EBS has urged the passage of the re-vote on the integrated collection law for TV reception fees.
On the 15th, EBS stated, "We strongly urge the broadcasting law amendment to pass the re-vote in the National Assembly, and we hope that the TV reception fee collection system will be normalized as soon as possible."
The re-vote on the broadcasting law amendment, which centers on the integrated collection of TV reception fees, will take place at the National Assembly plenary session on the 17th. This amendment passed the National Assembly plenary session in December 2024, but in January of this year, former Acting President Choi Sang-mok exercised the right to request reconsideration (veto).
EBS emphasized, "The distribution rate of EBS reception fees is about 3% of the total TV reception fees, which is only 5.4% of the public corporation's resources. The TV reception fees used by EBS do not even amount to half of the collection cost (6.7%) entrusted to Korea Electric Power Corporation. Moreover, due to the separate collection of TV reception fees implemented in August 2024, it has decreased by 8% annually, approximately 1.4 billion won."
It added, "Due to the separate collection without specific alternatives for public funding of public broadcasting, EBS is facing significant obstacles in fulfilling its public responsibilities due to decreased revenue. To prevent the rapid regression of EBS's public duties, which aim to reduce private education expenses and bridge the educational gap, the integrated collection of TV reception fees must be restored as soon as possible through the passage of this re-vote."
It also stated, "Going a step further in normalizing the collection method of TV reception fees, we need to realize the TV reception fees and establish a (tentative) 'Reception Fee Committee' to correct the abnormal distribution structure of reception fees."
[Kim So-yeon, Star Today Reporter]
