to Taiwan find most interesting and amusing.

Taiwan's political talk shows are popular partly for the objective reason that political issues loom large as a result of the sharp disagreement and animosity between the blue (pro-KMT) and green (pro-DPP) camps. But some scholars argue that another possible reason why these shows have not faded even after more than a decade on the air is that, for viewers, they have the effect of making people feel better about themselves by reinforcing what they already are inclined to believe. This is how the networks get people to turn on the TV every day at fixed times like addicts. Moreover, periods of uncertainty, insecurity, and scandal create opportunities for these shows to become even more popular.

The Taipei City Government and the United Daily News Group held a contest to choose the single Chinese character that best defined Taiwan in 2008. The results, released at the end of the year, were that, with more 61,000 telephone votes cast, the winning symbol was luan, meaning chaos or disorder.

Experts and scholars who participated in an analysis of the results noted that 2008 witnessed a transfer of power from the DPP to the KMT, the policies of the Ma Ying-jeou administration were not having the anticipated effects, there was a global financial crisis, there was a second meeting between P.K. Chiang (chairman of Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation) and Chen Yunlin (chairman of the mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits, or ARATS), direct travel and transport were opened across the Taiwan Strait, and outgoing president Chen Shui-bian was arrested and indicted. These dramatic changes led to even further polarization, uncertainty, and disillusionment, hence the selection of the word luan as representing 2008.