Exclusive Interview: KBS’s Kim In-Kyu

One of Asia’s most advanced and vibrant television markets, South Korea has, thanks to its locally produced dramas, also become one of the biggest exporters of content in the region. The country’s public broadcaster, Korean Broadcasting System (KBS), is one of the leading players in the so-called “Korean Wave.” Maintaining its prominence as a content exporter is a key priority for the company, according to its president and CEO, Kim In-Kyu. Also crucial for the organization, Kim reveals to World Screen, is securing an increase in its license fee and preparing for the digital transition in 2012.

WS: The Korean TV market is very competitive today. What role does KBS play, as the public broadcaster?
KIM: In this fiercely competitive and increasingly commercial media world, KBS has made strenuous efforts to ensure fairness and exclude sexually suggestive and violent content. Fairness equals life for a public broadcaster and it requires truth and impartiality. KBS has brought fact-based and objective reporting in a balanced and equitable manner so that viewers are exposed to a diversity of viewpoints. KBS has also carried out its public responsibility as a public broadcaster by eliminating sexually explicit and violent content in the programs, differentiating itself from commercial broadcasters.

WS: You took over leadership of KBS a year ago—what key strategies did you put in place?
KIM: I set out five strategies to transform KBS into a truly public broadcaster. First, re-adjust KBS’s television license fee that has been frozen for the last 30 years. Second, introduce KoreaView, a digital terrestrial TV platform. Modeled after the U.K.’s Freeview, the plan will also be joined by Korea’s three [other] terrestrial TV networks—EBS, MBC and SBS—to provide quality programs to viewers for free. Third, make substantial investments in developing quality content. Fourth, shake up the news service, including KBS News 9, to provide more balanced and in-depth news coverage. Last but not least, reorganize KBS to better serve our viewers, which is our top priority, focus more on content, and strategically deal with a rapidly changing media landscape.

WS: You have a background in news. How important is news and current affairs to KBS? How do you balance this need to educate the public with the need to provide quality entertainment?
KIM: It is true that I, as a news reporter, had concerns about whether to choose a hard and serious news item that better serves public interests and fairness or a soft and entertaining item. Meanwhile, the cultural and intellectual level of our viewers has been elevated. They expect more from television news. When Koreans think of news, they think of KBS News. That drives us to stay committed to fairness and the public good.

In addition, viewers nowadays tend to pay more attention to programs that provide various viewpoints and information instead of pursuing light entertainment and soft-news offerings.

WS: The global downturn impacted broadcasters worldwide. How did KBS hold up with the contractions in the ad market? Are you seeing advertising revenues return?
KIM: KBS has made tremendous efforts to overcome financial difficulties by downsizing, freezing salaries, outsourcing non-core areas of work and cutting down expenses.
While taking measures to rationalize management, KBS has continued to focus on creating high-quality content. As a result, we have seen some good responses from viewers and an increase in advertising revenues, which put us on track to rise. However, the ad market is expected to see fiercer competition when the Korea Communications Commission [gives the go-ahead for the launch of new cable channels] in the near future.

WS: What other challenges do you face in financing the organization?
KIM: The biggest challenge we face is the unreasonable television license fee that has been frozen for the last 30 years. The license fee is a major source of revenue for a public broadcaster. Korea’s TV license fee, about US$26 a year, is a ninth of the BBC’s or a seventh of NHK’s—it is the lowest [license fee] in the world in view of [Korea’s] GDP.
We cannot ensure financial stability with the current license fee. This could lead to a higher dependence on advertising income, making it hard for a public broadcaster to deliver the values it is committed to. I believe financial independence is just as important as political independence for a noncommercial broadcaster.

WS: You have taken the lead in HD programming. What are your plans for 3D?
KIM: To lead the next generation of broadcasting technologies, KBS has continuously invested in 3D-related research, establishing the 3D technology research center in 2002 and developing 3D cameras in 2003.
On May 19 of this year, for the first time ever, we broadcast live the Colorful Daegu Pre-Championships Meeting in 3D. We have also successfully tested terrestrial 3D TV broadcasting in full HD and are demonstrating various programs that will be played during the G20 Seoul Summit.We will do our best to promote stable and organized 3D broadcasting by establishing viewing guidelines to provide 3D content that prioritizes viewers’ safety and setting up strategies such as a 3D content development platform.

WS: What are your other key digital priorities for KBS?
KIM: KBS’s mission in the digital arena is to successfully complete digital convergence by 2012—not only digitalizing the production process, but also providing free and universal media options for viewers. Improving the digital broadcasting environment, together with the [creation of] advanced digital broadcasting services like KoreaView, is the responsibility that KBS has for the public in the digital age.
We are also working on various new-media strategies that we believe are important in broadening KBS’s window for viewers, by developing creative services in areas such as smart phones and smart TV.

WS: Korean dramas continue to be popular with broadcasters across Asia. What gives KBS dramas their global appeal?
KIM: First, most Korean dramas are about romance or family and these types of stories are [relatable for] not only Asians but everyone around the world.
Second, the actors. Korean actors have the looks that can appeal to Asian fans. Male actors are usually portrayed as gentle and warm characters in dramas and are especially popular among female fans in other countries.
Last is the various genres—romantic comedy, action, thriller, and political stories, satisfying viewers’ various tastes.

WS: What are your broad goals for KBS in the next 12 to 18 months?
KIM: We have set our goal as the following: KBS will lead the digital world for 50 million [Koreans]. In order to realize this, we have proposed three major objectives: [to be at] the center of the digital world, the center of viewers’ trust and the center of high-quality content.

We are going to accomplish [being] the center of the digital world through completing the digital convergence by 2012, resolving fringe area problems 100 percent, and broadening free universal services.

[To be] the center of viewers’ trust, we are planning on increasing fairness and trust, caring for the socially weak, strengthening local broadcasting and reinforcing national crisis management such as disaster broadcasts.

We are going to realize [being] the center of high-quality content through continuously serving the public good, eliminating commercialism, producing high-quality content, and spreading the “Korean Wave” throughout the world.

The Korean people named KBS the most influential and trusted news agency according to the most-trusted public opinion polls. Our goal is to continue to maintain our unparalleled presence over the long term.