[Letters] Why I supported the media law

I am very happy that the media law passed yesterday. While I admit that the manner in which the bill was passed was problematic, we must not let this cloud the benefits of the media law.

I believe that the media bill will give our country a chance to create worldwide media corporations on par with the United States’ Time Warner. The company is world’s second largest media company and its assets include Warner Bros., CNN, and Time magazine.

The previous law supported the oligopoly of MBC, SBS, and KBS. Under this system, multilateral media companies could not be born in Korea. Our country dominates only 2.6 percent of the media market - a shame for the home of hallyu. If Korea is to survive in the world media market, it needs to be able to compete with international media conglomerates. The new media law will allow Korean companies to do so.

Before the law passed, some legislators claimed that the bills would “blind” the public. This is preposterous. Koreans will never be blinded by the media. Remember when Korea had a dictatorial government that controlled every news story? Even then, people did not believe everything on the news, and fought with the government. Koreans are not idiotic, mindless people who believe everything they see on television.

Especially with the prevalence of the Internet today, it is impossible for any media or government powers to completely manipulate the news.

Lastly, I believe that the media law was essential to decreasing the power of KBS, MBC and SBS. If you turn on the TV today, you will see that the programming on these three networks is neither unique nor innovative. The new media bill will encourage competition between these networks and new networks and stimulate creativity and job growth in the industry.

Shame on the people who did not support the media law, including members of the GNP.

Kang Yoon-seung, student, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies