Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation

Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation

File:MBC Korea.jpg
Type	Broadcast radio and television
Country	South Korea
Availability	National
Owner	Foundation of Broadcast Culture
Key people	Choi Moon Soon, CEO
Launch date	1961 (radio); 1969 (television); 2001 (digital); 2005 (DMB)
Official website	www.imbc.com

Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) is one of four major national South Korean television and radio networks. It is particularly famous for its dramas and comedies. Munhwa is the Korean word for "culture." Its flagship terrestrial television station is Channel 11 for VHF.

Once government-owned, the network is today 70% owned by the Foundation of Broadcast Culture. It receives no government subsidies and derives its income almost entirely from regular commercial advertising. Seven of its 19 local stations are independent affiliates.

History

The origin of MBC was Busan Munhwa Bangsong (Busan Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation;Busan MBC),the first private broadcastiong corporation,established in 1959, Busan,South Korea. Busan MBC started its service with 1 kW AM radio and renowned for broadcasting the first CM Song in South Korea. Busan MBC launched MBC (in Seoul) in 1961, with a small AM radio broadcaster (Today, the best heavy stockholder of Busan MBC is MBC (in seoul)). It began television broadcasting on August 8, 1969 and FM radio broadcasts in 1971.

MBC Headquarter Biulding, Seoul, South Korea

A mob outraged by the official media's coverage of the progressing Gwangju massacre stormed MBC's building in Gwangju on the night of May 20, 1980. Unable to operate the broadcasting equipment, they set it afire. Partly to address such concerns in light of the country's 1987 democratic reforms, the National Assembly established the Foundation for Broadcast Culture on December 26, 1988, to insulate MBC from political influence.

Since then, the network has promoted its independence and declared its mission to be one of public service and the promotion of Korean culture. Since 1997 it has refused to broadcast music with all-English language lyrics. In 2001 it proclaimed its support for President Kim Dae-jung's New Year's Day call for reform of the mass media, which was chiefly aimed at the national daily newspapers.

Also in 2001, MBC launched satellite television and cable television broadcasting. As part of this expansion it created MBC America, a subsidiary based in Los Angeles, California, USA to distribute its programming throughout The Americas. File:About.img

Criticism

In the summer of 2005, MBC faced harsh criticism when two male dancers were caught exposing their genitals on the live music program Music Camp. Because of South Korea's conservative culture, there were harsh criticisms aimed at the company from government officials and the general public (including some strong reactions from netizens). Although the short-term fallout from this scandal resulted in the program being cancelled, with its producers reprimanded and its two MCs (MC Mong and Shinji from popular dance group Koyote) fired, there were no lasting effects, as its replacement program Music Core is still very similar to its predecessor. In addition, further criticism was levelled against MBC later that year when their investigative journalism show PD Su-cheop (Producer's Notebook) discovered the scientific fraud committed by geneticist Hwang Woo-Suk. Although the information was factual and instrumental in uncovering Hwang's misdeeds, the strong support for Hwang led most companies to pull their advertising out of the show, and it was greatly condemned as being too harsh.

Official logo

• 1969~1980:Kyeonghyang Sinmun as other symbol in logo
• 1980~1985:MBC 1st font logo
• 1986~2004:MBC 2nd font logo (other hangul)
• 2005~:MBC 3rd font logo (new font)

MBC TV Programs

News Programs

• MBC Newsdesk (Recently renewed from April 2007, as similar as the format of CBS Evening News)
• MBC News 24 (midnight programme)
• MBC News & Economy (lunchtime programme)
• MBC News Today (breakfast programme)
• MBC News

