What are the cultural issues that dominate the social media scene in Taiwan? For example: trust in mainstream media against social media, or corporations’ fear of losing control by engaging in conversational media, etc.
Nothing really dominates the social media scene here. There are so many cultural issues in social media scene here. What you mentioned are only part of it.

Do you foresee social media and citizen journalism (e.g. blogs) replacing the role of traditional media in Taiwan. Why?
I don’t think citizen journalism (CJ) will replace the role of traditional media, but I believe that CJ is penetrating step by step into traditional media. Actually all traditional media now have websites and most of them allow comments on the sites. The four major newspaper websites now provide blog service to everyone as well as many TV channels. Amongst the news we watch or read everyday, more than 30% are from web and the percentage is rising. The traditional media here is trying to adopt the web and absorb more CJ spirits in order to 1) cut the cost, and 2) catch the tide. Traditional media still own the biggest tunnels of communication; CJ is not only an alternative choice of news tunnel, but also an engine of revolution to traditional media. The revolution has just begun.

In your opinion, what is the future of professional blogging in Taiwan?
I don’t think professional blogging ever existed anywhere. When someone earns his / her living by publishing online, he or she then becomes a writer, no longer a blogger. Bloggers in my definition are always non-profitable, or not profitable enough to make a living. Very old fashion, huh!

What is the corporate blogging scene like in Taiwan, are there many Taiwanese corporations using social media to reach out to their customers, and are there an examples (good or bad)? For example: Dell has a Chinese corporate blog. Corporate blogging is very popular in Taiwan. The richest man in Taiwan, Guo Tai Min has a blog. The largest chained convenience store 7-11 is maintaining a blog. A publishing company sells their books only on social bookmark service, HEMiDEMi. Movie agency also uses social bookmark services or online video sites to promote new movies. You can find hundreds of examples on every BSP or vlog service in Taiwan.

I have to do some study to give you a good and a bad example because it is hard to tell the real reason that make it a success or a failure.

People are usually critical about corporate blogging. Do you think this is so in Taiwan? If yes, how can businesses go around this?
Yes, Taiwanese are also critical about it. However, that is when the company makes trouble so that the corporate blog gets criticized. Corporate blogs are just an information window with more human touch. Corporations should worry about their product quality in advance, not the blog.

What should businesses know before they engage the social media in Taiwan?
I think they should get to know the mapping of different interest communities, in which I mean the sites where people discuss different products: where to buy, how they buy, how much does it cost, and how is the quality of a product? Some bloggers are super influential in certain areas. Find the right place and the right blogger for help and consultation in advance.

In your opinion, what do you think are 5 key tips to effectively engage the social media scene in Taiwan?
a. Twitter and Buboo: use micro-blogging platform to get connection with A-list bloggers right away.
b. HEMiDEMi and Funp: use digg-like social bookmark services to know what’s hot topics in blogosphere.
c. I’m Vlog and Youtube—look for most discussed and most watched videos.
d. Be a blogger.
e. Get on Ptt bbs as often as possible—the largest bbs is the news source of all local media.

Are there any restrictions in Taiwan that might hinder further development of social media in the country? For example: government intervention, etc.
Government intervention is not likely to be a problem. There are certain laws that prohibit people posting erotic contents, selling drugs and alcohols and cigarettes online, but they don’t cause serious threats most of the time. Besides these, I don’t see any restrictions. Maybe the only restriction is the connection with Mainland China. Some social media companies might delete sensitive content in order to appeal to China market in the future.