KBS' survey results about license fee hike raise eyebrows

The KBS Headquarters in Yeouido / Courtesy of KBS

By Park Ji-won

The results of a recent survey by the state-run national public broadcaster, Korean Broadcasting System (KBS), showing support for increasing TV license fees, have bewildered many people, because they contradict similar surveys conducted recently.

KBS announced the results of a survey conducted of 209 citizens who joined a debate on the broadcaster's future, held between May 22 and 23, which showed that 8 out of 10 respondents support an increase in KBS' license fee. The broadcaster said that 72.2 percent agreed with the increase in the first poll, while 79.9 percent agreed with the increase in the second poll.

Currently, the license fee is 2,500 won ($2.24) per month, which has remained unchanged for the last 40 years, and the broadcaster has been seeking to raise it to 3,840 won.

The respondents said that a reasonable price for the fee is 3,256 won in the first survey and 3,840 won in the second survey. According to the survey, 28.1 percent of respondents felt the license fee needs to be raised to "operate KBS and produce news independently without pressure," while 24.9 percent said that the fee should "reflect inflation." Also, 18.6 percent said the increased fee should enable KBS to "be able to secure more funding and have a greater sense of responsibility to the people," while 17.4 percent supported the hike to offer "quality content and service."

However, the survey results raised many eyebrows as they differed markedly from the findings of similar surveys that showed the public opposing any fee hike.

A survey by Media Today and Research View in February conducted of 1,000 adults between Jan. 28 and 31 showed 76 percent of respondents opposing the license fee increase, while 13 percent supported it. In every age group, 60 to 80 percent opposed the increase.

Multiple petitions submitted to the presidential office have criticized the increase as an obligation imposed on citizens.

The law requires that each household using more than 50kWh of electricity per month to pay the KBS license fee along with other utility charges, even if there is no TV set in the house. Households that do not own a TV, but that paid the fee, can get a refund by submitting a complaint.

The head of the state-run broadcaster has been pushing for the increase this year through passing a related proposal at a board meeting, while publicizing its intention. KBS President Yang Seung-dong stressed during a hearing in April that the COVID-19 pandemic showed us the importance of public broadcasting and that it is the right time to raise the fee.

If the bill is passed by KBS' board, the National Assembly's Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee will review it. If passed by the committee, the bill will be put to vote at the National Assembly. More than fifty percent of the National Assembly must approve it in order for the bill to be passed. KBS failed to have the fee-increase bill passed in 2007, 2010 and 2013 due to public backlash and opposition from lawmakers.

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