Power of the People 75 out of 76 members of the Seoul City Council jointly proposed an ordinance bill to abolish the ordinance that was the basis for the establishment of TBS, as soon as the assembly opened.
In fact, it is pointed out that the worst decision was made to allow TBS to survive on its own by deleting the basis for supporting the 32 to 37.5 billion won contribution that the Seoul Metropolitan Government has paid each year. There are also concerns that TBS will be in danger of dying if it is passed as it is by introducing a system that unilaterally suspends existing financial resources in a state where commercial advertisements are not permitted.
On the afternoon of the 4th, 75 members of the People’s Power, including Choi Ho-jeong, a member of the People’s Power Seoul City Council (representative initiator) submitted the ‘Ordinance abolished Ordinance on the Establishment and Operation of the Seoul Media Foundation tbs’ to the Seoul City Council. They said that this is the No. 2 Ordinance Bill of the Seoul City Council.
If you look at the ordinance bill submitted by lawmakers including City Councilman Choi, this ordinance stipulates that “the ordinance on the establishment and operation of the Seoul Media Foundation tbs will be abolished.”
As the reason for the proposal of this ordinance, the city council members said, “In order to meet the diverse needs of Seoul citizens for the broadcasting field as well as the rapid change in the development of information and communication technology and the demand for traffic guidance, ‘Seoul Media Foundation tbs (tbs) was established. and the ordinance on its operation’, and the Media Foundation TVS will be excluded from the city-funded and funded organizations so that TVS can operate independently as a privately-led press.”
The effective date of this ordinance is stipulated that it will come into effect from July 1, 2023 (Addendum Article 1 (Enforcement Date)). According to Article 2 of the Addendum, especially the special provisions on employee recruitment, “If the mayor of Seoul requested this ordinance at the time of promulgation of this ordinance, it must be operated or Priority will be given to the newly established Seoul Metropolitan Government-invested or contributed institutions, and no disadvantageous treatment shall be made in terms of status or salary.”
Regarding the plan to arrange donations with the TBS Foundation, Article 3 (Measures on Assets, etc.) states, “Even before this ordinance goes into effect, the mayor may take preparatory actions with the foundation to arrange donations. In order to continue as an independent media in the future, the Foundation’s opinions must be actively reflected in the asset management.”
People’s Strength City Councilor Choi Ho-jeong, who is the main proponent of this bill, met with reporters after the ordinance was submitted on that day and said, “Many reporters are interested in our No. 2 Ordinance, but I can’t help but think of the citizens who supported and chose us.” A lot of people in the middle gave a lot of opinions about TBS traffic broadcasting, and with that in mind, we made the 2nd Ordinance.” City Councilor Choi explained, “It is usually a traffic broadcast, but there were many opinions that citizens ‘get more through other means than through traffic guidance’ and ‘Is it right to maintain a broadcast that provides traffic information with our precious tax?” did.
In response to a letter sent to Media Today on the 4th, Seoul City Council member Lee Jong-bae responded to the question of whether such a reorganization was being pursued due to the bias of ‘Kim Eo-jun’s News Factory’, saying, “It has nothing to do with Kim Eo-jun’s News Factory.” Even if there was no controversy over polarized broadcasting, the transition of tbs functions or independent management is the trend of the times.”
In response to the protests from TBS and the media that ‘tame broadcasting that is not to your taste, isn’t it oppression of broadcasting’, city councilor Lee Jong-bae said, “Kim Eo-joon’s news factory bias and function conversion are two separate issues,” but “However, many Seoul citizens suffer from biased broadcasting at the news factory. are appealing,” he said. City Councilor Lee said, “There have been countless sanctions by the Korea Communications Standards Commission, and the city council and the Seoul Metropolitan Government have an obligation to protect the suffering citizens of Seoul. Criticism is also difficult to ignore. Aside from switching features or stopping support, we need a discussion to resolve this issue in the mid- to long-term.”
Lee Kang-taek, CEO of TBS, previously appeared on MBC Radio Kim Jong-bae’s attention on the morning of the same day and protested against the movement of the ordinance abolition ordinance, saying, “It’s about starving.”
