The KBS board of directors proposed an increase in license fees at the regular board meeting on the afternoon of the 27th. KBS management has raised a proposal to raise the monthly subscription fee of 2500 won to 3840 won per month on the board of directors. The final amount will continue to be discussed at the board of directors in the future.
The official name of the proposed subscription fee increase discussed at the board of directors on this day is the’TV Broadcasting Subscription Fee Adjustment Plan’ (hereinafter referred to as the subscription fee increase proposal). The board of directors discussed △whether to be disclosed to the board of directors, △pros and cons of the proposed subscription fee increase, and △the proposed fee increase.
Regarding the disclosure of the board of directors, only the explanation of the executive department (KBS management) was disclosed, and the comments by the directors were scheduled to be conducted privately. However, when KBS director Kang Hyung-cheol insisted, “There are many people who came to the audience today, and this discussion should be publicized in detail,” saying, “These important proposals should be made public.” On that day, 14 people applied for the audience.
Opposition directors objected to “the burden of increasing license fees in the corona era”, but postulated after agreement
The second discussion was whether or not to propose a’subscription fee increase’ to the board of directors. Director Hwang Woo-seop (opposition recommendation) said, “When the public is burdened with Corona 19, it is inappropriate to propose an increase in the license fee.” “It is correct to re-establish when the situation improves.”
Director Seo Jae-seok (recommended by opposition parties) said, “It is a fortunate phase in which the number of corona confirmed cases is decreasing, but let’s discuss seminars and public hearings first.” However, a number of directors such as Kim Kyung-dal, Kim Tae-il, and Moon Kun-young agreed to the proposal.
Director Kim Gyeong-Dal said, “Let’s make an assumption and keep discussing it over time,” said Director Kim Tae-il, saying, “A fee increase is an important driver for KBS innovation”, and Moon Geon-young said, “We cannot postpone the proposal forever. I made it.
KBS Chairman Kim Sang-geun gathered the opinions of a number of directors and sought an agreement with opposition directors, and a plan to increase the fee was proposed.
Right after Yang Seung-dong’s president’Im Sang-an’ was presented, “I humbly accept the criticism”
Yang Seung-dong, president of KBS, announced a statement of position right after the proposal for a license fee increase was proposed. President Yang said, “KBS is submitting to the KBS Board of Directors a proposal to adjust the license fee to raise the TV broadcast subscription fee, which has remained at 2,500 won per month for the 41st year. It is the result of the will to go to broadcast.”
As if conscious of some directors’ opinion that’in the Corona era, the license fee increase is inappropriate’, “It is regrettable to tell you about the license fee as self-employed and small business owners are struggling in the Corona era.” After finding out that there is, I also thought that now is the time to submit a proposal for a license fee increase.”
President Yang said, “Corona 19 gave pain and fear, but now the paradigm of the past will not work, and announced that the’New Normal’ has come.” “Corona 19 emphasized the importance of the public domain, and public broadcasting is an important axis in the public domain.” Said.
President Yang expressed his honest feelings in the criticism of KBS.
Yang said, “Some people ask,’Why do viewers pay the license fee because they don’t watch KBS?’ Some people point out that the broadcast is not fair. Some people say that if KBS is difficult, reduce the wages of employees drastically, and if KBS is good at it, it is correct to raise the license fee.”
He added, “I will humbly accept these criticisms, discuss and respond with sincerity,” he said. “I will tell the public about how to improve management efficiency along with our own efforts.”
President Yang’s remarks were not in the first statement officially distributed by KBS during the KBS Board of Directors. It can be interpreted as showing that Yang has shown that he knows what criticism is currently facing KBS. The remarks were once again distributed as a greeting right after the board was over.
KBS license fee is KRW 3840, and EBS license fee is increased from 3% to 5%.
After President Yang’s remarks, KBS executives explained the plan to increase the license fee.
