KBS the only broadcaster to record over 30% viewership in 2011: report

The Korea Communications Commission said Thursday that the Korea Broadcasting Station, or KBS, was the only broadcaster in the nation to record over 30 percent viewership in 2011.

According to the commission, KBS came in first place, grabbing about 36 percent of total viewers, followed by the Munhwa Broadcasting Corp., and its affiliates with 18.4 percent. The Seoul Broadcasting Station, or SBS, and CJ E&M came in at 11.2 percent and 9.2 percent, respectively.

But the newly-opened cable television networks run by the nation’s major newspapers did not fare as well, according to the report. TV Chosun, JTBC, Channel A, and MBN, all failed to break the 10 percent mark last year.

The four cable networks’ performance is meager given that their newspapers’ subscription rate was included in the calculation of the television viewership, according to observers.

Chosun TV is backed by the Chosun Ilbo, JTBS by the JoongAng Daily, Channel A by the Dong-a Ilbo and MBN by the Maeil Business Newspaper. The four new networks went live last December.

Other smaller broadcasters, such as YTN and KNN, hovered in the low single-digit ranges, the commission said.

The KCC investigated the market share occupied by these broadcasters via information supplied by the networks themselves, in addition to information provided by stock and shareholders, and other related persons and organizations.

In determining the percentage of viewership held by these broadcasters, the KCC also took into account the total number of TV channels as well as broadcasters.

Meanwhile, the total viewership occupied by the nation’s terrestrial networks was around 62.7 percent, according to the commission.

In terms of programs, dramas were the most popular, followed by entertainment programs, movies, children’s programs and news.

In terms of multiple program providers, CJ affiliates came in first place, with 8.3 percent, followed by MBC affiliates, KBS affiliates and T-broad affiliates, respectively.

By Renee Park  (renee@heraldcorp.com)