By Ines Min
Contributing Writer
Seoul's all-English radio station TBS eFM tiptoes on the side of caution when it comes to its programming and broadcasting processes, according to staff members. Part of the reason is a need to appease a wide range of listeners, without alienating any categorized groups.
"We just try to keep under the line, we're not trying to go beyond or push the envelope," said an employee, who spoke under anonymity because she had not yet received permission from higher-ups for an interview.
Sam Hammington, host of the afternoon Drivetime program, described his show as "tongue-in-cheek," but avoided more serious topics in order to "steer clear of provocative issues."
"In my experience with English media in Korea, we're able to give both sides of the issue (exposure)," Hammington said.
Bridging the differences between the Korean and Western cultures and finding a common tonality in humor are factors in the way programs are put together.
"Sarcasm is not really a form that is recognized" in Korean, Hammington said. He added that adjusting his Australian humor has been an issue among his Korean friends, who mistakenly take his sardonic jokes as sincere comments.
But audience reactions and opinions are heavily taken into consideration in programming, the anonymous employee said.
"The most important thing when producing a show is listener response and what they have to say," she said.
The program she oversees has segments of listener feedback, dedicated to getting the audience's voice out through the show.
The eFM audience is split between expatriates living in South Korea and native listeners who understand English.
"We've been trying to find the balance between those two groups of listeners," she said. Certain hosts, such as Shane Peterson and Erica Lee of Kickstart, try not to let the divide define the show, but instead make efforts to create a cultural exchange.
"For example, when it rains in Korea people eat pajun all the time and foreigners might not understand," she said. "But (the hosts) will explain that the sound of rain is similar to the sound of the frying pajun," which makes people crave the savory pancake.
Listener demographics, which could increase the level of understanding between the station's staff and audience, have still not been recorded or released to the public. Employees at the station only have rough estimates of the number of call-ins, with official numbers not recorded.
Hammington said his show receives an average of 30 text messages a day, although feedback is also sent via e-mail, phone and an online forum.
"TBS eFM is still a station that's really trying to develop," the anonymous employee said. "We're not even a year old, and I think we're picking up more listeners as we go."
After her interview with The Korea Times, TBS forbade the employee from speaking to reporters without permission. Hammington spoke freely because he is working on a freelance basis and is not a contracted employee.