• Korean journal of communication and information
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• v.46
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• pp.280-322
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• 2009

The purpose of this study is put on the evaluation of public support for media with the case of Special Act on Supporting Local Press whose main purpose can be said to help local press in crisis intending the improvement of news quality. However, it was controversial whether public support on specific media under the governmental leadership, which is related to the disputes on its abrogation with the change of the regime. Therefore, this study tries to evaluate its achievement focused on its effect on the diversity of public opinion especially with the eyes of audience. In-depth interviews were executed to find out whether it had helped local press to improve public interest for the last three years of public support. The interviewees, the readers as well as monitors of local press, answered that there had been some improvement in news quality and diversity of local press in general. However, they thought that fund support for news gathering cost was problematic and would be negative in the long-term perspective. In conclusion, the interviewees regarded Special Act on Supporting Local Press as necessary one to help local press in crisis but pointed out also that the act might not enough to change local press because the situation they were facing is so complex. Hence, this study argues that the evaluation of Special Act on supporting Local Press should be approached Abstracts 683 not on the basis of political logics but of the public interest and democracy.