South Korean media
Encyclopedia
The South Korea
n media
consist of several different types of public communication
of news: television, radio
, cinema
, newspapers, magazines, and Internet
-based Web sites.
Modern Korea
n journalism
began after the opening of Korea in late 19th century. The Korean press had a strong reformist
and nationalistic
flavour from the beginning, but faced efforts at political
control or outright censorship
during most of the 20th century.
Today in South Korea
, many journalists have established a tradition of remaining independent. They are often critical of the government
, zealously protesting any attempts at press censorship.
was signed in 1910, the Japan
ese governor general assumed direct control of the press along with other public
institutions. Following the March 1st Movement
in 1919, Japanese authorities
loosened their overt control over cultural
activities and permitted several Korean newspapers to function while maintaining some behind-the-scenes direction over politically sensitive topics.
During the 1920s, Korean vernacular newspapers, such as Donga Ilbo, and intellectual
journal
s such as Kaebyok (Creation), conducted running skirmishes with Japanese censors. Japanese authorities prohibited sales of individual issues on hundreds of occasions between 1926 and 1932. Japan's war mobilisation in the ensuing years ended any semblance of autonomy for the Korean press; all Korean-language publications were outlawed in 1941.
in Korea (1945–1948), which saw a burgeoning of newspapers and periodicals of every description as well as occasional censorship of the media, almost all subsequent South Korean governments have at times attempted to control the media.
Syngman Rhee
's government continued the military government's Ordinance Number Eighty-Eight, which outlawed leftist
newspapers. Rhee also closed moderate newspapers and arrested reporters and publishers on numerous occasions between 1948 and 1960. On taking power in 1961, Park Chung Hee's Supreme Council for National Reconstruction
closed all but fifteen of Seoul
's 64 daily newspapers and refused to register a comparable percentage of the country's news
services, weeklies
, and monthly publication
s while using its own radio and news agencies to promote its official line. The Park government also used the Press Ethics Commission Law of 1964 and, after 1972, emergency decree
s that penalised criticism of the government to keep the media in line. In 1974, the government ordered a number of journalists fired and used the KCIA
to force Dong-a Ilbo
to stop its reporting on popular opposition to the Park government by intimidating the paper's advertisers
.
During the Park and the subsequent Chun Doo Hwan administrations, the government exercised considerable control and surveillance over the media through the comprehensive National Security Act. In late 1980, the Chun government established more thorough control of the news media than had existed in the South Korea since the Korean War
. Independent news agencies were absorbed into a single state-run agency, numerous provincial newspapers were closed, central newspapers were forbidden to station correspondents in provincial cities, the Christian Broadcasting System network was forbidden to provide news coverage, and two independent broadcasting
companies were absorbed into the state-run Korean Broadcasting System (KBS). In addition, the Defense Security Command, then commanded by Roh Tae Woo, and the Ministry of Culture and Information ordered hundreds of South Korean journalists fired and banned from newspaper writing or editing. The Basic Press Act of December 1980 was the legal capstone of Chun's system of media control and provided for censorship and control of newspapers, periodicals, and broadcast media. It also set the professional qualifications for journalists. Media censorship was coordinated with intelligence officials, representatives of various government agencies, and the presidential staff by the Office of Public Information Policy within the Ministry of Culture and Information using daily "reporting guidelines" sent to newspaper editors. The guidelines dealt exhaustively with questions of emphasis, topics to be covered or avoided, the use of government press releases, and even the size of headlines. Enforcement methods ranged from telephone calls to editors to more serious forms of intimidation, including interrogations and beatings by police. One former Ministry of Culture and Information official told a National Assembly hearing in 1988 that compliance during his tenure from 1980 to 1982 reached about 70 per cent.
By the mid-1980s, censorship of print and broadcast media had become one of the most widely and publicly criticised practices of the Chun government. Even the government-controlled Yonhap News Agency noted in 1989 that "TV companies, scarcely worse than other media, were the main target of bitter public criticism for their distorted reporting for the government in the early 1980s." Editorials called for abolition of the Basic Press Act and related practices, a bill
was unsuccessfully introduced in the National Assembly to the same end, and a public campaign
to withhold compulsory viewers' fees in protest against censorship by the KBS network received widespread press attention. By the summer of 1986, even the ruling party was responding to public opinion.
The political liberalization of the late 1980s brought a loosening of press restraints and a new generation of journalists more willing to investigate sensitive subjects, such as the May 1980 Gwangju massacre
. Roh's eight-point declaration of June 29, 1987, provided for "a free press
, including allowing newspapers to base correspondent
s in provincial cities and withdrawing security officials from newspaper offices." The South Korean media began a rapid expansion. Seoul papers expanded their coverage and resumed the practice of stationing correspondents in provincial cities. Although temporarily still under the management of a former Blue House
press spokesman, the MBC
television network
, a commercial network that had been under control of the state-managed KBS since 1980, resumed independent broadcasting. The number of radio broadcast stations grew from 74 in 1985 to 111 (including both AM
and FM
stations
) by late 1988 and 125 by late 1989. The number of periodicals rose as the government removed restrictions on the publishing
industry.
There also were qualitative changes in the South Korean media. The Christian Broadcasting System, a radio network, again began to broadcast news as well as religious programming in 1987. In the same year, the government partially lifted a long-standing ban
on the works of North Korean artists and musicians, many of whom were of South Korean origin. A newspaper run by dissident journalists began publication in 1988. A number of other new dailies also appeared in 1988. Many of the new weekly and monthly periodicals bypassed the higher profits of the traditional general circulation magazines to provide careful analyses of political, economic, and national security affairs to smaller, specialised audiences. Observers noted a dramatic increase in press coverage of previously taboo subjects such as political- military relations, factions within the military, the role of security agencies in politics, and the activities of dissident organisations. Opinion polls dealing with these and other sensitive issues also began to appear with increasing regularity. Journalists at several of the Seoul dailies organised trade unions in late 1987 and early 1988 and began to press for editorial autonomy and a greater role in newspaper management.
