Opinion | Fear of mainland China cultural influences political claptrap
It's not just a one-way street, as Taiwanese singers and soap operas have been popular for decades across the strait
A talent show for singers produced by mainland-based Hunan Satellite Television recently caused a sensation on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
was so popular that several Taiwanese cable news channels devoted most, if not all, of their air time - originally meant for newscasts - to broadcasting the show's finale on April 12.
That same night, it also became the big topic of talk shows on several other news channels, with hosts and guests discussing at length its upmarket stage design and concert-like presentation, which made other talent shows look amateurish.
The next day, several daily newspapers ran banner headlines about the result of the contest, which featured four well-known professional singers from Taiwan and three mainland acts, with the crown finally going to mainland pop duet Yu Quan.
The prominent coverage of the mainland competition sparked harsh criticism from the island's pro-independence camp, which accused the cable news channels of violating Taiwan's broadcasting law by airing an entertainment programme instead of news.
