The People Power Party on the 10th called for halting the push to ram through an amendment to the Broadcasting Act that would require terrestrial broadcasters to air the Olympics and World Cup live. The bill, led by the Democratic Party of Korea, has passed The National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee and is now headed for a final vote in the plenary session.
Lim Lee-ja, the People Power Party's policy chief, issued a statement titled "Urging the Democratic Party to stop forcing through the Broadcasting Act amendment" the same day, saying, "There are growing concerns that the Broadcasting Act amendment the Democratic Party of Korea is pushing under the banner of guaranteeing universal viewing rights could actually threaten the public's viewing rights."
The Broadcasting Act amendment pushed by the Democratic Party would require nationwide terrestrial broadcasters KBS and MBC to carry major sporting events such as the Olympics and the World Cup live. The bill cleared The National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee in September.
Lim said the amendment "would saddle terrestrial broadcasters with excessive financial burdens, contrary to its stated aim of guaranteeing universal viewing rights." She argued that mandating live broadcasts could impose hefty costs in the process of securing broadcasting rights.
She added, "When negotiating with international sports bodies such as FIFA and the IOC, domestic broadcasters could lose leverage, which could actually drive up rights fees."
She also said, "The burden of broadcasting rights that terrestrial broadcasters are forced to shoulder will ultimately fall on the public," adding, "Broadcasters will have less room to invest in content, and in the worst case the debate could spill over into raising license fees."