TBS, which operates a broadcasting station with a budget equivalent to labor costs, has virtually started ‘restructuring’ by eliminating various expenses and sending freelance writers. Following the drop-off of external hosts at the end of last year, remaining programs such as ‘Hashtag’ and ‘Byeon Sang-wook Show’ disappeared, and the despair of the members reached its peak. Currently, TBS has found it difficult to pay license fees for various programs such as Excel and Photoshop.
According to the insider of TBS, the production cost that can be newly produced is currently ‘0 won’. It is difficult to maintain the existing programs, so the radio production team, which was composed of writers, PDs, and hosts, is changing to PDs and hosts. Freelance writers who are not full-time employees have no choice but to notify them of the unwanted ‘contract expiration’.
TBS A writer said in a phone call on the 14th, “Radio writers often work together for a long time, for several years at the longest. It’s a member who worked like a family, but it’s a pity that I can’t hire them because of the budget.” This is why it is difficult for freelance writers to sign contracts with other places in the middle.”
Announcer Jeong, who is hosting TBS Radio’s ‘Turn on the Radio, I’m Jeong Yeon-joo’ from 5 to 7 am, said in a phone call, “Since the writer is not available, I have no choice but to go to work and write the manuscript myself. Even so, it is true that the writer’s expertise is lacking,” he said. “Since last year, manuscript fees have already been cut to reduce production costs. At that time, it was a savings, but this time, there is nothing to reduce, and the production cost is 0 won.”
TBS has suffered significant budget cuts for two consecutive years. In 2021, when Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon took office, the contribution was reduced by 5.5 billion won, and 8.8 billion won was cut last year as well. This year’s contribution of 23.2 billion won is similar to TBS’ labor cost last year (23 billion won). When the budget cut was finalized, programs such as ‘Kim Eo-Jun’s News Factory’, ‘Newly Opened Newly Opened’, and ‘It’s Joo Jin-Woo in the middle of the night’ were abolished at the end of last year.
[관련 기사 : 김어준, 신장식, 주진우 내보내고 시사프로 폐지…TBS 제작 고사 위기 닥쳐]
‘Jeong Jun-hee’s hashtag’, which had been avoided at the time, also ended in February. After Sang-wook Byun, who was on standby, dropped out of ‘My Neighborhood Live’ in January, YouTube’s ‘Sang-wook Byun Show’ also ended in January. Instead of abolishing YouTube’s ‘Jaljjjali Show’, the time was reduced from twice a week to once a week, but it is unclear whether the broadcast can be maintained. Writer A said, “The program is like a child to the production team. It hurts if it’s not popular, but I’ll accept it, but since there’s no money (the program) is disappearing, everyone has a hard time accepting it.”
Producer Kim Ho-jeong, who is in charge of ‘Jalmy Show’, said, “The broadcasts have to go on, so the announcers take turns filling in the broadcasts, and the PDs write scripts and search Naver to find weather and life information and make broadcasts.” Content has low marketability. It’s a structure that can’t generate profits.”
Announcer Jeong Yeon-joo said, “The outsiders who appeared on the radio broke up last year, and the members of the station are doing ‘homework’. Announcers receive a ‘appearance data fee’ of regarding 3,000 won when they are put into a program, but the situation is so difficult that even that is gone.” do,” he said.
TBS cannot legally conduct commercial advertisements. It is a structure that makes it difficult to procure funds properly when the contributions from the Seoul Metropolitan Government are cut. Although there is sponsorship from public institutions, it is realistically impossible to receive enough public institution sponsorship to cover the production cost under the composition of the Seoul City Council, where the ruling party holds the majority, and the mayor of Seoul from the ruling party and the president. Possibilities such as an additional revised budget (supplementary budget) were discussed following the departure of external hosts such as Kim Eo-jun, but the People’s Power side of the Seoul Metropolitan Council is strongly advocating that support is not possible. Even the budget at the current level of labor costs will be cut off in January 2024 with the approval of the ‘TBS Ordinance Abolition Bill’.
[관련 기사 : TBS 조례 폐지안 가결에 “독재 시절에도 일어나지 않는 무자비한 일”]
[관련 기사 : TBS 출연금 88억 삭감… 구성원들 “임금도 줄 수 없는 상황”]
[관련 기사 : 서울시의회 의장 “교통방송 존립 필요 없다” 발언 파장]
PD Kim Ho-jeong said, “The situation has completely changed following the election. Both conservative media and candidates were busy attacking specific programs rather than worrying regarding how to grow TBS progressively. He said, “The broadcasting company needs to prepare a financial structure to grow independently, but the budget was suddenly cut off in a situation where the process was not yet prepared. I just want to withhold it.”
[관련 기사 : TBS 사태, ‘반쪽’ 독립이 만든 예정된 결말]
Next, PD Kim said, “Currently, TBS cannot pay the license fee, so the contract has ended, and the contract for general office programs such as MS Office is scheduled to end at the end of this month. Furthermore, the ‘Adobe license’ required for programs that are essential for broadcast production, such as Photoshop and Premiere, is virtually closed due to the expiration date approaching,” he said. However, this only lasts for a day or two, and the broadcasting is abolished overnight, and the employees fall into learned helplessness as they watch the broadcasting they devoted all their heart to dying powerlessly. In this situation, saying ‘TBS still has to work hard’ is an empty chant.”
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