MBC up against its union

Published on 2012/02/15 | Source

By Yun Suh-young

MBC, the nation's second largest broadcaster, said it will recruit experienced reporters on a contract basis, a decision seen as a move to counter a prolonged strike by its unionized workers.

The company said that it was looking for reporters with over two years of experience as a journalist and those who have expertise in the following: North Korean issues, health and welfare, environment, labor, medicine, or the weather. New reporters will be hired under a one-year contract.

The announcement is expected to exacerbate the already tense relations with its labor union as the recent posting is seen as a way to deal with the labor union's extended strike.

Since the company's reporters conducted a boycott three weeks ago, MBC has been forced to halt or shorten its programs. Entertainment programs have been postponed from airing and news programs are running short of reporters, camera crew and producers.

The MBC News Desk, which aired for 50 minutes every day from 9 p.m., is now running for only 15 minutes with an announcer simply reading the news.

MBC's reporters went on strike as soon as the Lunar New Year's Holiday ended, criticizing the company's biased programming. Its news programs have been receiving criticism from the public for being silent on important or sensitive issues and for being biased in its reporting of certain issues. Reporters called for changes in the personnel including the resignation of the company's president.

The company made a special announcement last Friday that it will operate under an emergency system if the reporters do not return to work. It said through a statement that "Ending the misguided tradition of leaving work whenever something is unsatisfactory will be the foundation stone to build a new MBC".

The labor union, however, hit back with its own special announcement saying that "crushing the company's arbitrary personnel procedure is the beginning of a new MBC".

Instead of participating in official news production for the station, members of the labor union have been instead producing its own news called "Properly-made News Desk", freely criticizing of the government, and uploading it on YouTube.