MBC union going ahead with strike

Posted on : 2012-01-30 11:32 KST Modified on : 2019-10-19 20:29 KST
Popular programming in question as management calls strike “political and illegal”

By Kwon Gwi-soon 
  
MBC’s labor union has decided to strike at 6am today. Problems are expected to extend beyond crippled news production due to the production boycott by reporters and affect all other areas, including arts-based programs.
The union stated that union-affiliated producers working not only in current affairs, education and radio but also arts-based programs had decided to join the strike. The strike is expected to directly affect the programs MBC produces. This applies to programs produced by union-affiliated producers, including flagship arts and entertainment programs such as Naneun Gasuda, I’m a singer, and Muhan Dojeon, flagship current affairs program PD Notebook and the drama Haereul Pumeun Dal, which is currently enjoying sky-high levels of popularity. It is also highly likely that the daily sitcom Highkick! Jjalbeun Dari-ui Yeokseup, which is externally produced but involves a large number of MBC personnel, will not be broadcast.
There are 62 arts and entertainment producers at MBC, some of them at department-head level. 50 union-affiliated producers are taking part in the current strike. They are showing such solidarity because they believe that arts and entertainment programs have suffered a big loss of autonomy under the leadership of MBC president Kim Jae-chul. Since Kim took office, there has been a decrease in current affairs programs, while the workload of those producing arts and entertainment programs has greatly increased. No extra personnel have reportedly been allocated to arts and entertainment, despite the fact that the current affairs programs News Who and W have been replaced by Ju Byeong-jin Show and The Great Birth, respectively.
“Producers’ pride has been seriously wounded by the large number of programs decided upon by top-down orders straight from the board of directors,” explained union secretary Gang Ji-ung.
The board of directors shows no sign of intending to talk with the union. “Making the resignation of the president a key demand means this is clearly a political and illegal strike,” stated Lee Jin-suk, head of publicity at MBC. “We will deal with it strictly and fairly.”
Meanwhile, MBC president Kim, after attending a hallyu fashion show in Japan while his reporters were conducting a production boycott, returned to Korea on Saturday and is reportedly not present at MBC’s headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul.
 
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