National Taiwan Museum Launches 'Signals of the Era' Exhibition, Reflecting on Taiwan's Democratic Journey Through Communication Tools

Central News Agency, Taipei, May 25. Communication tools can also shake power. The National Taiwan Museum (NTM) has launched the 'Signals of the Era' exhibition, reviewing how communication technologies such as newspapers, fax machines, and radio stations have reflected Taiwan's democratic journey—from trains promoting anti-communist slogans to pagers used by opposition figures to stay in touch. The opening press conference for the 'Signals of the Era: Communication Technology and the Stirring of Democracy' special exhibition was held today. NTM Director Chen Teng-chin stated that Taiwan's democratic development is closely linked to the evolution of communication technology, with every medium serving as a vital tool for people to break through restrictions and exchange information. The exhibition focuses on 'technology,' hoping to show how Taiwanese society used limited resources to convey its voice through physical artifacts. The exhibition is divided into four units. It starts from the 1920s to the 1940s, showing the intellectual trends from the Japanese colonial period to the post-war era through print media, street speeches, and films. Next is the 1950s to the 1970s, a period of martial law dominated by official propaganda, though some activists still challenged the system. The exhibition features interactive installations, such as the history of the Keelung Middle School principal using a 'mimeograph' to print newspapers in 1948, and a recreation of the 1955 'Anti-Communist' Taiwan Sugar Railway train, which visited 105 stations over 32 days and was seen by 1.58 million people. The third unit covers the 1970s to the 1980s, where the circulation of opposition magazines, overseas answering machine networks, and ENG camera recordings broke media monopolies. Finally, the 1990s onwards saw the rise of underground radio stations and the rapid spread of public discussion via social media, demonstrating how Taiwanese society used low-cost, flexible media and technology to connect and spread resistance. Chiu Wan-hsing, who edited several opposition magazines, lent his personal items to recreate the manual editing process. He shared that his record was editing six magazines in one month, often starting work after 8 p.m. to avoid the Garrison Command and finishing by dawn. The independent media group 'Green Team,' which recorded the '520 Farmers' Movement,' also contributed. Representative Li San-chung explained that while the democratization movement was booming, media controlled by the government often distorted these movements, so they used handheld cameras to film and produce tapes, later holding screenings as a form of media resistance. The exhibition displays various communication tools and includes interactive areas. For example, visitors can press buttons on pagers to see numeric messages like '4457' (come back quickly) and '709' (let's go drink). Yu Yueh-shu, who sold opposition magazines, told the curatorial team that he once hired 14 delivery personnel, each carrying two pagers to facilitate business and assist in bailing out detained staff. The 'Signals of the Era' exhibition runs until February 21, 2027, at the NTM Railway Department Park.