Regulator approves merger of two regional MBC stations

By Shim Sun-ah
SEOUL, Aug. 8 (Yonhap) -- The national broadcasting regulator on Monday approved the merger of two regional affiliates of the Seoul-based TV network MBC in South Gyeongsang Province after an intense internal debate over the issue.
MBC's regional stations in Jinju and Changwon, both in the southern reaches of the country, have sought permission from the Korea Communications Commission to merge since they decided to launch a single, united station during their stockholders' meetings in September last year.
But the regulator has been unable to narrow wide differences among its members over the issue.
Monday's decision was made with two opposition-affiliated members boycotting the plenary meeting on the issue in protest. They oppose the plan, citing negative opinions from residents in the two cities who fear that the merged station would pay less attention to their own regional issues.
The move marks the first merger of MBC's regional stations since the 1980s when the Seoul-based broadcaster was forced to form a network system with regional stations by the authoritarian government led at the time by President Chun Doo-hwan. The network system was part of a plan to drastically reduce the number of local newspapers and broadcasters.
Journalists' associations and a social network of workers from MBC's regional stations immediately vowed to launch a strong campaign against the merger.
"The approval of the proposed merger is an attempt to neglect provincial residents and foment their isolation from (mainstream) public opinions by blocking them from speaking to media," the group said in a statement.
sshim@yna.co.kr