The Korea Media and Communications Commission said on the 21st that it approved license renewals for 13 stations operated by terrestrial and community radio broadcasters whose license validity periods had expired.
The Korea Media and Communications Commission (KMCC) held its 29th meeting that day and reviewed whether to renew licenses for stations whose license validity periods expired between December last year and June this year.
As a result of the review, eight outlets that scored 700 points or more, including KBS Jeonju·Cheongju 1st UHDTV Station and Paldal·Seodaemun FM Community Radio, were approved for a five-year license validity period, and five outlets that scored 650 points or more but less than 700 points, including Busan·Jeju MBC Terrestrial DMB Station and OBS Gyeongin FM Station, were approved for a four-year license validity period.
At the meeting, some noted that the license renewal review standards should be adjusted to reflect changes in the broadcasting industry environment.
Commissioner Choi Su-young said that, given changes in broadcasting industry conditions such as falling advertising revenue and rising production costs, it is necessary to examine whether it is appropriate to apply the existing standards as they are, adding, "The more rapidly the media environment and ecosystem change, the more flexibly and elastically administrative standards should be applied."
Vice Chair Go Min-su also agreed that while there are limits to making major changes to license renewal requirements under the current Broadcasting Act, there is a general need to reexamine the detailed review standards and the basic plan.
Kim Jong-cheol, chair of the Korea Media and Communications Commission (KMCC), said that in this review the commission also considered simplifying and easing existing license renewal conditions as part of regulatory improvements, adding, "We will continue to check compliance with license renewal conditions and strengthen management and oversight."