To Push forward with the Total Quantity-based Broadcast Commercial System

It was pointed out that the government is taking proceedings to implement the total quantity-based broadcast commercial system, which has been requested by the broadcasting companies, by deciding to consider introducing this system after hearing public opinions.

The government also allowed the `virtual commercial` that broadcasts the commercial advertisement through computer graphic during TV sports broadcasting beginning in the first half of next year. Thus, a big change is anticipated in the broadcasting commercial market hereafter.

The government discussed the broadcast commercial system at an economic minister`s meeting, presided over by Deputy Prime Minister Jin Nyum and attended by the Minister of Culture and Tourism Namgung Jin and chairperson of the broadcasting committee Kim Jung-Gi, yesterday at the Guacheon Government Building.

In the case of virtual commercial, the government decided to revise the related law and to introduce it only during the sports broadcasting.

The virtual commercial market is estimated to be 10 billion won per year that includes the three broadcasting companies such as KBS.

The government announced that it plans to consider the total quantity-based broadcast commercial system and the issue of allowing the TV commercial through the public hearings.

Such a governmental move is interpreted as a positive response of the government to the total quantity-based broadcast commercial system and the TV commercial in the broadcasting circle.

The total quantity-based broadcast commercial system regulates the total amount of the commercials that are broadcasted, while the broadcast companies decide the commercial time of each program. This system is likely to create strong opposition from the viewers since the commercials are concentrated on the programs with high rating, thus, it can incite imprudent program rating competition among the broadcast companies and can bring about the deterioration of the quality of the programs.

Along with this, the government decided to introduce the quota of broadcasting time to activate the domestic animation, and to add the performance industry, movie and video industry into the category of small and medium business that receives taxation support based on the special regulation law on taxation.

Seung-Heon Lee ddr@donga.com