MBC Dramas

• The First Republic (제1공화국;1981)
• The Second Republic (제2공화국;1989)
• Eyes of Dawn (여명(黎明)의 눈동자;1991)
• The Third Republic (제3공화국;1993)
• The Fourth Republic (제4공화국;1995)
• Did We Really Love? (우리가 정말 사랑했을까;1999)
• Hur Jun (허준;1999)
• All About Eve (이브의 모든 것(2000)
• Hotelier (TV series) (호텔리어;2001)
• Delicious Proposal (Sweet Proposal;2001)
• My Love Patzzi (내 사랑 팥쥐;2002)
• Dae Jang Geum (대장금, also Jewel in the Palace;2003)
• Rooftop Room Cat (옥탑방 고양이);2003)
• Damo (다모;2003)
• Firebird (불새, also The Phoenix;2004)
• The Fifth Republic (제5공화국;2005)
• First Love of a Royal Prince (황태자의 첫사랑;2004)
• Super Rookie (신입사원;2005)
• My Name is Kim Sam Soon (내 이름은 김삼순, also My Lovely Sam Soon;2005)
• Sweet Spy;2005
• Goong (궁, also Princess Hours;2006)
• Over The Rainbow (오버 더 레인보우, also Obeo Deo Reinbou;2006)
• I Really Really Like You (진짜진짜 좋아해, also Love Truly;2006)
• Jumong (주몽;2006) also (Prince of the Legend;2006)
• Couple of Trouble (환상의 커플, also Fantasy Couple;2006)
• Goong S also (궁s, Prince Hours; 2007)
• Thank You (2007)
• HIT (히트); 2007)

Current Affairs

• MBC 100 Minute Debate (MBC100분토론) (most-trusted South Korean multiple-party debate programme)
• Current Events Magazine 2580 (시사매거진 2580)
• PD Sucheop
• News 'WHO'? (2006-)

Variety Shows

• Come to Play (놀러와)
• Happy Shares Company (행복주식회사)
• Infinite Challenge (무한도전, Top-rating Real-Variety & Comedy Programme)
• Sunday Sunday Night(일요일 일요일 밤에)
• MBC Goldfish(Golden Fishing Ground, 황금어장)

MBC FM Programs

upload soon.

MBC FM

• 'Ghost Nation' with Shin Hae Chul(02:00~03:00)

MBC FM4U

• 'Music Camp' with Bae Cheol Su(18:00~20:00)

MBC DMB

• 'Morning Cafe' with Kim Kyeong Hwa(08:00~09:00)
• 'Popcorn' with Lee Ha Jeong(14:00~16:00)
• 'Chocolate' with Na Gyeong Eun(18:00~20:00)
• 'Capuccino' with Kim Mi Jeong(20:00~22:00)

iMBC

iMBC is MBC's official website, prividing users with various information on current and past programs and allowing users to download or stream programs to watch.

Established March 2000 as the internet subsidiary of MBC, iMBC uses the digital contents of MBC to provide various contents to internet, mobile and ISP users and foreign businesses. iMBC also plans projects for creating, developing, and circulating new contents.

The site offers free and paid VOD services for users to view various programs online. While the Public service programs, News, Radio, and programs currently on air are free, dramas, entertainment, and current affairs programs are not.

For viewers in Korea and abroad, iMBC offers VOD streaming services. An episode typically costs around 500 Won, and there is a fixed fee that allows users to watch as many videos as they want for 4,000 Won a day or 15,000 won a month. For users that are abroad, iMBC offers VOD download and streaming services, available for 1000 Won (about $1 US) each.

Foreign Partners

• ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation (Philippines)
• Fuji Television (Japan)
• GMA Network (Philippines)
• ZDF (Germany) (since 1980s)

See also

• MBC Voice Acting Division
• MBC Game
• List of South Korean broadcasting networks
• List of Korea-related topics
• Contemporary culture of South Korea

External links

• Official Site Template:Ko icon
• MBC News ('Imnews') Homepage Template:Ko icon
• MBC America
• MBC Info Template:En icon
• MBC Overseas
• MBC Global Media English language homepage
• MBC AD Communication
• MBC Production official site in VHS & DVD Video Shopping mall from MBC
• MBC Dream-Tree Soccer Association Korea's Child soccer associates from MBC
• 'Infinite Challenge'(3rd season) homepage Template:Ko icon