In 1989 South Korea's four largest dailies, Hankook Ilbo
, Joongang Ilbo
, Chosun Ilbo, and Donga Illbo, had a combined circulation of more than 6.5 million. The anti-establishment The Hankyoreh, had 450,000 readers–less than the major dailies or smaller papers like Kyonghan Shinmun or Seoul Shinmun, but larger than four more specialised economic dailies. All the major dailies were privately owned, except for the government- controlled Hankook Ilbo
. Several other daily publications had specialised readerships among sport
fans and youth
. Two English-language
newspapers, the government-subsidised Korea Herald
and the Korea Times, which was affiliated with the independent Soul simmun, were widely read by foreign embassies and businesses. A Chinese-language daily served South Korea's small Chinese population.
The Yonhap News Agency provided domestic and foreign news to government agencies, newspapers, and broadcasters. Yonhap also provided news on South Korean developments in English by computerised transmission via the Asia-Pacific News Network. Additional links with world media were facilitated by four satellite link stations
. The International Broadcast Centre established in June 1988 served some 10,000 broadcasters for the 1988 Seoul Olympics
. The government's KBS radio network broadcast overseas in twelve languages. Two private radio networks, the Asia Broadcasting Company and Far East Broadcasting Company
, served a wide regional audience that included the Soviet Far East, China
, and Japan.
The South Korean government also supported Naewoe Press, which dealt solely with North Korean affairs. Originally a propaganda vehicle that followed the government line on unification policy issues, Naewoe Press became increasingly objective and moderate in tone in the mid-1980s in interpreting political, social, and economic developments in North Korea. Vantage Point, an English-language publication of Naewoe Press, provided in-depth studies of North Korean social, economic, and political developments.
Except for two newspapers (one in Korean and one in English) that the government owned or controlled and the state television network, ownership of the media was for the most part distinct from political or economic power. One exception was the conservative daily, Joongang Ilbo
. Under the close oversight of its owner, the late Samsung Group founder and multimillionaire Lee Pyong-chol, the paper and its affiliated TBC television network generally supported the Park government during the 1970s. Its relations with the government became strained after 1980, however, when Chun Doo Hwan forced TBC to merge with KBS. A journalists' strike at Joongang Ilbo in 1989, in one of many similar incidents at the major South Korean newspapers, won even greater management and editorial independence
.
Most of South Korea's major newspapers derived their financial support from advertising and from their affiliation with major publishing houses. The Donga Press, for example, published not only the prestigious daily Donga Ilbo, but also a variety of other periodicals, including a newspaper for children, the general circulation monthly Shin Donga, a women's magazine, and specialized reference books and magazines for students. Throughout the post-war period, the Donga Ilbo has been noted for its opposition sympathies.
South Korea's principal anti-establishment newspaper, The Hankyorehhttp://hani.co.kr, began publication in May 1988. It was founded by dissident journalists who were purged by the government in the early 1970s or in 1980; many of the paper's reporters and editorial staff left positions on mainstream newspapers to join the new venture. The structure and approach of the paper reflected the founders' view that in the past the South Korean news media had been too easily co-opted by the government. The paper had a human rights department as well as a mass media department to keep an eye on the government's press policy and to critique the ideological and political biases of other newspapers. The paper's nationalism and interest in national reunification were symbolically represented in the logo, which depicted Lake Cheonji at the peak of Baekdu Mountain
in North Korea; in the exclusive use of the Korean alphabet; and in the type font in which the paper's name was printed, which dated from a famous Korean publication of the eighteenth century, before the country became divided. The paper was printed horizontally, rather than vertically like other Seoul dailies. In other innovations, The Hankyoreh relied on sales revenues, private contributions, and the sale of stock, rather than advertising from major corporations, in line with its claim to be "the first newspaper in the world truly independent of political power and large capital." The newspaper came under increasing government pressures in 1989.
South Korea also had extensive and well-developed visual media. The first Korean film was produced in 1919, and cinemas subsequently were built in the larger cities. The result of the spread of television sets and radios was the dissemination of a homogenised popular culture and the impingement of urban values on rural communities.
Major newspapers include Chosun Ilbo, Donga Ilbo, Joongang Ilbo
, and Hankook Ilbo
, all published in Seoul. The five nationwide television networks are KBS-1 and KBS-2 (public broadcast), MBC (run as a public organization), EBS (state-funded), and SBS (a commercial broadcaster). Some 70 percent of South Korean households have broadband Internet access, and the online media marketplace is growing rapidly. Popular news Web sites (such as OhMyNews.com) register as many as 15 million visits per day.
Today, much of the news in South Korea is delivered through electronic means and the country is at the leading edge of the digital revolution and a trailblazer for high-speed and wireless internet services.
, Anthology Teachings of Zen Buddhist Priests) is the world's oldest extant movable metal print book. It was published in 1377 (Goryeo Dynasty), 78 years prior to Johannes Gutenberg's "42-Line Bible"
printed during the years 1452-1455.
In 1446, 'Hunminjeongeum' was published by Sejong, fourth king of 'Joseon Dynasty
' and scholars of 'Jiphyunjeon'. This text describes the promulgation of 'Hangul
', which is the basis for the modern native Korean alphabet. It is constructed in two parts: 'Hunminjeongeum Yeibon'(the body) and 'Hunminjeongeum Haerebon'(explanations). In the introduction King Sejong revealed that the purpose of creating the Hunminjeongeum. In 1997, it was inscripted into the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.
Hansung Sunbo carried both domestic and foreign news and it had enlightened opinions.
The Independent was the first news paper written in Korean, and the first private newspaper. Seo Jae-Pil published it in two version: Korean and English. The Independent made an effort to enlighten people and denounce absurd Chosun officers.
Under the Japanese rule, a lot of newspapers were published but they were oppressed. Still, for many decades after independence, newspapers were still repressed. After the 1980s, newspapers received greater freedom, after The Press Forceful Merge got invalid.
Nowadays, Chosun Ilbo, Dong-A Ilbo
, Jung-Ang Ilbo are the major newspapers, which have conservative ideals. Kyunghyang Shinmun
and The Hankyoreh are the major newspapers which hold progressive ideals. In South Korea, conservative newspapers are more widely read. Maeil Business Newspaper
and Hanguk Business Newspaper are the major economic newspapers.
In Korea, like many other countries, newspaper subscribers are decreasing.
As standard radio stations, there are KBS, MBC, SBS, EBS.
KBS 1FM
: broadcasts programs dealing with classical and traditional Korean music. It seeks to provide top-quality programs and present listeners with multiple opportunities to appreciate Asian and Western music.
