hankyoreh

An analysis of news reports has revealed that KBS has been giving coverage of the Lee Myung-bak administration that is much more favorable than coverage given during the Roh Moo-hyun administration.

The Hankyoreh and civic organization Citizens’ Coalition for Democratic Media (CCDM) analyzed reports from KBS News 9 from January to March in 2005 and 2010, the third years of the Roh and Lee administrations, respectively. They found that of the 86 press reports about the Lee administration, 23 (26.7 percent) took a favorable tone. In contrast, of the 87 stories during the Roh administration, only five (5.7 percent) took a favorable tone to the administration.

Stories in which the anchor imparted a positive meaning to the president’s statements or actions or excessively displayed the president’s image on the screen were counted as “favorable.” In terms of critical stories, too, Roh had nine (10.3 percent) directed at him, while Lee has had only two (2.3 percent).

A sharp contrast was also revealed in comparing these results with MBC and SBS. MBC’s Newsdesk ran nine favorable stories (10.9 percent of a total of 82 stories) about President Lee from January to March of this year, while SBS 8 O’clock News ran eight of 82 (9.8 percent), meaning both stations broadcast considerably fewer newscasts portraying the Lee administration in a positive light.

Beautification of the president through video editing was also pronounced, such as the use of the president’s name in news headlines (March 5, “President Lee Designated R&D Zone in Daegu” and March 24, “President Lee, ‘Government to Actively Support Saemangeum Project’”) or by highlighting the tears of First Lady Kim Yoon-ok (March 25, “President Lee, ‘Winter Sports for the Handicapped Inspire the People’”).

“Since KBS is a public broadcaster owned by the people and the viewers, it must maintain a basic neutrality and independence,” said Lee Chang-hyun, professor of Kookmin University. “Since the current administration took office, it has become a government spokesperson, completely shaking the identity of a public broadcaster.”

“The point of view of the broadcaster could differ according to subjet, case and issue,” said KBS News Director Im Chang-geon to the contrary. “I do not believe that KBS has been making many reports favorable to the president.”

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]