• Korean journal of communication and information
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• v.72
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• pp.121-145
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• 2015

The public broadcasting in Korea are currently financed primarily through license fees paid by anyone who holds a TV set. This paper aimed for other options; How can we have a stable cash flow for public broadcasting account for right incentives, lack of sufficient government intervention, efficiency and quality? As this paper shows, bringing taxes more efficient and fairer, while a solid foundation for the public broadcasting finance; combined with an incentive based payment system this may be a sensible alternative to the forthcoming poll tax.

• Korean journal of communication and information
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• v.17
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• pp.85-111
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• 2001

In this article, Channel 4 in Britain is the main theme since its alternative broadcasting system can shed the light to the Korean case. Korea is getting into the era of multimedia and including webcastings there are over thousands channels are available. However the infra-structure fur the broadcasting contents never seems to be matured to match its need. Instead Korean production system is rather vertically integrated into the Networks(KBS, MBC and SBS) which oligopolise the broadcasting in terms of supply. Even though 'Program Quota Regulation' has been established under the new Broadcasting Art(1999), the old habits die hard and still the independent producers have the unfair relationships with the Networks. Under this circumstance, Channel 4 can be the good example to show how well the alternative system can serve to the diversity of broadcasting and the taste of the minority. Channel 4 took almost 20 years to establish since there were enormous amount of debates about its public missions, ideal broadcasting system, whom it should serve for, etc. between all the social sectors including the independent producers. The social agreement was reached on the point that the new broadcaster should not produce but publish and it is called the 'publishing broadcaster'. In this sense, it can be managed effectively with comparatively little fund and at the same time, it can always have all different sorts of contents as well as genres very freely through 'commissioning process' or buying programs from even the most innovative producers. The 'commissioning process' is one of the key points which makes the Channel 4 so unique. The commissioning process is literally open to anybody, in particular, to the small scale producers with much innovative ideas. Channel 4 will support financially as well as with facilities and human resource to produce the program once after their program idea is accepted by the commissioning editor. Even better side of Channel 4 is about their financial success. From the beginning, the 'funding formula' helped in great deal to make the Channel 4 doing all sorts of innovative experiments. The history of 'funding formula' and its contribution are explained in the article, too. With all this effort, the article is hoped to bring discussion about the alternative broadcasting system which might help to prepare the new era of broadcasting.