KBS 2FM: dedicated to popular music and targets young listeners. It strives to provide diverse programs to help establish beneficial popular culture and promote listeners’ emotional development.
KBS 1 RADIO: As a channel specializing in news and current affairs, KBS Radio 1 produces and broadcasts programs that serve public interests and contribute to social integration by forming public opinion, bringing up future-oriented agendas and providing disaster coverage.
KBS 2 RADIO: broadcasts entertainment shows for families to meet the public demand for high-quality entertainment and to establish the identity of popular culture.
KBS 3 RADIO: offers a wide range of programs for people with disabilities, the elderly and socially marginalized listeners. It seeks to help the public better understand the disabled and create social harmony.
KBS Korean Nation Channel: The purpose of this channel is to promote national reconciliation and inter-Korean exchange. Its programs seek to help North Korean compatriots establish their identity in line with changes in inter-Korean relations, as well as promote unity among the two Koreas as a single nation and nurture cooperation between the South and North before and after reunification.
KBS WORLD Radio: strives to promote the nation’s relations with other countries and publicize Korean culture to the world by providing programs on Korea’s politics, economy, society and culture in diverse languages. It also continues to bolster its competitiveness as a global channel and nurture the global network of the Korean nation.
In Korea, MBC Radio is the most popular in general because there are several long-running programs. MBC operates 2 channels: FM4U and Standard FM. 'Cho Yeong-Nam & Choi Yu-ra's Radio Golden Age' is the most famous program which provides funny stories and K-pop music.
SBS also operates two channels in radio: Power FM and Love FM.
There are many radio stations in Korea, but channels are not uniquely distinctive. KBS 1FM, KBS 1AM, TBS(Traffic Broadcasting System) are somewhat distinctive. Other channels are usually broadcast according to people's lifestyle.
In South Korea, terrestrial television broadcasting is common and popular. As terrestrial broadcasters, there are 5 channels with 4 television stations:
KBS, MBC, EBS are public broadcasters while SBS is a commercial broadcaster (so-called many public broadcasters). It's unique system; unlike South Korea, almost every county has one public broadcaster and many commercial broadcasters.
KBS is funded by public money accrued from a television license fee gathered from all South Korea households with a television set. As of 2010, the fee is 2500 won (about 2 USD). Due to low public funds, KBS2 runs commercials. Looking at the ownership of MBC, 70% of it is owned by a government-owned not-for-profit organization (The Foundation of Broadcast Culture
), and 30% of it belongs to 'Jeong-su Scholarship Foundation'. Also, because KBS2 and MBC run commercials, there are a lot of controversies on the definition of public broadcasting in South Korea.
Digital television
technology emerged recently. Although some television stations have begun broadcasting digital signals, it's not yet widespread as in the United States. The Government of South Korea set December 31, 2012 as the deadline for digital conversion in South Korea. From 2013, South Korea will convert from the analogue broadcasting to the digital broadcasting.(This date coincides with the United Kingdom conversion date.) According to DTV Korea, the rate of digital TV sets in use is about 60% (2010).
Also, various internet news networks emerged. 'Oh My News' has very special system. The motto of 'Oh My News' is that "Every citizen can be a reporter". There are so called 'citizen reporters' who provide new content for very little money. Although there are some problems about citizen reporters' abilities to write an article, unique opinions are shown and new progressive journalism continues to exist. And other internet news services like 'Pressian' or 'Ddanzi Ilbo' exist.
These days, almost every big portal site provides a blogging service. Nate
, Naver, and Daum's blog are the most popular.
The famous SNS service is 'Cyworld
' in South Korea. Cyworld was created in 2000. Users can upload his or her information, mood information, pictures etc. And Cyworld serves special network, '1 chon' like 'follower'. Cyworld is similar to Facebook, but has a stronger presence in South Korea than Facebook.
The most famous Micro Blog is 'Twitter
', with its prevalence growing in conjunction with the growing popularity of Smartphone
s in South Korea. 'me2day' and 'yozm' are some other micro blogs in South Korean media.
'Media law' consist of two structures briefly: Business Regulation, and Content Related Regulation. They mean fairness among the broadcasters, and freedom of expression each.
It is the most powerful regulation that decide who will broadcasting business. The grounds of this regulation are largely that: electromagnetic wave is scarce, so all of those who want to operate a broadcasting system cannot do it, and the providers have to set fair to operate a broadcaster(ex, financial power, social experiences etc.) Until just recently large companies (above top 30), newspaper, agency couldn't operate a broadcasting system because of the independence of media. (It caused problems in Korea in history.) But recently newly revised media law allows it.
Restrictions on the ownership
It means restriction on the number of broadcasting system that one provider can own. Its purpose is to prevent monopoly or oligopoly on broadcasting.
In Summary:
According to newly enactment of Broadcasting Law and Internet Multimedia Broadcasting Business Law from President Lee Myung-Bak
's administration, the trend is changing. Newspaper and large company can hold a 10-percent stake in terrestrial broadcaster, a 30-percent stake in cable broadcaster, a 49-percent stakein IPTV or news channel.
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n media
News media
The news media are those elements of the mass media that focus on delivering news to the general public or a target public.These include print media , broadcast news , and more recently the Internet .-Etymology:A medium is a carrier of something...
consist of several different types of public communication
Communication
Communication is the activity of conveying meaningful information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast...
of news: television, radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
, cinema
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, newspapers, magazines, and Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
-based Web sites.
Modern Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
n journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
began after the opening of Korea in late 19th century. The Korean press had a strong reformist
Reformism
Reformism is the belief that gradual democratic changes in a society can ultimately change a society's fundamental economic relations and political structures...
and nationalistic
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
flavour from the beginning, but faced efforts at political
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
control or outright censorship
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
during most of the 20th century.
Today in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, many journalists have established a tradition of remaining independent. They are often critical of the government
Government of South Korea
The Government of South Korea is divided into executive, judicial, and legislative branches. The executive and judicial branches operate primarily at the national level, although various ministries in the executive branch also carry out local functions. Local governments are semi-autonomous, and...
, zealously protesting any attempts at press censorship.
