Assemblyman Shin Seongbeom Proposes Broadcasting Act Amendment to Guarantee Universal Viewing Rights for Olympics and World Cup

Institutionalizing a Joint Negotiating Body of Terrestrial Broadcasters and OTT Platforms
Blocking Monopolies and Excessive Competition in Broadcasting Rights
Expanding Free Viewing Rights for the Public

Seong Beom Shin, a National Assembly member of the People Power Party representing Sancheong, Hamyang, Geochang, and Hapcheon in South Gyeongsang Province, announced on March 17 that he has sponsored a partial amendment to the Broadcasting Act to prevent situations in which a single broadcaster monopolizes major sports games or significant events of high public interest, thereby restricting the general public’s right to view.

This amendment was introduced in response to the recent rapid growth of new media platforms such as OTT services. Its goal is to prevent the exclusive rights for broadcasting high-interest events from being limited to paid services, and to establish universal viewing rights that encompass both traditional terrestrial broadcasting and digital platforms.

Photo of Shin Sungbum

The core of the bill is to institutionalize the formation of a "joint negotiating body" involving terrestrial broadcasters as well as OTT and other broadcasting and telecommunications operators, for the broadcasting of "public interest events" such as the Olympics and World Cup. This aims to prevent wasteful competition among operators, curb excessive increases in broadcasting rights fees, and prevent the outflow of national wealth, while also creating a structure that allows the public to watch events through a variety of platforms.

In particular, the amendment clarifies the definition of a "universal broadcasting entity" that allows the public to watch live broadcasts without having to pay additional subscription fees. This strengthens institutional measures to ensure there are no blind spots in viewing rights, even in the digital environment.

The bill also includes measures to eradicate "abuse of broadcasting rights" after broadcasting rights have been secured. It designates as prohibited acts the refusal or delay of resale without just cause, discriminatory pricing, and bundling advertisements with broadcast rights. If such violations occur, the Broadcasting and Media Communications Commission will be empowered to take strong corrective actions.

Assemblyman Shin stressed, "Sports broadcasting is a public good that all citizens should be able to enjoy together. Even as media consumption trends expand from television to digital, the universal rights of the public must not be undermined. We will put an end to the practice of holding viewing rights hostage for the monopolistic interests of certain platforms, and create a fair environment where broadcasting and new media can coexist, thereby safeguarding the viewing rights that allow all citizens to share in moments of inspiration."

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