TV viewers find that cable TV lacks objectively, a study by the Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC), said Tuesday. According to the report, TV viewers complain mostly about cable lacking objectivity and impartiality in news broadcasting.
“Many viewers complained that cable channels’ news programs, including MBN’s News Fighter and JTBC’s Newsroom, in their report of social and political issues, breached fairness and objectivity of broadcasting,” said the state-run media watchdog.
KCSC said it received a total of 4,868 complaints last year. Nationwide general cable networks, including Channel A, JTBC and MBN, topped the complaint list with 1,947, or 40 percent, followed by three major TV networks of KBS, MBC and SBS with 1,470 cases, or 30.2 percent. Home shopping cables came next with 770 complaints.
Among the cable channels, Channel A topped the complaint list with 658 cases. TV Chosun ranked second with 626 cases, followed by MBN with 392 cases and JTBC with 266 cases.
Among the three major broadcasters, KBS topped the list with 522 cases, SBS with 373 and MBC with 326.
Complaints about fairness (775 cases) and objectivity (433 cases) made up 62.6 percent of all complaints. Violation of rights, including defamation and ethical failure, followed with 237 cases and 212 cases, respectively.
Regarding the three major TV broadcasters, viewers complained mostly about indecency and gender discrimination. A total of 533 complaints or 36.3 percent dealt with ethical issues. Objectivity and fairness issues amounted to 243 and 218 cases, each.
In particular, a sexually explicit conversation aired on the SBS variety show “DISCO” featuring adolescent female actress Kim Yoo-jung who starred in the KBS drama “Moonlight Drawn by Clouds” and scenes of forced physical contact on the MBC reality show “We Got Married” have been bashed with strong audience criticism.