Early history (1876–1945)
When the Japan-Korea Annexation TreatyJapan-Korea Annexation Treaty
The Japan–Korea Treaty of 1910, also known as the Japan–Korea Annexation Treaty, was made by representatives of the Empire of Japan and the Korean Empire in 1910. Negotiations were concluded on August 20, 1910...
was signed in 1910, the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese governor general assumed direct control of the press along with other public
Public
In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individuals, and the public is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the Öffentlichkeit or public sphere. The concept of a public has also been defined in political science,...
institutions. Following the March 1st Movement
March 1st Movement
The March 1st Movement, or Samil Movement, was one of the earliest public displays of Korean resistance during the occupation of the Korean Empire by Japan. The name refers to an event that occurred on March 1, 1919, hence the movement's name, literally meaning "Three-One Movement" or "March First...
in 1919, Japanese authorities
Government of Japan
The government of Japan is a constitutional monarchy where the power of the Emperor is very limited. As a ceremonial figurehead, he is defined by the 1947 constitution as "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people". Power is held chiefly by the Prime Minister of Japan and other elected...
loosened their overt control over cultural
Culture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
activities and permitted several Korean newspapers to function while maintaining some behind-the-scenes direction over politically sensitive topics.
During the 1920s, Korean vernacular newspapers, such as Donga Ilbo, and intellectual
Intellectualism
Intellectualism denotes the use and development of the intellect, the practice of being an intellectual, and of holding intellectual pursuits in great regard. Moreover, in philosophy, “intellectualism” occasionally is synonymous with “rationalism”, i.e. knowledge derived mostly from reason and...
journal
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
s such as Kaebyok (Creation), conducted running skirmishes with Japanese censors. Japanese authorities prohibited sales of individual issues on hundreds of occasions between 1926 and 1932. Japan's war mobilisation in the ensuing years ended any semblance of autonomy for the Korean press; all Korean-language publications were outlawed in 1941.
After World War II (1945-1990)
Following the period of the U.S. military governmentUnited States Army Military Government in Korea
The United States Army Military Government in Korea, also known as USAMGIK, was the official ruling body of the southern half of the Korean Peninsula from September 8, 1945 to August 15, 1948...
in Korea (1945–1948), which saw a burgeoning of newspapers and periodicals of every description as well as occasional censorship of the media, almost all subsequent South Korean governments have at times attempted to control the media.
Syngman Rhee
Syngman Rhee
Syngman Rhee or Yi Seungman was the first president of South Korea. His presidency, from August 1948 to April 1960, remains controversial, affected by Cold War tensions on the Korean peninsula and elsewhere. Rhee was regarded as an anti-Communist and a strongman, and he led South Korea through the...
's government continued the military government's Ordinance Number Eighty-Eight, which outlawed leftist
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
newspapers. Rhee also closed moderate newspapers and arrested reporters and publishers on numerous occasions between 1948 and 1960. On taking power in 1961, Park Chung Hee's Supreme Council for National Reconstruction
Supreme Council for National Reconstruction
The Supreme Council for National Reconstruction, initially named the Revolutionary Committee, was a military junta that oversaw the government of South Korea from May 16, 1961 until the inauguration of the Third Republic of South Korea in 1963...
closed all but fifteen of Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
's 64 daily newspapers and refused to register a comparable percentage of the country's news
News
News is the communication of selected information on current events which is presented by print, broadcast, Internet, or word of mouth to a third party or mass audience.- Etymology :...
services, weeklies
Weekly newspaper
A weekly newspaper is a general-news publication that is published on newsprint once or twice a week.Such newspapers tend to have smaller circulations than daily newspapers, and are usually based in less-populous communities or small, defined areas within large cities; often, they may cover a...
, and monthly publication
Publication
To publish is to make content available to the public. While specific use of the term may vary among countries, it is usually applied to text, images, or other audio-visual content on any medium, including paper or electronic publishing forms such as websites, e-books, Compact Discs and MP3s...
s while using its own radio and news agencies to promote its official line. The Park government also used the Press Ethics Commission Law of 1964 and, after 1972, emergency decree
Decree
A decree is a rule of law issued by a head of state , according to certain procedures . It has the force of law...
s that penalised criticism of the government to keep the media in line. In 1974, the government ordered a number of journalists fired and used the KCIA
National Intelligence Service (South Korea)
The National Intelligence Service is the chief intelligence agency of South Korea. The agency was officially established in 1961 as the Korea Central Intelligence Agency , during the rule of President Park Chung-hee's military Supreme Council for National Reconstruction, which displaced the...
to force Dong-a Ilbo
Dong-a Ilbo
The Dong-a Ilbo is one of three major South Korean newspapers with over 2 million daily circulation...
to stop its reporting on popular opposition to the Park government by intimidating the paper's advertisers
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
.
During the Park and the subsequent Chun Doo Hwan administrations, the government exercised considerable control and surveillance over the media through the comprehensive National Security Act. In late 1980, the Chun government established more thorough control of the news media than had existed in the South Korea since the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. Independent news agencies were absorbed into a single state-run agency, numerous provincial newspapers were closed, central newspapers were forbidden to station correspondents in provincial cities, the Christian Broadcasting System network was forbidden to provide news coverage, and two independent broadcasting
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
companies were absorbed into the state-run Korean Broadcasting System (KBS). In addition, the Defense Security Command, then commanded by Roh Tae Woo, and the Ministry of Culture and Information ordered hundreds of South Korean journalists fired and banned from newspaper writing or editing. The Basic Press Act of December 1980 was the legal capstone of Chun's system of media control and provided for censorship and control of newspapers, periodicals, and broadcast media. It also set the professional qualifications for journalists. Media censorship was coordinated with intelligence officials, representatives of various government agencies, and the presidential staff by the Office of Public Information Policy within the Ministry of Culture and Information using daily "reporting guidelines" sent to newspaper editors. The guidelines dealt exhaustively with questions of emphasis, topics to be covered or avoided, the use of government press releases, and even the size of headlines. Enforcement methods ranged from telephone calls to editors to more serious forms of intimidation, including interrogations and beatings by police. One former Ministry of Culture and Information official told a National Assembly hearing in 1988 that compliance during his tenure from 1980 to 1982 reached about 70 per cent.
