TBS, Arirang Expand English Programs for OECD Meeting
By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter
The state-run Traffic Broadcasting System (TBS) is expanding its English-language programming during the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Ministerial Meeting in Seoul this week.
A special English-language program will air for 12 hours on the TBS channel on the digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB) bandwidth. With the theme ``See the Future of Seoul, the IT Capital of the World," the program will provide domestic and international news, information on Korean traditional culture, pop culture and digital industry.
TBS officials said the programs will run from June 16 to 19 to provide adequate information for the officials and participants at the OECD Ministerial Meeting. Over 2,500 people from 47 countries, including ministers, CEOs, Internet experts and organizations, will participate in the meeting. The overall theme of the meeting is ``The Future of the Internet Economy."
DMB receivers will be placed in the transport vehicles to be used by the meeting participants, which would allow them to listen to the TBS programs.
TBS currently airs several English-language daily programs such as the morning show ``Seoul to Go," ``Seoul of Asia" and ``Seoul Today." These shows provide travel, culture, entertainment, lifestyle and traffic information for tourists and foreigners residents in Seoul.
TBS also has new programs such as ``Inside Seoul," which brings the latest news in the city, while ``IT Korea Time" gives listeners an in-depth look on developments in the local IT industry.
TBS officials said these English-language programs will help promote a more ``foreigner friendly" Korea and the English-language FM channel being planned by the Seoul city government.