KBS needs restructuring

The Korea Broadcasting System, the country’s public broadcaster, seems shameless these days. It demanded that the National Assembly raise its television fee by 60 percent and it also asked related authorities to raise commercial rates and government subsidies. It is difficult to understand the reasoning of the broadcaster.
The broadcaster has already asked the government to provide subsidies of 18.9 billion won ($20.6 million) next year, up 82 percent from this year.
In the end its demand to the Korea Broadcasting Advertising Corporation was accepted and from next month, the commercial rate will be increased on average by 7.9 percent for TV and 5 percent for radio.
The Korean Advertisers Association argued that the television advertisement rate has already been increased with diverse marketing tactics and the advertisement effect has dropped as the number of television viewers decreases. But its complaint didn’t work.
We want to ask KBS whether it is right for the broadcaster, which argues that it needs to raise the television fee to strengthen its public service while it wants to raise its commercial rate.
The broadcaster should thoroughly reflect on its distorted content so far, fix it and begin a massive internal restructuring.
Then people will not disagree with the television fee increase.
The broadcaster received a warning from the Korean Broadcasting Commission for conducting a campaign to raise the television fee.
After it received the warning, it still does not show any sign of reflection and has been airing absurd reporting during its prime time news programs almost everyday that the public would pay less or would be benefited if the television rate is raised.
If it has the time to do that, it should report an in-depth story on U.K. broadcaster BBC’s restructuring, which cut 3,780 employees in 2005 and another 2,500 employees this year, then decided to sell its building.
People at KBS probably know what a public broadcaster should be like in its attitude.
If it makes a significant change, people would open their pocket for the television fee or government subsidies.