By the mid-1980s, censorship of print and broadcast media had become one of the most widely and publicly criticised practices of the Chun government. Even the government-controlled Yonhap News Agency noted in 1989 that "TV companies, scarcely worse than other media, were the main target of bitter public criticism for their distorted reporting for the government in the early 1980s." Editorials called for abolition of the Basic Press Act and related practices, a bill
Bill (proposed law)
A bill is a proposed law under consideration by a legislature. A bill does not become law until it is passed by the legislature and, in most cases, approved by the executive. Once a bill has been enacted into law, it is called an act or a statute....
was unsuccessfully introduced in the National Assembly to the same end, and a public campaign
Political campaign
A political campaign is an organized effort which seeks to influence the decision making process within a specific group. In democracies, political campaigns often refer to electoral campaigns, wherein representatives are chosen or referendums are decided...
to withhold compulsory viewers' fees in protest against censorship by the KBS network received widespread press attention. By the summer of 1986, even the ruling party was responding to public opinion.
The political liberalization of the late 1980s brought a loosening of press restraints and a new generation of journalists more willing to investigate sensitive subjects, such as the May 1980 Gwangju massacre
Gwangju massacre
The Gwangju Democratization Movement refers to a popular uprising in the city of Gwangju, South Korea from May 18 to May 27, 1980. During this period, citizens rose up against Chun Doo-hwan's military dictatorship and took control of the city...
. Roh's eight-point declaration of June 29, 1987, provided for "a free press
Freedom of the press
Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the freedom of communication and expression through vehicles including various electronic media and published materials...
, including allowing newspapers to base correspondent
Correspondent
A correspondent or on-the-scene reporter is a journalist or commentator, or more general speaking, an agent who contributes reports to a newspaper, or radio or television news, or another type of company, from a remote, often distant, location. A foreign correspondent is stationed in a foreign...
s in provincial cities and withdrawing security officials from newspaper offices." The South Korean media began a rapid expansion. Seoul papers expanded their coverage and resumed the practice of stationing correspondents in provincial cities. Although temporarily still under the management of a former Blue House
Cheong Wa Dae
The Cheongwadae or Blue House is the executive office and official residence of the South Korean head of state, the President of the Republic of Korea...
press spokesman, the MBC
Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation
Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC (Hangul : 문화방송주식회사, Munhwa Bangsong Jushikoesa) is one of four major national South Korean television and radio networks. Munhwa is the Korean word for "culture". Its flagship terrestrial television...
television network
Television network
A television network is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, whereby a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay TV providers. Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small...
, a commercial network that had been under control of the state-managed KBS since 1980, resumed independent broadcasting. The number of radio broadcast stations grew from 74 in 1985 to 111 (including both AM
AM broadcasting
AM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
and FM
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
stations
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
) by late 1988 and 125 by late 1989. The number of periodicals rose as the government removed restrictions on the publishing
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
industry.
There also were qualitative changes in the South Korean media. The Christian Broadcasting System, a radio network, again began to broadcast news as well as religious programming in 1987. In the same year, the government partially lifted a long-standing ban
Ban (law)
A ban is, generally, any decree that prohibits something.Bans are formed for the prohibition of activities within a certain political territory. Some see this as a negative act and others see it as maintaining the "status quo"...
on the works of North Korean artists and musicians, many of whom were of South Korean origin. A newspaper run by dissident journalists began publication in 1988. A number of other new dailies also appeared in 1988. Many of the new weekly and monthly periodicals bypassed the higher profits of the traditional general circulation magazines to provide careful analyses of political, economic, and national security affairs to smaller, specialised audiences. Observers noted a dramatic increase in press coverage of previously taboo subjects such as political- military relations, factions within the military, the role of security agencies in politics, and the activities of dissident organisations. Opinion polls dealing with these and other sensitive issues also began to appear with increasing regularity. Journalists at several of the Seoul dailies organised trade unions in late 1987 and early 1988 and began to press for editorial autonomy and a greater role in newspaper management.
In 1989 South Korea's four largest dailies, Hankook Ilbo
Hankook Ilbo
Hankook Ilbo is a vernacular daily newspaper published in Seoul, South Korea. It is a sister paper of The Korea Times. "Hankook" means "Korea" in Korean....
, Joongang Ilbo
JoongAng Ilbo
JoongAng Ilbo is a conservative newspaper published in Seoul, South Korea. It is one of the "big three newspapers" in South Korea. It has a circulation of 1.96 million copies in South Korea . Its average page count per copy is around 52...
, Chosun Ilbo, and Donga Illbo, had a combined circulation of more than 6.5 million. The anti-establishment The Hankyoreh, had 450,000 readers–less than the major dailies or smaller papers like Kyonghan Shinmun or Seoul Shinmun, but larger than four more specialised economic dailies. All the major dailies were privately owned, except for the government- controlled Hankook Ilbo
Hankook Ilbo
Hankook Ilbo is a vernacular daily newspaper published in Seoul, South Korea. It is a sister paper of The Korea Times. "Hankook" means "Korea" in Korean....
. Several other daily publications had specialised readerships among sport
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
fans and youth
Youth
Youth is the time of life between childhood and adulthood . Definitions of the specific age range that constitutes youth vary. An individual's actual maturity may not correspond to their chronological age, as immature individuals could exist at all ages.-Usage:Around the world, the terms "youth",...
. Two English-language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
newspapers, the government-subsidised Korea Herald
Korea Herald
The Korea Herald is a daily English-language newspaper founded in 1953 and published in Seoul, South Korea. The editorial staff is composed of Korean and international writers and editors, with additional news coverage drawn from international news agencies such as the Associated Press.The Korea...
and the Korea Times, which was affiliated with the independent Soul simmun, were widely read by foreign embassies and businesses. A Chinese-language daily served South Korea's small Chinese population.
The Yonhap News Agency provided domestic and foreign news to government agencies, newspapers, and broadcasters. Yonhap also provided news on South Korean developments in English by computerised transmission via the Asia-Pacific News Network. Additional links with world media were facilitated by four satellite link stations
Satellite radio
Satellite radio is an analogue or digital radio signal that is relayed through one or more satellites and thus can be received in a much wider geographical area than terrestrial FM radio stations...
. The International Broadcast Centre established in June 1988 served some 10,000 broadcasters for the 1988 Seoul Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
. The government's KBS radio network broadcast overseas in twelve languages. Two private radio networks, the Asia Broadcasting Company and Far East Broadcasting Company
Far East Broadcasting Company
Far East Broadcasting CompanyFounded:1945 First broadcast:June 4, 1948Daily broadcasts:650+ hoursLanguages:149Webcasts:...
