History
Early radio broadcasts
1950s–1960s – Move into television
Television broadcasts in South Korea began on 12 May 1956 with the first television station HLKZ-TV. After financial difficulties, it was acquired by KBS in 1961.1970s – Expansion
KBS station status changed from government to broadcasting station on 3 March 1973. Construction of KBS headquarters in Yeouido started in 1976. In 1979 KBS radio began broadcasting on the FM band with the launch of KBS Stereo (now KBS 1FM). Colour television began that year.1980s – Advertising started after controversial merger
KBS began accepting advertising in 1980, differing from the norm of advert-free broadcasting by public broadcasters, after the forced merger of several private broadcasters into KBS by the military government of Chun Doo-hwan (see Controversies).1990s – Spinoff of EBS
In 1981, KBS launched KBS 3TV and Educational FM and on 27 December 1990, the channels split from KBS to form the Educational Broadcasting System (EBS). After a revision of the television licensing fee system in 1994, 1TV and Radio1 stopped broadcasting commercials.2010s
After first broadcasting HD programmes in 2001, KBS completely transferred to digital broadcasting in 2012. On 3 March 2013, computer shutdowns hit South Korean television stations including the KBS. The South Korean government asserted a North Korean link in the March cyberattacks, which has been denied by Pyongyang. In 2013, KBS World Radio commemorated its 60th anniversary, and KBS World TV celebrated 10 years of its foundation. In 2014, KBS World 24 was launched, mainly for Koreans abroad. In 2015, KBS was honored to have its archives of the KBS Special Live Broadcast, Finding Dispersed Families, inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register. This makes KBS only the world's second broadcaster to have a broadcast programme on the prestigious list. The KBS network dedicated to deliver the exclusive Special Live Broadcast, Finding Dispersed Families, via its primary channel, KBS1. KBS News served as the program's producer. The program made its premiere telecast on 10:15 pm KST on 30 June 1983. After more than 6 months, the special live programme ended at 4 am on 14 November 1983. This marks a total duration of 453 hours and 45 minutes of live broadcast over the period of 138 days, aired nationwide on KBS1. The whole live broadcast was recorded. The KBS' archives of Special Live Broadcast, Finding Dispersed Families include; 463 video tapes of the original recordings, and many kinds of associated materials, generated in the course of the extraordinary broadcast, such as the posters carrying the participating dispersed family members' capsule stories, cue sheets, programming schedules, radio recording materials, and related photographs. A total of 20,522 such assorted materials have been preserved in the archives. The program was the biggest public affairs program ever produced by KBS in the decade, and was the first to tackle the issue of families separated because of the long Korean War (1950-1953), which garnered even international coverage. In 2017, KBS launched the world's first terrestrial UHD broadcasting service. In June 2018, KBS led the operation of the IBC (International Broadcasting Centre) inside the KINTEX (Korea International Exhibition Center), located inStructure
CEOs
Channels
Terrestrial television
* KBS 1TV - KBS' flagship channel, it broadcasts news and current affairs, education, drama, sports, children's programming and culture. It launched in 1961 as HLKA-TV and is solely funded by the license fee, airing commercial-free. It is available nationally on channel 9, broadcasting via digital terrestrial television. KBS1 also airs public information films and minor entertainment programming, the majority of which is on KBS2. * KBS 2TV - KBS' entertainment and drama channel, it was launched in 1980 as a replacement for the ''Tongyang Broadcasting Corporation'', which was controversially merged with KBS. It is available on digital channel 7 via digital terrestrial television. KBS2 also airs live sports coverage, children's programming, public information films and less news and current affairs programming, the majority of which is on KBS1. * KBS UHD - the Ultra High Definition channel, using the ATSC 3.0 format. The channel airs music videos, plus re-runs of TV series and various programming. * KBS NEWS D - 24-hour news channel, based on the broadcaster's own streaming news channel, KBS 24. Also serves as the country's emergency alert channel on ATSC 3.0. While KBS1 and KBS2 phased out analogue services on 31 December 2012 as part of the switchover to digital television in South Korea, it would appear that KBS1 and KBS2 is still unofficially broadcast in analog via UHF, presumably nearby the DMZ, albeit using the SECAM D/K standard.Cable and satellite television
