What is the "Media Law"?

What is the “Media Law” bill? There are so many components to it, but the three most controversial parts are as follows:

1. Revising the current newspaper law in order to allow newspaper companies to own broadcast networks. (Cross Media Ownership)

2. Revising the broadcast law to allow newspaper companies and large private companies to own shares in a broadcast network.

3. The obligatory monitoring of internet content and provisions to prosecute persons engaged in carrying out so-called “cyber-insults”

The GNP party promotes this bill claiming this will create 26,000 jobs, while pointing out that cross-media ownership is permitted in other developed countries. Those opposed to the bill argue that the claims of job creation by the proposed Media Law are groundless and that the real purpose of the bill is to enable the government and conservatives (though not traditional conservatives, for Korean conservatives don’t have consistant opinions and change their position to suit whatever is beneficial to them!) to control media.

Representative A from GNP party, on a phone interview with MBC, said, “Having a public discussion was suggested within the party but representative Jung opposed it saying it will bring more controversy if we do so.”

The GNP party refuses to hold any public discussion of the bill or to educate the public about it, insisting instead on passing the bill by providing inaccurate information and repeating lies to the public.

On Dec. 4, 2008, the Joong-Ang newspaper reported that “cross media ownership is a worldwide trend and among OECD countries, Korea is the only country prohibiting it.” However, the OECD website clearly states that “There are also cross-media stipulations in 21 OECD countries, which set restrictions on cross-media ownership by acquisition.”

Also, representative Taehee Im from GNP party said on Dec. 26, 2008 that, “the current newspaper and broadcasting laws are what ‘those people’ (indicates Woori or Minjoo party) rushed through without our consent.”

But the truth is that the current broadcasting law and the newspaper laws were passed in 1999 and in 2005 respectively according to standard congressional procedures in the presence of all parties.

Secondly, allowing large companies and newspaper companies to own shares in a broadcast network poses another big problem. Even though each company is only permitted to own up to 20% of the shares of any network, if Samsung Corporation, Joong-Ang newspaper (a close media ally of Samsung), and Chosun newspaper (a supportor of the conservative GNP government) each were to buy 20% of MBC’s shares, then control of MBC will effectively pass to them. Since the acquisition of shares cannot be reversed even after this president’s term is over, president Lee MyeongBak and the ruling GNP party wants to pass the bill while they hold power, this despite of the opposition of the public and the broadcast networks themselves.

Now, let’s see what would happen if the bill is passed.

In 2007, there was a huge oil spill off the southwest coast of Korea. It turned out to have been caused by Samsung Heavy Industries, one of the subsidiaries of Samsung. The chart above shows how many times different Korean newspapers reported on the responsibility of Samsung Heavy Industries. While Hangyeoreh and Kyoung-hyang newspapers reported 18 and 6 times respectively, Chosun only did so on 4 occasions, and Dong-a newspaper only once. Joong-ang newspaper, however, didn’t even report on it at all. As you can see, if the media is controlled by Chosun, Dong-a, and Joong-ang newspapers, it will be hard to hear about facts, especially those “inconvenient” to their political and corporate allies. This is only one example: these three newspapers never reported fairly on the anti-government movement that has arisen since the current president’s inauguration.

Thirdly, this bill also includes Internet monitoring which would be done by the police and prosecutors in the name of preventing ‘defamation’. If, for example, I were to criticize Samsung on my blog, under the current system Samsung would have to file a lawsuit against me if they find what I write insulting. However, after the bill passes, the police would be able to prosecute me even without a complaint from Samsung.

It seems that this bill is being promoted by the GNP party and the government in order to control the citizens who use Internet to criticize the government’s policies and the way the GNP party runs the country. This will provide a legal justification for the oppression of citizens already being perpetrated by the current government, the police, and government prosecutors. This was the case when the police refused to do anything to stop pro-government groups from breaking the censer stand during the funeral of former president Roh. Instead, the police saw it fit to arrest 30 citizens who tried to clean up the broken censer stand! Clearly this government will not apply the law fairly, but will instead use it to persecute its critics. They claim that they want to follow in the tracks of developed countries in duplicating their successes, but their proposed policies would seem follow more closely the tracks laid out in the internet policies of China and North Korea.

Instead of fostering democratization and economic development, the government with this bill really seeks to ensure long-term GNP party rule in the parliament by allowing the Chosun, Joong-ang, and Dong-a newspapers to enter the broadcast network market and tape over the mouths of our vocal citizens. This is why the bill should not be passed.

(translated from http://danbisw.tistory.com/4992)