, served a wide regional audience that included the Soviet Far East, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, and Japan.
The South Korean government also supported Naewoe Press, which dealt solely with North Korean affairs. Originally a propaganda vehicle that followed the government line on unification policy issues, Naewoe Press became increasingly objective and moderate in tone in the mid-1980s in interpreting political, social, and economic developments in North Korea. Vantage Point, an English-language publication of Naewoe Press, provided in-depth studies of North Korean social, economic, and political developments.
Except for two newspapers (one in Korean and one in English) that the government owned or controlled and the state television network, ownership of the media was for the most part distinct from political or economic power. One exception was the conservative daily, Joongang Ilbo
JoongAng Ilbo
JoongAng Ilbo is a conservative newspaper published in Seoul, South Korea. It is one of the "big three newspapers" in South Korea. It has a circulation of 1.96 million copies in South Korea . Its average page count per copy is around 52...
. Under the close oversight of its owner, the late Samsung Group founder and multimillionaire Lee Pyong-chol, the paper and its affiliated TBC television network generally supported the Park government during the 1970s. Its relations with the government became strained after 1980, however, when Chun Doo Hwan forced TBC to merge with KBS. A journalists' strike at Joongang Ilbo in 1989, in one of many similar incidents at the major South Korean newspapers, won even greater management and editorial independence
Editorial independence
Editorial independence is the freedom of editors to make decisions without interference from the owners of a publication. Editorial independence is tested, for instance, if a newspaper runs articles that may be unpopular with its advertising clientele....
.
Most of South Korea's major newspapers derived their financial support from advertising and from their affiliation with major publishing houses. The Donga Press, for example, published not only the prestigious daily Donga Ilbo, but also a variety of other periodicals, including a newspaper for children, the general circulation monthly Shin Donga, a women's magazine, and specialized reference books and magazines for students. Throughout the post-war period, the Donga Ilbo has been noted for its opposition sympathies.
South Korea's principal anti-establishment newspaper, The Hankyorehhttp://hani.co.kr, began publication in May 1988. It was founded by dissident journalists who were purged by the government in the early 1970s or in 1980; many of the paper's reporters and editorial staff left positions on mainstream newspapers to join the new venture. The structure and approach of the paper reflected the founders' view that in the past the South Korean news media had been too easily co-opted by the government. The paper had a human rights department as well as a mass media department to keep an eye on the government's press policy and to critique the ideological and political biases of other newspapers. The paper's nationalism and interest in national reunification were symbolically represented in the logo, which depicted Lake Cheonji at the peak of Baekdu Mountain
Baekdu Mountain
Baekdu Mountain, also known in China as Changbai Mountain and Baitou Mountain , is a volcanic mountain on the border between North Korea and China, located at...
in North Korea; in the exclusive use of the Korean alphabet; and in the type font in which the paper's name was printed, which dated from a famous Korean publication of the eighteenth century, before the country became divided. The paper was printed horizontally, rather than vertically like other Seoul dailies. In other innovations, The Hankyoreh relied on sales revenues, private contributions, and the sale of stock, rather than advertising from major corporations, in line with its claim to be "the first newspaper in the world truly independent of political power and large capital." The newspaper came under increasing government pressures in 1989.
South Korea also had extensive and well-developed visual media. The first Korean film was produced in 1919, and cinemas subsequently were built in the larger cities. The result of the spread of television sets and radios was the dissemination of a homogenised popular culture and the impingement of urban values on rural communities.
Current status (1990-today)
After decades of state control and heavy censorship, the South Korean press (in print, on television, and online) is experiencing a period of relative freedom. The repressive Basic Press Law was repealed in 1987, and since 1990 the television market has expanded significantly. Whereas in 1980 there were only 28 national newspapers, today there are 122. In 2002, satellite broadcasting brought multi-channel commercial television to homes across South Korea. According to most outside observers, political discourse is unrestricted in South Korea; however, persistent concerns are worth noting. The National Security Law allows the government to limit the expression of ideas deemed pro-North Korean or communist; broad interpretations of this statute place a chill on peaceful dissent. In addition, in 2003, President Roh Moo-Hyun brought a libel suit against four of the major national newspapers, and the government has stated that editorials are subject to legal action if they are found to contain falsehoods. Outside observers have criticised pressure tactics used by both the South Korean government and the business community to influence reporting.Major newspapers include Chosun Ilbo, Donga Ilbo, Joongang Ilbo
JoongAng Ilbo
JoongAng Ilbo is a conservative newspaper published in Seoul, South Korea. It is one of the "big three newspapers" in South Korea. It has a circulation of 1.96 million copies in South Korea . Its average page count per copy is around 52...
, and Hankook Ilbo
Hankook Ilbo
Hankook Ilbo is a vernacular daily newspaper published in Seoul, South Korea. It is a sister paper of The Korea Times. "Hankook" means "Korea" in Korean....
, all published in Seoul. The five nationwide television networks are KBS-1 and KBS-2 (public broadcast), MBC (run as a public organization), EBS (state-funded), and SBS (a commercial broadcaster). Some 70 percent of South Korean households have broadband Internet access, and the online media marketplace is growing rapidly. Popular news Web sites (such as OhMyNews.com) register as many as 15 million visits per day.
Today, much of the news in South Korea is delivered through electronic means and the country is at the leading edge of the digital revolution and a trailblazer for high-speed and wireless internet services.
Book
Baegunhwasang Chorokbuljo Jikjisimcheyojeol (JikjiJikji
Jikji is the abbreviated title of a Korean Buddhist document, whose title can be translated "Anthology of Great Buddhist Priests' Zen Teachings". Printed during the Goryeo Dynasty in 1377, it is the world's oldest extant movable metal print book...
, Anthology Teachings of Zen Buddhist Priests) is the world's oldest extant movable metal print book. It was published in 1377 (Goryeo Dynasty), 78 years prior to Johannes Gutenberg's "42-Line Bible"
Gutenberg Bible
The Gutenberg Bible was the first major book printed with a movable type printing press, and marked the start of the "Gutenberg Revolution" and the age of the printed book. Widely praised for its high aesthetic and artistic qualities, the book has an iconic status...
printed during the years 1452-1455.
