KOREA: Showdown on 'media big bang' looming larger

Democratic Party leaders are concerned about the influence that conservative newspapers and conglomerates will have on television news coverage if cross-media ownership is allowed

The Korea Times
Thursday, July 9, 2009

By Kang Hyun-kyung

With the governing party threatening to seek a vote on bills to reshape the media industry next week, the Democratic Party (DP) Thursday proposed inter-party talks after unveiling its own bill.

But the conservative Grand National Party (GNP) rejected the inter-party talks, saying no major changes had been made in the liberal DP's position and a meeting to narrow differences was unnecessary.

Rep. Lee Kang-rae, the DP's floor leader, proposed the negotiations after his party came up with a revision bill to cope with the so-called "media big bang."

"I propose that the two parties start discussions on two different versions of the bills -- one submitted by the ruling party and the other by the DP -- to reshape the media industry to conclude which one is more effective. I urge the GNP to accept my proposal," Lee said during a meeting with party post holders.

Rep. Na Kyung-won, a GNP negotiator on media-related bills, rejected the offer, citing the lack of changes in the DP's stance.

Na, who earlier set a deadline of Monday for deliberation of the bills, indicated that the ruling party may seek a vote next week, regardless of the DP's opposition.

Na and her DP counterpart Rep. Jun Byung-hun met in the afternoon to discuss the issue.

The DP bill indicated a shift in the liberals' position on the matter of allowing newspapers and conglomerates to own broadcasters, sending a green light for them to own stakes in cable television networks that do not air news programs.

Earlier, it opposed the GNP's proposal, which would allow the two groups to control broadcasters and cable networks by owning up to a 20-percent stake in them.

The DP's stalwart opposition, which included a boycott of a standing committee of the National Assembly to deliberate the bills, however, caused the bills to be stuck.

Despite the shift, the country's largest opposition party maintained its stance against newspapers and conglomerates controlling broadcasters and cable networks that provide news programs.

DP leaders are concerned about the possible negative effect of a coalition of conservative forces -- namely, newspapers and chaebol which the DP claim side with the GNP -- on television news coverage.

The DP's proposal was made public after the GNP signaled that it would vote on the measures during the current session if the opposition party continued to sabotage the standing committee.

Rep. Ko Heung-kil of the GNP, who chairs the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, said in an interview that his party's patience had run out and that a vote could take place whether or not the DP returns to the committee.

Ko said deliberation of the bills would be completed by next Monday regardless of the DP's participation and that the ruling party would take the next step to pass the bills during the current parliamentary session that ends on July 25.

Date Posted: 7/9/2009