Seoul Broadcasting System

History

After South Korea's democratic reform in 1987, the government moved to create a new commercial broadcaster in South Korea, the second after the Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC). Unlike MBC, previously a part of the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) broadcasting sporting events like the 1986 FIFA World Cup, the new commercial broadcaster was to become a broad alternative channel for the public. The Korean government announced in June 1990 that it would allow licenses to the private sector again, after ten years of hiatus. This was also seen as a counterweight to the start of NHK BS1, which was received in Korea, and was seen as controversial by pundits over trauma from the Japanese occupation in the first half of the century.

SBS was founded in Seoul on 14 November 1990, and marked its establishment with initial experimental demo broadcasts, with test transmissions for its TV and radio channels following on 1 December 1990. This move was met with some criticism, due to its connections with the Taeyoung construction corporation, who owned 30% of the shares. The Hankook Ilbo even called the affair "the scandal of the Sixth Republic". On 20 March 1991, SBS started its regular broadcasts, launching SBS Radio's first regular broadcast on AM 792kHz. On 1 December 1991, the 30th anniversary of MBC, SBS commenced its official broadcasts with the introduction of SBS TV at 10:00am in Seoul, designated as "The Day of Birth of SBS", as broadcast by MBC on the program MBC Newsdesk.

Initially, SBS was only broadcast terrestrially in Seoul and its surrounding areas. On 9 October 1992, the government began accepting applications for private broadcasting stations in other regions of the country. SBS planned for a television and radio broadcast affiliate network to air SBS programs on other new regional channels before its 5th anniversary. In 1994, the private Korea New Network (KNN) in Busan, Taejon Broadcasting Corporation (TJB) in Daejeon, Daegu Broadcasting Corporation (TBC) in Daegu, and Kwangju Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) in Gwangju were created, after government approval. On 14 May 1995, SBS launched its national television network with new local affiliates, KNN, TJB, TBC, and KBC, airing SBS programming on the regional channels while local stations created local programming to suit the local residents needs.

In 1996, an FM radio station was established to complement the existing AM station. In February, the five SBS stations formed an association. On 14 November 1996, SBS Power FM began broadcasting on 107.7 MHz as a music-centric station. On 4 January 1999, the original SBS Radio on AM 792 kHz began broadcasting on FM as well. The station rebranded as SBS Love FM on 103.5 MHz, broadcasting simultaneously on AM and FM frequencies. High-definition digital television was introduced in 2001. Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) was introduced in 2005.

SBS introduced its current logo on 14 November 2000, after its 10th anniversary celebration entitled "SBS 10th Anniversary Special: Thank You, Viewers". SBS also used the slogan "Humanism thru Digital" until January 2010, when a new slogan was introduced: "Together, we make delight". On 29 October 2012, SBS TV became South Korea's second channel to broadcast 24 hours a day. However, this was discontinued in 2017, and the channel has reverted to daily sign-off routines overnight.

CEOs

SBS channels

• 1 terrestrial TV (SBS TV Channel 6)
• 3 radio stations

• 8 cable TV channels (SBS Plus, SBS Golf, SBS Golf 2, SBS funE, SBS Life, SBS Sports, SBS Biz and SBS F!L UHD)

Holding and subsidiaries

Kiturami Boiler Co., Ltd: 8.78% National Pension Service: 6.98% SBS Contents Hub SBS Medianet

Family companies

SBS Regional

Programming

Main article: List of programs broadcast by Seoul Broadcasting System

SBS dramas have been part of the "Korean wave", exported to many countries across the world. Sandglass has one of the highest viewership ratings in South Korea, and is considered the breakout drama for the network. Other dramas that have enjoyed high viewership include Lovers in Paris, **, Brilliant Legacy, Rustic Period, Temptation of Wife, The Heirs, and My Love from the Star. SBS airs a variety of entertainment programs ranging from informational, comedy, music, reality, talk shows, and auditions. Many programs are popular throughout Asia, including X-Man, Family Outing, Running Man, Inkigayo, and many more. SBS documentaries encompass a wide range of issues, from foreign affairs to the environment. ** (Korean:그것이 알고싶다/literal translation: I Want to know) premiered in 1992, and has since earned notoriety for its investigations from a journalistic standpoint. SBS also broke tradition by creating its flagship newscast SBS Eight O'Clock News, airing at 20:00 instead of 21:00, giving itself the slogan "News an hour earlier". It also produces news-analysis programs such as Morning Wide, Nightline, SBS Current Affairs Debate, Curious Stories Y, and In Depth 21 covering the political, economic, social and cultural issues of the days.

Komi

The network's mascot is Komi (고미), an abstract blue bear, created in 2004. The mascot conveys SBS's idologies. In 2012 he was redesigned taking into account the growing digital media environment. In conjunction with the redesign, friends were added, Gorilla (고릴라), who is interested in music, Looly (룰리), a tall green bear who helps Komi, Poly (폴리), a problem-solving know-it-all purple penguin and Tory (토리), a pink rabbit with a youthful personality.

References

References

1. (15 June 1990). "S. Korea to reintroduce private broadcasting". The Straits Times.
2. (2 November 1990). "Seoul's private TV move comes under fire". Business Times.
3. (January 2001). "건강한 사회를 위한 강한 방송 SBS 출범". Seoul Broadcasting System.
4. (4 December 1991). "SBS TV 9일 오전 10시 정식 개국". [[Naver News]].
5. (9 December 1991). "서울방송(SBS TV) 오늘 오전 개국[백지연]". [[Naver News]].
6. (January 2001). "새 시대, 새로운 방송 SBS TV 개국". Seoul Broadcasting System.
7. link. (January 2001). Seoul Broadcasting System
8. 5 Commercial TV Networks Agree to Form Association. (1996, Feb 02). Korea Herald
9. (January 2001). "마음에서 마음으로, SBS 라디오". Seoul Broadcasting System.
10. (1 July 2005). "SBS의 새 캐릭터 '고미' 탄생". [[Naver News]].
11. (13 November 2015). "SBS, 창사 25주년 맞아 새 슬로건 발표..함께 만드는 '기쁨'". [[Chosun Ilbo]].
12. 이데일리. (2009-12-30). "SBS 신임사장에 우원길 미디어홀딩스 대표이사".
13. (2013-11-28). "SBS 신임 사장에 이웅모 보도본부장".
14. (2015-11-21). "[인사]SBS 대표이사 사장에 김진원씨 대표이사 부사장 박정훈씨".
15. 백선하. (2022-03-28). "박정훈 SBS 사장 3연임…역대 사장 최장수 {{!}} 방송기술저널".
16. "SBS 8년 만에 사장 교체…새 사장에 방문신 부사장 - 한국기자협회".
17. 강, 선애. "스튜디오S, 드라마 제작사 빈지웍스 인수…본격 대형화 시동".
18. "CJB".
19. (February 15, 1995). "<방송> SBS '모래시계' 시청률 60% 돌파". [[Naver News]].
20. (July 27, 2004). "SBS '파리의 연인' 완전해부". [[Naver News]].
21. (March 5, 2007). "'X맨' 중국서 인기...예능 프로그램도 '한류 열풍'". [[Naver News]].
22. link. (November 10, 2011). [[Naver News]]
23. (November 13, 2010). "SBS 창사 20주년…시청자와 함께한 '8시 뉴스'". Seoul Broadcasting System.
24. "占쏙옙占쏙옙占쏙옙 占쏙옙占싹댐옙".
25. "占쏙옙占쏙옙占쏙옙 占쏙옙占싹댐옙".