Review: Taiwan+

I am staying this week at a Pasadena, Calif. hotel which has a substantial Asian clientele. So their TV lineup includes some familiar American favorites, but there are also a number of global channels I generally don't get the opportunity to watch.

TaiwanPlus is a linear TV and digital channel that offers English-language news and entertainment from Taiwan. The programming is a mix of TaiwanPlus originals as well as selections from the Taiwan Broadcasting System.

There is a healthy mix of original daily news coverage, with the service noting that "Our team of Taiwanese and international journalists reports on stories from Taiwan and around the world. From our unique position at the nexus of geopolitics and international trade, TaiwanPlus also provides an inside look at Taiwan-China relations, with in-depth reporting and analysis."

And as you might expect from a Taiwan-centric channel, the news tends to emphasize the importance of Taiwan to the world's democracies and the need to protect it from "outside aggressions." Oh, China is never mentioned. But it looms unspoken over every political news discussion.

But there are also some jarring moments, like one discussion which argued the biggest political challenge in the world this year comes from the United States, which is currently undergoing a "political upheaval." 

But for American audiences, the most accessible part of the network's programming are the lifestyle shows. There are a myriad of cooking shows, most of them focusing on Taiwan chefs and local cuisine. One of the funny parts of these shows is that many of them admit that Taiwan doesn't have a clear culinary style. But that vaguely defined food is a reflection of the island's diversity and importance to the world's culture. Which comes off to me as both endearing and a bit needy.

There are shows taking a deep dive into the stories of people from Hong Kong who have moved to Taiwan in search of more political freedom and another highlighting a Vancouver fisherman who is taking his boat on an exploration of the seas around Taiwan.

There is even a late night talk show called The Taipai Tonight Show which doesn't appear to have much of a budget, although it is aggressively chipper and light-hearted.

I've found myself watching Taiwan+ a lot this week. Never as my first choice, but I couldn't decide what else to watch, I'd find myself tuning over to see what was happening today in Taiwan. 

So I guess the channel has succeeded in its plan to make the island more real and integral to audiences outside Taiwan. Even if more often that not, I'm not quite sure why I'm watching.

Taiwan+ programming is available at taiwanplus.com, on the Taiwan+ app and the 24-hour linear channel.