In 1446, 'Hunminjeongeum' was published by Sejong, fourth king of 'Joseon Dynasty
Joseon Dynasty
Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
' and scholars of 'Jiphyunjeon'. This text describes the promulgation of 'Hangul
Hangul
Hangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...
', which is the basis for the modern native Korean alphabet. It is constructed in two parts: 'Hunminjeongeum Yeibon'(the body) and 'Hunminjeongeum Haerebon'(explanations). In the introduction King Sejong revealed that the purpose of creating the Hunminjeongeum. In 1997, it was inscripted into the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.
Newspaper
Published in Late-Chosun, Hansung Sunbo was the first modern newspaper in Korea. It was published in Bakmunkuk which was a official printing office. It was written in Chinese characters and published every 10 days.Hansung Sunbo carried both domestic and foreign news and it had enlightened opinions.
The Independent was the first news paper written in Korean, and the first private newspaper. Seo Jae-Pil published it in two version: Korean and English. The Independent made an effort to enlighten people and denounce absurd Chosun officers.
Under the Japanese rule, a lot of newspapers were published but they were oppressed. Still, for many decades after independence, newspapers were still repressed. After the 1980s, newspapers received greater freedom, after The Press Forceful Merge got invalid.
Nowadays, Chosun Ilbo, Dong-A Ilbo
Dong-a Ilbo
The Dong-a Ilbo is one of three major South Korean newspapers with over 2 million daily circulation...
, Jung-Ang Ilbo are the major newspapers, which have conservative ideals. Kyunghyang Shinmun
Kyunghyang Shinmun
The Kyunghyang Shinmun or Kyonghyang Sinmun is a major daily newspaper published in South Korea. It is based in Seoul. The name literally means Urbi et Orbi Daily News.-History:...
and The Hankyoreh are the major newspapers which hold progressive ideals. In South Korea, conservative newspapers are more widely read. Maeil Business Newspaper
Maeil Business Newspaper
The Maeil Business Newspaper is South Korea's main daily business newspaper. , it had a circulation of roughly 900,000. Their president is Chang Dae-hwan....
and Hanguk Business Newspaper are the major economic newspapers.
In Korea, like many other countries, newspaper subscribers are decreasing.
Radio
The first radio broadcasting was JODK by 'Kyungsung Broadcasting' in 1927 (under Japanese rule). Because the call letters meant Japanese broadcasting, some people regard HLKA by 'Korean Broadcasting system' in 1947 as the first radio broadcasting in Korea. Since 2003, DAB(Digital Audio Broadcasting) or DAR(Digital Audio Radio) services have been used.- Channels
As standard radio stations, there are KBS, MBC, SBS, EBS.
- KBS, public broadcasting group operates 7 channels.
KBS 1FM
KBS 1FM
KBS 1FM is a South Korean radio network operated by the Korean Broadcasting System. Most of the schedule of 1FM is assigned to Classical music.- Frequencies :*Seoul/Incheon/Gyeonggi 93.1 MHz*Busan/Gyeongsangnamdo 92.7 MHz*Ulsan 101.9 MHz...
: broadcasts programs dealing with classical and traditional Korean music. It seeks to provide top-quality programs and present listeners with multiple opportunities to appreciate Asian and Western music.
KBS 2FM: dedicated to popular music and targets young listeners. It strives to provide diverse programs to help establish beneficial popular culture and promote listeners’ emotional development.
KBS 1 RADIO: As a channel specializing in news and current affairs, KBS Radio 1 produces and broadcasts programs that serve public interests and contribute to social integration by forming public opinion, bringing up future-oriented agendas and providing disaster coverage.
KBS 2 RADIO: broadcasts entertainment shows for families to meet the public demand for high-quality entertainment and to establish the identity of popular culture.
KBS 3 RADIO: offers a wide range of programs for people with disabilities, the elderly and socially marginalized listeners. It seeks to help the public better understand the disabled and create social harmony.
KBS Korean Nation Channel: The purpose of this channel is to promote national reconciliation and inter-Korean exchange. Its programs seek to help North Korean compatriots establish their identity in line with changes in inter-Korean relations, as well as promote unity among the two Koreas as a single nation and nurture cooperation between the South and North before and after reunification.
KBS WORLD Radio: strives to promote the nation’s relations with other countries and publicize Korean culture to the world by providing programs on Korea’s politics, economy, society and culture in diverse languages. It also continues to bolster its competitiveness as a global channel and nurture the global network of the Korean nation.
In Korea, MBC Radio is the most popular in general because there are several long-running programs. MBC operates 2 channels: FM4U and Standard FM. 'Cho Yeong-Nam & Choi Yu-ra's Radio Golden Age' is the most famous program which provides funny stories and K-pop music.
SBS also operates two channels in radio: Power FM and Love FM.
- EBS(Educational Broadcasting System)
- CBSCBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
: is the first commecial radio broadcaster in South Korea. It contains prgrams about Christianity. - Other religious programming broadcasters: PBC(Pyeonghwa Broadcasting Corporation, 평화방송), BBS(Buddism Broadcasting System(BBS), 佛敎放送), FEBC(Far East Broadcasting Co., Korea, 極東放送), *WBS (원음방송)
- Traffic broadcasters: TBSTokyo Broadcasting System, TBS Holdings, Inc. or TBSHD, is a stockholding company in Tokyo, Japan. It is a parent company of a television network named and radio network named ....
(Traffic Broadcasting System), TBC(東洋放送, Tongyang Broadcasting Company). They specialize in traffic. Many other stations also provide hourly traffic condition reports, typically for 3 minutes every 57 minutes.
There are many radio stations in Korea, but channels are not uniquely distinctive. KBS 1FM, KBS 1AM, TBS(Traffic Broadcasting System) are somewhat distinctive. Other channels are usually broadcast according to people's lifestyle.
Television
KORCAD was the first TV station in South Korea, which launched in 1956.In South Korea, terrestrial television broadcasting is common and popular. As terrestrial broadcasters, there are 5 channels with 4 television stations:
- KBS 1
- KBS 2
- MBCMunhwa Broadcasting CorporationMunhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC (Hangul : 문화방송주식회사, Munhwa Bangsong Jushikoesa) is one of four major national South Korean television and radio networks. Munhwa is the Korean word for "culture". Its flagship terrestrial television...
