Broadcasters Plan Arbitrary Arrangement of Commercials

A stir has been created in broadcasting circles as the government determined to introduce a `restriction on the total amount of commercials system` from the early months of next year. The restriction on the total amount of commercials system provides that the government should regulate the total amount of commercials and allow broadcasters to determine arbitrarily the types, times and lengths of commercials. In effect, it is a system that approves broadcasters` self-regulation of commercials.

A high-ranking official of Ministry of Culture and Tourism said at the `2001 Advertisement Promotion Workshop` held at Hotel Miranda in Icheon, Kyunggi-Do on Nov. 23, " The total amount of commercials system will be introduced from as late as the early months of next year to help three terrestrial frequency broadcasting companies, including KBS, secure funds for digital conversion." and added, "The broadcasting law will be revised sooner or later through a consultation with Broadcasting Commission."

At present, the length of commercials is limited to 10 percent of the length of a program. If the total amount of commercials system is introduced, broadcasters are allowed to concentrate commercials on the hours of high advertisement broadcasting rates.

In addition, broadcasters can determine the types of commercials by themselves, and thus can insert commercials in the midst of a program. Accordingly, a program rating competition can become much intense, as commercials will be concentrated on programs with a high popularity rating.

But civil organizations and academic circles of broadcasting object that the system will damage the idea of public good that broadcasting should maintain.

According to the current broadcasting law, the laws and regulations concerned with commercials are to be legislated by Ministry of Culture and Tourism and to become effective through the decision of the National Assembly.

Seung-Heon Lee ddr@donga.com