* KBS Life - A culture and drama channel, launched in 1995 as KBS Satellite 2. It was renamed as KBS Korea in 2002, renamed as KBS Prime in 2006, renamed as KBS N Life in 2015 before becoming KBS Life. * KBS Drama - formerly KBS Sky Drama, launched in 2002 * KBS N Sports - formerly KBS Sports/KBS Sky Sports, launched in 2002 * KBS Joy - a comedy and quiz show channel that was launched in 2006 * KBS Kids - the children's channel, launched in 2012 * KBS Story - a channel aimed at a female audience, launched in 2021 These six channels are carried by cable and satellite operators in South Korea. There are 100+ cable operators in South Korea, and Skylife is the sole satellite television service provider. These channels are managed and operated by KBS N, a subsidiary company of KBS.KBS World
Radio
* KBS Radio 1 (711 kHz AM/97.3 MHz FM KBS Radio Seoul) - news, current affairs, drama, documentary and culture. Launched in 1927 as Kyeongseong Broadcasting Corporation JODK and it became KBS Radio 1 in 1965. * KBS Radio 2 (603 kHz AM/106.1 MHz FM KBS Happy FM) - Popular music. Launched in 1948 as HLSA. * KBS Radio 3 (1134 kHz AM/104.9 MHz FM KBS Voice of Love FM) - Launched in 1980 and ceased broadcasting in 1981. It was later replaced by KBS Radio 2's regional radio service and Educational FM (now EBS FM). Later re-launched in 2000 as a spin-off from KBS Radio 2. For the first time in 2010, it was launched on FM and restructured as a radio station for the disabled. * KBS 1FM (93.1 MHz Classic FM) - classical music and folk music. Launched in 1979 as KBS Stereo, adopted current name in 1980. * KBS 2FM (89.1 MHz/DMB CH 12B Cool FM) - popular music. Launched in 1966 as Radio Seoul Broadcasting (RSB), renamed as TBC-FM in the 1970s, renamed as KBS Radio 4 in 1980 after TBC-FM forced merger to KBS, then adopted current name in 2003. * KBS Hanminjok Radio (literal meaning: KBS Korean Nationality Radio) (6.015 MHzBranding logo
Programmes
Foreign partners
Americas
Europe
Asia
Oceania
Operational status
Headquarters
KBS carried out a large-scale organizational reform on 1 March 2019. The focus of the reform is to; further strengthen the KBS' capabilities of content creation; enhance the organization's digital work flow; and improve audience services. As part of the new strategy, KBS created Content Production 2 Division, a new integral body, responsible for a highly efficient operation of production, marketing, as well as content businesses. The new division ultimately aims to bring outstanding dramas and entertainment programming by boosting creative nature of the production function, and minimizing its decision-making process. The new reform strategy introduced Public Service Media Strategy team under Strategy and Planning Division. Public Service Media Strategy is mainly responsible for developing KBS' digital strategies for different audiences to enjoy KBS content via assorted digital media platforms. The reform brought changes in Programming Division as Digital Media department has further expanded its roles under the division. Digital News department attached to News and Sports Division has also strengthened its functions in line with the recent reform initiative. Another significant change in the reform is that new 'Audience Relations Center' has become an executive department, to be operated directly by KBS President and CEO. The Audience Relations Center will dedicate its resources to further enhance audience services, and create more opportunities for audiences to take part in various initiatives developed by KBS. And Local Stations Management has been reorganized to be supervised under KBS Executive Vice President, as KBS has a plan to build a regional broadcasting system in response to a growing demand for greater regional autonomy. * President * Board of Directors ** Board of Directors Secretariat * Executive Vice president ** Human Resources office ** Program Review office ** Gender Equality Centre ** Audience Relations Centre ** Inter-Korean Broadcasting Corporation ** Local Stations Management * Auditor General ** Audit office * Strategy & Planning offices ** Strategy & Planning office ** Budget & Investment office ** External Affairs office ** Public Media Institute ** Media Technology Research Institute * Programming offices ** Programming Strategy office ** Programming office ** Digital Media office ** KBS World office ** Announcers office ** Camera office * News & Sports offices ** Integrated news room *** Politics & International News office *** Economy News office *** Social Affairs News office *** Broadcasting News office *** Digital News office *** News Footage & Archive