<기사제목>Broadcasting Commission Grants Reauthorization to 10 Terrestrial Radio and DMB Operators

The 54th Committee Meeting Held and Resolutions Passed

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] This year, three terrestrial radio broadcasters, including Gugak Broadcasting's Gugak FM radio station, whose license validity periods are expiring, and seven terrestrial DMB broadcasters, including the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) regional terrestrial DMB stations, have been included in the re-licensing targets. The license validity periods for each broadcaster range from 2 to 5 years.

The Korea Communications Commission (KCC) held its 54th committee meeting and announced on the 8th that it had resolved the matter concerning the re-licensing of terrestrial broadcasters. The KCC formed an evaluation committee for the re-licensing review and conducted the evaluation over three days starting from the 30th of last month.

As a result of the evaluation committee's review, 10 broadcasters operating 10 stations, including Gugak Broadcasting's Gugak FM radio station, scored 650 points or higher, which is the re-licensing standard score. Among these, seven DMB stations, including the KBS regional terrestrial DMB stations, which scored between 650 and less than 700 points, were granted a license validity period of 4 years.

Gugak Broadcasting's Gugak FM radio station, which scored 700 points or higher, was granted 5 years. Two stations, including Far East Broadcasting Company's Far East Jeonbuk FM radio station, which scored 700 points or higher, and Christian Broadcasting System's CBS Gwangju FM radio station, which scored between 650 and less than 700 points, were granted 2 years after accepting their request to align the license validity period with that of their other stations.

The KCC explained that in this re-licensing evaluation, it focused on ▲ the feasibility of realizing the public responsibility and fairness of broadcasting, as well as regional, social, and cultural needs, ▲ the appropriateness of plans for planning, organizing, producing broadcasting programs, and securing public interest. ▲ Reflecting the main points raised by the evaluation committee, conditions and recommendations for re-licensing were added, such as improving the treatment of non-regular workers and conducting disaster broadcasting education and training.

For the KBS regional terrestrial DMB stations, conditions were imposed to sufficiently maintain the simultaneous transmission period of the low-definition (SD-level) channel that is simulcast with the high-definition channel to protect viewing rights, and to consult with the KCC in advance in case of transmission suspension.

Chairman Han Sang-hyuk said, "Through this re-licensing evaluation, we expect it to be a new opportunity for terrestrial radio and terrestrial DMB broadcasters to fulfill their public roles and responsibilities even in a situation where the broadcasting environment is becoming difficult and management is deteriorating."

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