10 December 2003

PUBLIC BROADCASTER THREATENED, SAYS IFJ


The future of South Korea's leading public broadcaster could be threatened if an opposition party proposal to amend the country's broadcasting law is approved, warns the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).

The Grand National Party (GNP) has tabled a bill proposing that the Korean Broadcasting Law be revised to separate television license fees from electricity billing. This would remove a major source of funding from Korean Broadcasting Systems (KBS), a public service broadcaster, and force it to rely more on advertising, says IFJ.

"Stable finance is an important element for KBS to perform its public responsibilities without any constraints from politics. Korean listeners and viewers are entitled to public service broadcasting free from excessive commercialism," IFJ argues. The organisation is calling for the draft bill to be withdrawn.

For more information, contact: ifj-asia@alliance.org.au

Visit these links:

- IFJ Statement on KBS: http://www.ifj-asia.org/korea031204.html

- Public Broadcasting for All Campaign:
http://www.save-public-broadcasting.org/
- KBS: http://english.kbs.co.kr/main/index.html



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Also from the Communiqué, 10 December 2003

INTERNATIONAL: IFEX MEMBERS PROMOTE FREE EXPRESSION AT INFORMATION SOCIETY SUMMIT 10 December 2003 INTERNATIONAL: WIPC CONDEMNS ATTACKS ON WRITERS AND IMPUNITY 10 December 2003 BURMA: DEATH SENTENCED FOR JOURNALIST "DISTURBING" 10 December 2003 RWANDA: "HATE MEDIA" TRIAL ENDS IN CONVICTIONS 10 December 2003 INTERNATIONAL: IFJ LAUNCHES PUBLIC BROADCASTING CAMPAIGN 10 December 2003 CROATIA: CROATIAN LIBRARIANS PROMOTE ACCESS TO INFORMATION 10 December 2003 INTERNATIONAL: SEMINAR EXAMINES MEDIA'S ROLE IN PEACE-BUILDING 10 December 2003 INTERNATIONAL: CHECHEN ACTIVIST WINS 2004 MARTIN ENNALS AWARD 10 December 2003 INTERNATIONAL: Commonwealth Survey Shows Right-to-Information Deficit 10 December 2003

South Korea

Reports of intimidation and editorial interference in public broadcaster 10 February 2012 Trial of MBC producers on defamation charges is an "act of revenge", says RSF 14 September 2009 CPJ concerned by pressure on media 8 May 2009 Court acquits blogger known as "Minerva" 23 April 2009 Journalists' union leader released as deal reached at troubled TV news station 6 April 2009 See all alerts: South Korea


Asia and Pacific

INDIA: Charges against video journalist must be dropped 25 May 2012 CAMBODIA: Lake activists sentenced, monk detained after taking part in protest 25 May 2012 PHILIPPINES: Radio commentator threatened on Facebook 25 May 2012 PAKISTAN: Moves to squelch media, again 25 May 2012 CHINA: Anti-foreign attitudes bode ill for China correspondents 24 May 2012


 
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