- EBSEBS-Education:* Educational Broadcasting System is a Korea educational broadcasting-company* Edinburgh Business School, is the Graduate School of Business of Heriot-Watt University...
- SBS
KBS, MBC, EBS are public broadcasters while SBS is a commercial broadcaster (so-called many public broadcasters). It's unique system; unlike South Korea, almost every county has one public broadcaster and many commercial broadcasters.
KBS is funded by public money accrued from a television license fee gathered from all South Korea households with a television set. As of 2010, the fee is 2500 won (about 2 USD). Due to low public funds, KBS2 runs commercials. Looking at the ownership of MBC, 70% of it is owned by a government-owned not-for-profit organization (The Foundation of Broadcast Culture
The Foundation of Broadcast Culture
The Foundation for Broadcast Culture is the only institution dedicated to the promotion of broadcasting in South Korea. Partly to address concerns following the country's 1987 democratic reforms, the National Assembly established the Foundation for Broadcast Culture to insulate MBC from political...
), and 30% of it belongs to 'Jeong-su Scholarship Foundation'. Also, because KBS2 and MBC run commercials, there are a lot of controversies on the definition of public broadcasting in South Korea.
Digital television
Digital television
Digital television is the transmission of audio and video by digital signals, in contrast to the analog signals used by analog TV...
technology emerged recently. Although some television stations have begun broadcasting digital signals, it's not yet widespread as in the United States. The Government of South Korea set December 31, 2012 as the deadline for digital conversion in South Korea. From 2013, South Korea will convert from the analogue broadcasting to the digital broadcasting.(This date coincides with the United Kingdom conversion date.) According to DTV Korea, the rate of digital TV sets in use is about 60% (2010).
Internet
When it comes to Internet use, South Korea ranked third in the world in 2003. And, According to Korean Ministry of Information and Communication's statistic, 78.5% of families own a computer, of which 93.6% use the Internet(2005). Many business utilize the Internet in Korea for services such as news, social media, shopping, banking, games, and educational content.Internet journalism
Joongang Ilbo developed the first internet news website in Asia (1995). After the start, almost every daily newspaper made their website.Also, various internet news networks emerged. 'Oh My News' has very special system. The motto of 'Oh My News' is that "Every citizen can be a reporter". There are so called 'citizen reporters' who provide new content for very little money. Although there are some problems about citizen reporters' abilities to write an article, unique opinions are shown and new progressive journalism continues to exist. And other internet news services like 'Pressian' or 'Ddanzi Ilbo' exist.
Social media
Like other countries, in South Korea social media has come into the spotlight.- Blogs
These days, almost every big portal site provides a blogging service. Nate
Nate
Nate is a South Korean web portal, developed by SK Communications. In 2003, Nate acquired the online community service Cyworld, and in 2004, it achieved first place in local page views with a total of 3.8 million, surpassing rival Daum for the first time....
, Naver, and Daum's blog are the most popular.
- SNS(Social Networking Service)
The famous SNS service is 'Cyworld
Cyworld
Cyworld is a South Korean social network service operated by SK Communications , a subsidiary of SK Telecom .Members cultivate relationships by forming Ilchon or "friendships" with each other through their minihompy....
' in South Korea. Cyworld was created in 2000. Users can upload his or her information, mood information, pictures etc. And Cyworld serves special network, '1 chon' like 'follower'. Cyworld is similar to Facebook, but has a stronger presence in South Korea than Facebook.
- Micro Blog
The most famous Micro Blog is 'Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
', with its prevalence growing in conjunction with the growing popularity of Smartphone
Smartphone
A smartphone is a high-end mobile phone built on a mobile computing platform, with more advanced computing ability and connectivity than a contemporary feature phone. The first smartphones were devices that mainly combined the functions of a personal digital assistant and a mobile phone or camera...
s in South Korea. 'me2day' and 'yozm' are some other micro blogs in South Korean media.
Regulations
What is the grounds of media regulations? Although broadcasters have freedom of expression, broadcasters have to promote public interest because electromagnetic waves are in the public domain.'Media law' consist of two structures briefly: Business Regulation, and Content Related Regulation. They mean fairness among the broadcasters, and freedom of expression each.
Business regulation
Restriction market entryIt is the most powerful regulation that decide who will broadcasting business. The grounds of this regulation are largely that: electromagnetic wave is scarce, so all of those who want to operate a broadcasting system cannot do it, and the providers have to set fair to operate a broadcaster(ex, financial power, social experiences etc.) Until just recently large companies (above top 30), newspaper, agency couldn't operate a broadcasting system because of the independence of media. (It caused problems in Korea in history.) But recently newly revised media law allows it.
- Terrestrial broadcasting, Cable Television broadcasting, satellite broadcasting: government permit
- News channel, General service channel, home-shopping channel: government's approval
- Other program: Resister
Restrictions on the ownership
It means restriction on the number of broadcasting system that one provider can own. Its purpose is to prevent monopoly or oligopoly on broadcasting.
In Summary:
- One provider (person or corporation) can only own one business on the Terrestrial broadcaster and satellite broadcaster.
- Cable system operator and program provider can own more than one broadcaster and transmission line. But, they can be restricted by the government with regards to market share and the number of providers.
- One provider can own terrestrial broadcaster, satellite broadcaster, and cable broadcaster except a combination of terrestrial broadcaster and cable broadcaster.
- On cable broadcasting, one provider can serve system operator, network operator, and program provider but, they can restricted with regard to a market share and the number of providers.
According to newly enactment of Broadcasting Law and Internet Multimedia Broadcasting Business Law from President Lee Myung-Bak
Lee Myung-bak
Lee Myung-bak is the President of South Korea. Prior to his presidency, he was the CEO of Hyundai Engineering and Construction and the mayor of Seoul. He is married to Kim Yoon-ok and has three daughters and one son. His older brother is Lee Sang-deuk, a South Korean politician. He attends the...
's administration, the trend is changing. Newspaper and large company can hold a 10-percent stake in terrestrial broadcaster, a 30-percent stake in cable broadcaster, a 49-percent stakein IPTV or news channel.
External links
- countrystudies.us
- http://office.kbs.co.kr/museum/
- http://www.kba.or.kr/
- http://eng.kcc.go.kr/user/ehpMain.do
- http://english.kbs.co.kr/
- http://www.imbc.com
- http://www.sbs.co.kr