MBN General Programming Channel Fails to Meet Reapproval Score... Approval Decision to Be Made by End of This Month

Scored 640.5 out of 1000
'Conditional Reapproval' or 'Reapproval Denied'
Final Decision by the End of This Month

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] MBN has failed to meet the re-approval score criteria for comprehensive programming channels, and after a hearing at the end of this month, it will receive either a 'conditional re-approval' or a 're-approval denial' decision from the Korea Communications Commission.

On the 9th, the Korea Communications Commission held a plenary meeting and disclosed the re-approval evaluation scores for comprehensive programming operators MBN and JTBC, whose approval validity expires on the 30th of this month. In the evaluation conducted from the 3rd to the 6th by a re-approval review committee composed of 13 broadcasting and media experts, MBN received a total score of 640.50 out of 1000 points. JTBC received 714.89 points.

Based on the scores alone, MBN falls under the conditions for re-approval denial or conditional re-approval, while JTBC meets the re-approval requirements.

To be re-approved, comprehensive programming channels must score 650 points or higher. The score is composed of items such as the public responsibility of broadcasting, feasibility of fairness realization, and regional, social, and cultural necessity. Operators scoring below 650 points receive either 'conditional re-approval' or 're-approval denial.'

The Korea Communications Commission stated, "Since Maeil Broadcasting Network falls under the conditions for re-approval denial or conditional re-approval, the hearing procedure under the Administrative Procedures Act will be used to verify the resolution plans and improvement measures for the issues pointed out by the review committee."

The Commission plans to hold a hearing for MBN in November, review the re-approval conditions for each company, and decide on the re-approval status by the end of this month. Prior to this, on the 30th of last month, the Commission held a plenary meeting and decided on an administrative sanction to suspend MBN's operations for six months and halt all broadcasting during this period due to illegal capital procurement violating the Broadcasting Act.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.