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| Arirang TV building in southern Seoul / Yonhap |
By Jung Min-ho
Don't be surprised if your favorite Arirang TV program disappears this year.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, which oversees the English-language network, told The Korea Times Thursday that 18 out of its 36 regular TV programs will be shut down. As a result, 190 contract workers and freelancers are expected to lose their jobs.
"Officials at Arirang TV have been discussing which programs to choose after a painful budget cut," a ministry official said.
The crisis began after the Korea International Broadcasting Foundation, which operates the network, ran out of funds last year. The ministry requested an additional budget of 10.8 billion won ($10 million) for it, only to be rejected by the National Assembly.
The network's budget this year is 53.2 billion won, cut by 5.2 billion won from last year.
Arirang TV is concerned that its advertising revenues will also drop with fewer, less-invested programs.
With the network's future at stake, many regular workers also feel "insecure." According to a former Arirang TV journalist, nearly one third of its journalists have left the company over the past year.
Arirang TV's labor union has long demanded the government come up with ways to stabilize its financial situation, saying its critical role of promoting Korea to the world should not be overlooked. But both Cheong Wa Dae and the Assembly have so far been reluctant to touch the long-standing issue.
But the ministry official said the presidential office is planning to talk with the officials of the ministry and Arirang TV to solve the problem.
"Various issues such as whether the country needs an international broadcaster and how to operate it are expected to be discussed at the meeting," the ministry official said.
In addition to its regular programs, Arirang TV runs special programs such as documentaries. Government agencies such as the Korea Tourism Organization and the Korean Culture and Information Service will help the network by financially supporting the irregular programs.
"We are facing a major crisis this year," Choi Jung-hee, a PR official at Arirang TV, said. "We hope the government will find a solution." From its birth, she noted, the network has been vastly underfunded, compared with English-language networks in other developed countries such as NHK World.
Founded in 1996, Arirang TV airs news and cultural programs for 138 million viewers in 105 countries as "Korea's messenger to the world," according to its website.
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