office ** News Commentators office ** Current Affairs office ** Sports News office * Content Production 1 offices ** Current Affairs & Cultural Programs 1 ** Current Affairs & Cultural Programs 2 ** Program Commissioning * Radio Center ** Radio Programming & Planning ** Radio 1 * Content Production 2 offices ** Entertainment Content Center ** Content Business office ** Advertisement office ** Integrated Events Management office * Drama Center ** Drama CP Group * Technology offices ** Technology Management office ** Media Infrastructure office ** Broadcasting Network office *** Media Platform office * Production Technology offices ** TV Production Technology office ** News Production Technology office ** Outside Broadcasting Technology office ** Radio Production Technology office * Management offices ** Management & Administration office ** License Fee office ** Management IT office ** Asset Management office ** Facility Management officeControversies
KBS, as one of Korea's oldest broadcasters, had more controversies than SBS and MBC. It also earned nicknames such as ''Soonkyu Bangsong ''and ''The Department of Last Resort''.1980 – Forced merger of KBS with private broadcasters
During the Chun Doo-hwan regime of the eighties, the president passed a law to force several public broadcasters to merge with the public-run KBS. After these broadcasters had shown news stories against Chun, he used this law to stifle their criticism of him. It included: *Consequences
* TBC television became KBS2, and TBC Radio was split into two and became KBS 2FM and KBS Radio 3. * DBS became the now-defunct KBS Radio Seoul. The frequency is now used by SBS Love FM. * SBC became KBS Gunsan, now known as KBS Radio 3 Jeonju. * VOC became KBS Radio 3 Gwangju * Hanguk-FM became KBS-Daegu-FM. In 2009, president2002 – KBS 2FM advertisement scandal
KBS 2FM From 1980 until 2002 was prohibited to air commercial advertisements but in 2002 commercial advertisements resumed airing on KBS 2FM. The result KBS Local FM (a radio station owned by KBS used to air selected programs of KBS 1FM and KBS 2FM through a cross-broadcast schedule nationally) instead carried KBS 1FM programs even though only one KBS 2FM program Good Morning Pops where aired due to that the said program is prohibited to air advertisements excluding those of KOBACO (Korea Broadcast Advertising Corporation). However, after 15 years since the abolishment of national broadcasts Park Myeong-su's Radio Show is aired on local2008~2009 -
2011 – Wiretapping scandal at TV license fee meeting
In 2011, Sohn Hak-kyu, the chairman of the opposition Democratic Party, accused KBS of wiretapping the party's closed-door meeting on TV subscription charges. Sohn said, "We believe the firm bugged the meeting to secure information about our party's handling of the TV subscription policy. KBS should admit that it resorted to the deplorable method of gathering information." The ruling Grand National Party initially sought to put a bill concerning the TV subscription charge to a vote. However, it failed to do so amid strong opposition from the Democrats. The National Assembly's subcommittee on culture, tourism, broadcasting and communication, was scheduled to deliberate on 28 June 2011, but the meeting was cancelled due to the Democrats' protest. The scandal erupted on 23 June when Han Sun-kyo, chairman of the parliamentary subcommittee, criticized the Democrats' opposition to increasing the TV subscription charge during a subcommittee meeting. The GNP lawmakers eventually approved a bill raising the charge by 1,000 won to 3,500 won at a subcommittee meeting in the absence of Democrat lawmakers. That led to a Democrat boycott of a June extraordinary parliamentary session for half a day on 21 June 2011.2011 – Praising Chinilpa
Bak Han-yong (박한용), head of the Institute for Research in Collaborationist Activities, criticized KBS for censoring negative remarks from a documentary about Chinilpa individuals, and Rhee Syngman, who had pardoned them. This includes the Chinilpa Paik Sun-yup.2012 - KBS2 Carriage dispute
On 16 January 2012, a dispute broke out between KBS and the Korea Cable TV Association (KCTA) over carriage fees. KCTA sought to reduce fees from major national networks for carrying their feeds through subscription providers. KBS had demanded to charge 280 won per subscriber, while the TV providers limited their offer to 100 won per subscription. Negotiations reached a standstill, and so the providers decided to stop carrying KBS2 nationwide starting from 3:00 p.m. (KST) on that same day. Due to loss in viewership, KBS2 experienced major decline in their ratings, majorly affecting shows like '' Brain'' at the time. Following the blackout, the Korea Communications Commission (KCC) has ordered the TV providers to resume distributing the channel or face a hefty fine. They initially refused, but on 17 January, they agreed to resume the channel's carriage after 28 hours.2012 – KBS journalists strikes and ''Reset KBS News 9''
