[Opinion] Janus-faced KBS

The New Right National Association started its campaign against KBS’s receiving of fees last month. It argues that KBS is broadcasting a particular political party’s radical arguments and defenses of the ruling party. President Roh recently criticized KBS as “self-centered.” On April 11, former KBS broadcasters inaugurated an organization called the “KBS Keepers” for the purpose of watching KBS for its impartiality. It is the first case of broadcasters starting a viewers’ campaign against a broadcasting station for which they had worked.

Who is to blame for this difficult situation? At the beginning of the Roh administration, KBS declared its independence from politics with regrets over its past. But nothing much has changed. As revealed in its “impeachment program,” which was partial even by loose standards, the role of KBS as a faithful dog speaking for the administration was rather enhanced. What has changed is to whom it is faithful.

KBS’s ideological broadcasting increased social conflicts and boomeranged on itself. The argument that the public institution operation law be applied to KBS is gaining support. The law is made to watch public institutions which use tax. However, the law is a “double-edged sword” for Janus-faced KBS, a public institution and organ of expression.

According to the law, the government can conduct merger and abolition or even privatization of a public institution in question. It could be, on one hand, a “whip” to induce management innovation, but on the other hand a system’s “rein” to control media. There is a possibility to strengthen the administration’s control of the public broadcasting station. KBS is excluded from the law this year, but there is a spark for a future debate. KBS argues that the application is not right considering its freedom of speech and independence. There is only one way to gain support: reform its management and regain the people’s trust. The voice for the application would not have grown if KBS had been faithful to its function as a public broadcasting station.

Hong Chan-sik, Editorial Writer, chansik@donga.com