YONHAP NEWS

Media workers launch strike against industry reforms

SEOUL, July 21 (Yonhap) -- Unionized workers with the country's newspapers and television networks launched a 100-hour strike on Tuesday to protest government-proposed media reforms they fear will put the industry in the hands of a select few.

President Lee Myung-bak and his governing Grand National Party (GNP) is pushing for the passage of the media reform bill during the current parliamentary session that ends on Saturday.
The bill would lift a ban prohibiting newspaper companies from owning television channels, a move broadcasters and progressive civic groups strongly oppose. They argue such cross-ownership would lead to the creation of monopolies in the media industry.

Members of the National Union of Media Workers (NUMW), including broadcasters MBC, SBS, YTN, EBS and CBS, started a general strike at 6 a.m., joined by regional newspapers. Several television and radio program hosts were hurriedly switched to non-union members, according to the union.

   State-run broadcaster KBS, which does not belong to the union, has said it will join the protest on Wednesday.

   MBC's union, one of the staunchest critics of the reform bill, said some 1,500 of its 2,000-member union have joined in the strike. Private-run broadcaster SBS said about 300 of its 1,100 member union plan to participate.

   NUMW stressed that the strike is meant to block a vote on the reform bill, not to disrupt daily operations at the media companies.

   "We will fight for the independence of the media using all possible measures," the media union said Monday in a press release. "The government and the ruling party should be prepared for grave consequences should they force the bill through."

   President Lee has vowed to amend the media law since his inauguration last year, claiming the move will spur competition between media outlets and bolster sectors he says have fallen behind global standards.

   brk@yna.co.kr
(END)