• Korean journal of communication and information
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• v.18
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• pp.199-229
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• 2002

This study analyzed the trends of broadcaster licensing policy during 1990-2001 in Korea. It is to seek the answers about how the examination standards and procedures applied to broadcaster licensing has been changed for the last decade. For the purpose this study inquired six cases such as private broadcasting licence (1990 October), cable TV program provider licences(1993 July), cable TV system operator licences(1994 January), private local broadcaster licences(1994 July), satellite broadcaster licence(2000 December) and cable TV home shopping channel licences(2001 March). It examined the degree of specification and measurement of the standards based upon the government white paper; average points per item, average points per quantitative item, and average points per qualitative item etc. The government hadn't opened the standards and procedures how it licensed broadcasters until 1990 and the uncertain attitude brought distrust on the government broadcasting policy. The first white paper about broadcaster licensing was made in 1994 after cable TV broadcaster licensing was finished. The results indicated that Korean broadcasting licensing policy rapidly developed in the dimension of transparency from 'a secret room policy' to 'a sunshine policy' for the last decade. But it still needs improvement in the dimension of fairness of examination. Now one of the main distrust is the ratio that the one of qualitative examination standards are much more than the qualitative one.