The inauguration of the Tzu Chi TV station on January 1, 1998, not only marks a new milestone for the Tzu Chi culture mission, but also corresponds with Master Cheng Yen's three commitments, "May all human minds be purified, society be peaceful, and there be no disasters in the world." Furthermore, it shows Tzu Chi's determination to instill a stream of purity into the mass media.

News broadcasts will cover stories of brightness, joy and hope. Other programs will stress warm incidents and touching stories which promote the bright side of human nature. In other words, the station's news coverage and programs are based on the pursuit of truth, goodness and beauty.

We believe that great love can brighten human nature and illuminate the world. When people's hearts are filled with love, there will only be mutual care and concern without any hatred, and society will be warm and harmonious.

Too many TV channels today compete against each other with broadcasts of conflicts and crimes. They neglect the bright, positive side of our society, and thus fill people with distrust, indifference and alienation .

As the saying goes, water can float a boat and it can also turn over a boat. A knife can be used to commit murder or to perform an operation. The mass media are neither evil nor kind. What counts is how they are used. We believe that if they can be used properly, the mass media can unobtrusively change and influence people's mindsets and guide them away from evil thoughts.

We do not want to compete with other TV channels. Instead, we want to remind our audience to look at our society from a different angle and to develop the dynamics of kindness in our society. Through our channel, we will let more people watch the true records of Tzu Chi's beauty and goodness and the warm, bright side of our society. Various kinds of documentaries and special reports may deeply touch our hearts.

Unlike other TV stations, our channel will have no exaggerated commercials. The only advertisements we will have will be for the public welfare, such as environmental protection and other charitable activities. In other words, what we display will be clean, healthful items, suitable for the whole family to watch.

We understand the road ahead of us will be filled with difficulties and challenges, but with our ideals and persistence, the space for growth will be unlimited.

Tzu Chi TV will present a broader view of the world for the local audience. Through pictures transmitted from all over the world, we can see foreign friends from different cultural backgrounds joining us hand in hand to promote the idea of great love-helping the needy without asking for anything in return. We deeply believe that the concept of great love can shorten the distance among different peoples without worrying about the language barrier.

Great love transcends the boundaries between countries. Take a look at the world today: we can find countless people suffering from hunger and cold. What a blessing we have to be able to live in a society that is rich in daily necessities and is politically stable! Our international relief mission will be shown on our channel. More than just a documentary, it will be a reflection and a rediscovery. We can learn to appreciate what we already have by watching these programs. Furthermore, we will pay more attention to the suffering people in the world. We will try to take away their coldness and bring them hope.

What is more important is that we will provide people in other countries with our experience in carrying out the Buddhist spirit of "kindness, compassion, joy and unselfish giving."