Korean Broadcasting System

Korean Broadcasting System (KBS)
한국방송공사
Type Broadcast radio and
television
Country South Korea South Korea
Availability National
International
Owner Government of South Korea
Key people Lee Byung Soon, President
Launch date 1961 (television); 1965 (radio); 1996 (satellite); 1998 (digital); 2005 (DMB)
Official Website www.kbs.co.kr
Korean name
Hangul 한국방송
Hanja 韓國放送
Revised Romanization Han-guk Bangsong
McCune–Reischauer Han'guk Pangsong

Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) (한국 방송 공사 Hanguk Bangsong Gongsa) is the biggest of three major Korean television networks. This public broadcasting network is best known for nightly newscasts and lavish historical dramas, although private broadcasters such as MBC, EBS and SBS have produced popular historical dramas in recent years as well.

Contents

Structure

KBS headquarters in Seoul
KBS broadcasting station

KBS is a 'public organization' that, by law, receives public funding from the Korean Government but is independently managed. As mentioned on the Korean Constitution, the president of KBS is recommended by its board of directors to the President of Korea. Political parties in Korea have the right to name members of the board of directors of KBS. Since the President of South Korea usually has leadership over the members of the ruling party, KBS's president is considered to be designated by the president of Korea. This procedure has incurred worries of political intervention in KBS' governance and has led to many thinking that the current system of recruiting needs to be revised.

Around 37.8% of its revenue comes from a mandatory Television Licence Fee, while 47.6% of the revenue comes from commercial advertisement sales.[1] For national or governmental programs such as International Radio service (KBS World Radio) and the Radio service for physically handicapped people, KBS receives public funds from the Korean government.

Channels

Terrestrial television

KBS 1TV is also showing public information films made by KBS and entertainment programming but the rest are on KBS 2TV.

Cable and Satellite television

These four channels are carried by Cable and Satellite operators in Korea. There are 100+ Cable operators in Korea and Skylife is sole satellite television service provider. These channels are managed and operated by KBS N, a subsidiary company of KBS.

Radio

List of KBS programs

Dramas

  • Autumn Fairy Tale (가을동화; also known as Autumn In My Heart; 2000)
  • Winter Sonata (겨울연가; 2002)
  • Summer Scent (여름향기; 2003)
  • Spring Waltz (봄의 왈츠; 2006)

Documentaries

News and Current Affairs

Entertainment

Children's

Other

KBS World

KBS World.svg
KBS on mobile TV in DMB system

KBS World is the international television and radio service of KBS. KBS World television is a television channel that runs mostly programs commissioned for KBS' 2 terrestrial networks: KBS1 and KBS2. KBS World television is distributed over several international communication and broadcasting satellites S-DMB such as IS-8, IS-9, IS-10, Hotbird 6, Galaxy 10R, Arabsat 4D. Local cable and/or satellite operators receive the signal from one of these satellite and carry the signal to end subscribers of their own networks. KBS doesn't allow individual viewer to receive the signal from IS-8, IS-9, IS-10 and Galaxy 10R. The signal from Arabsat 4D is Free-to-Air service while viewers using Hotbird 6 are required to pay monthly subscription fee. KBS World television is for both local people and Korean expatriates around the world. As of July 2007, around 65% of its programs are broadcast with English Subtitles. KBS World has two overseas subsidiaries: KBS America and KBS Japan. KBS World Japan is independently operated by KBS Japan, KBS' subsidiary in Japan and practically all programs are provided with Japanese subtitles.

KBS launched KBS World officially on July 1, 2003. As of July 2007, KBS World television is available in 32 countries and reportedly more than 40 million households around the world are accessible to KBS World TV.

KBS World television runs on a 24hr schedule with programming ranging from news, sports, dramas, variety shows and children's programs.

Foreign Partners

See also

References

  1. ↑ KBS Annual Report 2006-2007, KBS, 2007.(As mentioned on page 30)

External links

Chaebol (South korean companies)
Top 10
Samsung Group • Hyundai Kia Automotive Group • SK Group • LG Group • Lotte • GS Group • Hyundai Heavy Industries • Kumho Asiana Group • Hanjin • Hanwha
Others
Aju Group • Amore Pacific • Byuck San • CJ Group • Crown• Daelim Group • Daesang • Daewoo • Dongbu Group • Dongkuk Group • Dongwon Group • Doosan Group • E-Land • Eugene Group • Halla • Hankook Tire • Hansol • Hite • Hyosung • Isu Group • KCC Group • Kiswel Group • Kolon • Kyobo Life • KT Group • KT&G • LS Group • Nexen • Nongshim Group • Orion • Poongsan • POSCO • Shinsegae Group • SsangYong Group • STX • Taekwang Group • Taeyoung • Woongjin Group • YTN Group
See also Economy of South Korea