First of all, the increased license fee issued by KBS management was 3840 won per month. It is raising 1,340 won from the current 2500 won. Vice President Lim said that the increase was the result of analyzing the mid-term balance sheet forecast by 2025.
It also said that it would expand support for EBS license fees. Currently, the EBS license fee is only 3% of the KBS license fee. It announced that it would increase this ratio to 5% and increase it from 18 billion won to 50 billion won. Vice President Lim said, “We will expand public education and bridge the gap in education by expanding EBS support.”
△ Reinforcement of disaster broadcasting △ Securing fairness of journalism △ Expansion of public content production such as revival of historical dramas △ Reinforcement of local broadcasting service △ Expansion of services for the disabled and minority △ Viewers with a plan to increase the license fee announced by KBS management Reinforcement of sovereignty and accountability △ 57 projects were proposed, including support for educational broadcasting and small and regional media. 24-hour news,’Fact Check K’, which is the standard for fairness, and pages that disclose news sources and evidence were also mentioned.
“There is a fairness problem” vs. “Political excess phenomenon”
When KBS management’s explanation was over, the directors started discussing the impressions. The first story that came out was also the’fairness’ controversy.
Opposition Recommendation Director Hwang Woo-seop said, “The chief of the Blue House intervened with the possibility of violating the Broadcasting Act on the’Current Planning Window’, and KBS showed the appearance of a’black word adhesion’ by reporting on the’black word adhesion'”, “Jin-woo Joo (reporter) There was an issue of fairness on the radio that is being run by and there was an accusation today (27th), but there is a problem with fairness, such as the radio bias broadcast by KBS announcer Kim Mo.”
Accordingly, directors Hyung-cheol Kang, Ok-hee Park, and Young-geun Kim criticized director Hwang Woo-seop for making discussions about KBS a’partisan confrontation’.
Director Kang Hyung-cheol pointed out, “The discussion on the fee increase is used as a venue for a factional confrontation, and this method of discussion has created a distorted history.” Director Park Ok-hee also said, “I think I heard about Director Hwang about 100 times.”
Director Kang said, “It is important to discuss the fairness controversy, but if we discuss this alone, we cannot check other parts. Now, we have to talk about the identity of KBS, and when looking at the license fee increase, there are many things that we will do newly. Instead of talking about what to do, we should discuss it in the direction of solving the current low quality problem.”
Director Kim Young-geun also said, “The political excesses in Korea are projected on KBS, so even when discussing license fees, it is limited only to the story of’fairness’. I said.
Seo Jeong-wook, director of opposition recommendation, insisted that the public should discuss the plan to increase the license fee in a way that resolves the misunderstanding of the license fee.
Director Seo said, “People say,’Why do I have to pay the license fee when I don’t watch KBS?’ However, according to German precedents, the license fee is not a viewing fee, but a special charge, so you have to pay it regardless of the city hall.” In addition, the story that KBS has a large billion-dollar annual salary is one of the arguments against the increase in the license fee. You have to persuade it.”
Director Seo said, “Because KBS is not currently recruiting many new employees, the average annual salary seems high.” “We need to persuade this misunderstanding by using the results of budget deliberations.”
In particular, Director Seo said, “In my opinion, fairness is not a prerequisite for the license fee.” “If fairness is difficult to match with each political party, and it is difficult to raise the license fee because it is not fair, should we keep the license fee for 1,000 years as it is? He refuted.
Vice President Lim Byung-geol said, “We will make our own efforts on fairness issues, etc.” after hearing the discussions of the directors.
On the 27th, the board of directors of KBS announced that it would continue to discuss the agenda even after the proposed increase was proposed and ended the board of directors. In the future, through discussions with the board of directors, the amount of the license fee increase and the promotion of plans are planned.
The license fee is deliberated and resolved by the KBS board of directors, and is confirmed by the National Assembly after review by the Korea Communications Commission. In the past, in 2007, 2011, and 2014, a proposal to adjust the license fee was submitted to the National Assembly, but it was rejected due to the expiration of the session without approval.
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