The Korea Broadcasting System (KBS), the nation's public broadcaster, decided to raise its TV subscription fee by 52 percent from 2,500 won ($2.2) to 3,800 won at its 4) board of directors meeting last Wednesday. However, the planned 5) hike requires the approval of the National Assembly.

If KBS gets the green light from parliament, the state-run broadcaster's annual subscription 6) revenue will increase from the present 657 billion won to 1.08 7) trillion won. The subscription revenue will also 8) account for 58 percent of the network's annual budget, up from the current 45 percent. In contrast, advertising income will account for 13 percent of KBS's annual budget, down from 22 percent.

"9) On the occasion of raising the subscription fee, KBS will be reborn as the people's broadcaster and 10) live up to its name," KBS President Yang Seung-dong said at a news conference. Yang emphasized that the fee increase was inevitable to fulfill its duty as a public broadcaster. However, not many Koreans seem to be 11) taking his remarks at face value. The KBS board of directors also presented two opinion polls as the basis for its decision, saying a 12) respective 72.2 percent and 79.9 percent of respondents supported the raise. An earlier survey by 13) pollster Research View, however, showed 76 percent of respondents opposed the hike.

A board member recommended by the 14) opposition parties said, "KBS lacks devices, including organizations, to secure its 15) impartiality and independence." Even a ruling party lawmaker who chairs the Assembly's related committee criticized the fee hike attempt, describing it as being 16) "out of touch with public sentiment." In its proposal, KBS included 17) pledges for 18) unbiased news reporting, 19) transparent management, cost cuts, expanding content income, and 20) the sell-off of nonessential assets. However, the broadcaster should pursue these goals without raising the subscription fee.

Nearly half of KBS employees receive an annual salary of more than 100 million won, with about 1,500 of them not even having an official position. The TV subscription fee is 21) a quasi-tax as it is added to electricity bills, and so all residents of Korea must pay it whether they watch KBS programs or not. Many people are 22) barely 23) eking out a living due to the 24) protracted COVID-19 pandemic. In these 25) stark circumstances, therefore, KBS should not continue its unjustifiable attempt, but present 26) harsh  austerity measures and a specific road map to secure fairness and independence.

 

Published: 2021-07-04

Source: The Korea Times

 

1) Impudent public broadcaster 뻔뻔스러운 공영 방송사

2) subscription fee 구독료

3) tight its belt 허리띠를 졸라매다, 긴축재정을 하다

4) board of directors 이사회

5) hike 대폭인상

6) revenue 수입, 소득

7) trillion 1조

8) account for (부분, 비율을) 차지하다

9) on the occasion of –의 경우에

10) live up to  --에 부응하다, --에 부끄럽지 않게 살다

11) take – at face value   –을 액면 그대로 받아들이다

12) respective 각각(의)

13) pollster 여론조사 요원

14) opposition party 야당   cf) ruling party 집권당, 여당

15) impartiality 공정성

16) out of touch with public sentiment 대중의 정서와 동떨어져서

17) pledge 서약, 맹세

18) unbiased news reporting 편견 없는 뉴스 보도

19) transparent 투명한

20) the self-off of nonessential assets 비필수 자산 매각

21) a quasi-tax 준조세 cf) quasi 유사의

22) barely 1) 가까스로, 겨우 2) 거의 –하지 않다. 이 기사에서는 ‘가까스로’의 뜻으로 사용됨

23) eke out a living 근근히 살아가다, 간신히 생계를 유지하다

24) protract 오래 끌다, 길어지다

25) stark circumstances 냉혹한 상황

26) harsh austerity measures  엄격한 긴축 정책