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MBC should apologize

Published: 03 Aug. 2008, 21:16

The MBC “Live in the morning” broadcast on July 29 again distorted and manipulated facts after “PD Diary’s” flawed reporting on mad cow disease.

During the broadcast, MBC interviewed police officer Lee Gil-jun, who had opposed suppressing the candlelight rallies and refused to return to the military. There is a part in the broadcast where a member of the “Gathering of civilians who love police officers,” says, “My son went to the military to serve as a soldier and not to become a scarecrow of the government.”

The original statement, however, was made to refute a criticism made by demonstrators that police officers are government scarecrows.

MBC cut out this part and broadcast it as if it were a statement made to support officer Lee. The interview was made on July 4 and 5, which was 20 days before Lee’s incident. Also, the interview was made possible because the producers had persuaded the parent that it was a program on the human rights of police officers. If it were a broadcast to support candlelight rallies, then the parent would not have agreed to the interview.

The problem is MBC’s attitude. It deleted the video-clip link from the Internet, because they must know that they have done wrong. However, they are not taking any measure publicly. This is why the gathering of civilians who admire police officers decided to file a complaint on Sunday with the Press Arbitration Commission against the producers of the program. However, the victims of the broadcast that distorted and manipulated facts are not only the parents involved. All viewers of the program that made them believe that even parents of police officers are supporting the candlelight rallies are victims. It is the general public, which cannot find public broadcasting companies that air and explain important national issues with a balanced view, who are the victims.

MBC should at least now repent and abide by minimum broadcasting ethics as a media organization. A start is to discipline the producers and broadcast an apology to the people.