■Abstract
Background and Some Issues of DTTB Transition Policy in Korea
Sang-Hyun Kang
The objectives of DTTB(Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting) transition are twofold. Most nations emphasized these two aspects as the justification for the introduction of digital broadcasting. One is that it serves audience better. The other is that it is good for the expansion and development of related industries. It is also the case of South Korea.
The South Korean government made it clear its plan to launch the full-scale service primarily in the metropolitan area of Seoul in 2001 and gradually widen its areas until 2005. Compared to other nations already launched DTTB service or planned it, South Korean government and concerned authorities do not have concrete and specified policies and laws related to DTTB transition.
This paper is purposed to deal with the major issues and problems in DTTB implementation policy of South Korea and to clarify its directions for achieving both goals of ‘increasing audience welfare’and ‘developing related industries’.
The major issues and problems in implementing the digital broadcasting policy in South Korea are followings; lack of standards and procedures of licensing digital channels, ambiguity of directions in choosing HDTV or SDTV by broadcasters, deficiency of digital programs and facilities or devices for manufacturing them, and above all, difficulties of supplying immerse finances for digitalization, and so on.
I think, these problems can be solved through more concrete planning and law-making process. So, I suggest my own solutions for successful implementation of DTTB transition policy as follows: specifying the licensing procedures and their standards on the condition that the existing terrestrial broadcasters have a priority; choosing one channel HDTV and diverse additional services instead of multi-channel SDTV; making it a principle to supplying finances and programmes for digitalization by broadcasters’ own efforts, but government and the authorities concerned also have to do their best as co-assistants for digitalization; and making rules and provisions for public services of digital broadcasting, and so on.
Lastly, I emphasize that it is very important to make consensus among the people who concerned for successful implementation of DTTB transition: “all have to share the profits and burdens”.
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