The journalists working for KBS (along with MBC, SBS and YTN) have protested against the biased journalism practices that favor the Lee Myung-bak government. The new union for KBS headed by Kim Hyeon-seok released a video clip "Reset KBS News 9" (리셋 KBS 뉴스9) on the internet that discusses the Prime Minister's Office Civilian Surveillance Incident and the controversial money-spending on renovating President2013 – ''You Are The Best!'' name controversy
Global Youth League DN filed an2014~2015 - The Return of Superman Controversies
* On June 5, 2014 netizens on the forum site Daum Agora started a petition to have Kim Jung-tae and his son Yakkung removed from the show due to him and his son attending an election campaign on June 1, 2014, for Na Dong-yeon who is a candidate for Gyung-Nam, Yangsan mayor. Na Dong-yeon later released a statement apologizing to Kim Jung-tae and his son Yakkung for the controversy and assured people that the actor and his son were not there to campaign for him. On June 10 a rep for Kim Jung-tae confirmed that he and his son Yakkung have decided to leave the show following the political controversy. * In June 2014, an article was published voicing netizens complaints of the show overly promoting YG Entertainment artistes since there were too many guest stars from YG's management for Jang Hyun-sung and Tablo's segments, who are also under YG's management. * On episode 42 which aired on August 31, 2014, producers took a jab at rival show "Dad! Where Are We Going?" with captions shown during Tablo's segment. * Viewers voiced their complaints of the mothers showing up on the show too frequently. The complaints were targeted at Tablo's family due to his wife Hyejung appearing entirely during their segment from episodes 52 to 53. * Viewers voiced their complaints about the editing of a scene in episode 53 where Song triplets Daehan and Manse are fighting over a toy. The viewers complained that the caption and editing didn't show the true facts of what happened. * On April 22, 2015, the owner of a venue that the show production team had scouted, posted on the show's official forum claiming staff from the show had reserved his venue last minute and then abruptly cancelled the shoot, disregarding his loss of profit in order to accommodate the show. After a formal apology was issued by the shows producers' the misunderstanding was settled. * In July 2015, the announcement of Lee Dong-gook and his family joining the show was met with negativity and complaints from fans of Song Il-kook and his triplet sons. Fans of Song and his sons saw it as a sign that Song and his family would be leaving the show, and complained on KBS's forum about adding the new family and KBS offering Song an upcoming drama role as a reason for Song to leave the variety show. KBS assured Song's fans that the decision for him and his family to leave the show was made entirely of their own accord.2014 – 1st KBS strike against pro-government bias of its president
In early May 2014, Gil Hwan-young removed the KBS news chief after alleged improper remarks over the sinking of the ferry ''Sewol''. The chief then accused Gil of interference with news editing, with an alleged pro-government bias. After the board postponed a decision on whether or not to dismiss Gil, two of the broadcaster's largest unions went on strike. As a result of the boycott, most of the broadcaster's news output was affected. The hour-long KBS News 9 ran for just 20 minutes, and during local elections on 4 June 2014, KBS was unable to send reporters to interview candidates. The strike ended after the board of directors voted to dismiss Gil. The board passed a motion on 5 June 2014 demanding the discharge of President Gil. The majority vote decision was sent to be approved by the country's president Park Geun-hye, who has the power to appoint the broadcaster's head.2017 – 2nd KBS strike against pro-government bias of its president
In August 2017, KBS union decided to hold a strike, which began on 4 September, due to allegedly influencing news coverage to be in favor of former president Park Geun-hye's administration. As a result of the boycott, there has been a severe reduction in the airing of KBS news programs, culture programs, radio shows, and variety shows due to most staff members taking part in the strike. During its strike, the 2017See also
* Educational Broadcasting System * KBS World Radio * KBS World (United States) (KBS America) * KBS World Canada *References
External links