MEDIACT's Newsletter [inter-ACT!] #17 - June 15th, 2009

MEDIACT's Newsletter [inter-ACT!] #17 - June 15th, 2009

[inter-ACT!] is a semi-annual English newsletter by MEDIACT, a media center based in Seoul, South KOREA. It aims to connect the media and communication movements in South Korea with those in other places.

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In this issue, we have

#1. RTV, a Nationwide Public Access TV Channel in Crisis

#2. 's Big Hit and a New Opportunity Open for Korean Independent Cinema

#3. Yongsan Candlelight Media Center in solidarity with struggling evictees

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1. RTV, a Nationwide Public Access TV Channel in Crisis

Myoung-Joon Kim, President of MEDIACT

Trans. by Miyoung Moona Lee

RTV is the first nationwide public access TV channel in Korea. It was launched in 2002 after the introduction of a new broadcasting law in 1999, which was a result of public access movements since the early 1990s.

Problems from the Start

RTV had many limitations at the beginning. First of all, the new broadcasting law did not ensure the legal status of RTV as a recipient of public support. Instead, RTV was a project included in the business plan of Skylife, a commercial broadcasting company that won satellite broadcasting permission on the condition that it offer a TV channel and financial support to RTV.

Lack of philosophy and understanding about public access was another problem. Citizen's Broadcasting, the founding organization of RTV, did not have effective ideas and strategies about how to elicit people's participation and communication in its TV service. As a result, RTV hardly made a contribution to the expansion of public access in Korea despite the financial support it received from Skylife and the Korea Communications Commissions(KCC). This led to the harsh criticism of RTV by many media activists.

In 2005, RTV began to cooperate and network with outside media activists including Mediact, in an effort to solve its problems. In this reform, RTV tried to reinvent its channel identity and the principles regarding its programming and organizational structure.

Crisis: political attack and the financial problem

Since then, RTV had been performing a critical role for media movement for 3 years. However, another crisis emerged when the conservative party came into power in 2008. Suddenly, most of the financial support stopped. KCC cut off their annual funding of one million dollars at least. Skylife also ended its financial support, which was about 400,000 dollars. Under these circumstances, it is now almost impossible to finance the operation of RTV.

Now, staff members and activists are trying their best to keep RTV alive. Some of the staffs are working without pay and media activists organized a solution committee for RTV's existence.

An endangered species or the realignment of media movement according to a new framework

In spite of these efforts, the possibility of reviving RTV is very low. The Korean government is cutting most of its financial support for public areas of mainstream and independent media. Meanwhile, RTV does not have enough sponsorship from its audience.

This crisis affects not only RTV. Media activists should work together to overcome these challenges in the changing media environment. It is important to pay attention to new multimedia platforms such as the Internet, IPTV, digital TV, etc. For example, media activists can produce and provide their contents to major media channels while building their own independent online platform on the Internet. In this way, RTV's resources can be effectively used in the new field and paradigm of public media activism. In order to develop new ideas and strategies, there must be more discussions and cooperation among activists.

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2. 's Big Hit and a New Opportunity Open for Korean Independent Cinema

Ji-Hyun Kim, staff of policy & research dept. in MEDIACT

Trans. by Miyoung Moona Lee

Two main streams of Korean independent cinema

Korean independent cinema started as an alternative cultural movement against the commercial film industry and the political oppression during the mid-1980s. Regarding the latter, along with the democratization movement at the time, Korean independent film and video makers took the role of (re-)presenting critical voices against the government. Thanks to the development of video production technology, the independent film/video makers could evade the censorship, holding underground screenings of their movies for workers and students. In 1990, made a huge hit, seen by around 300,000 people. It becomes an inspiration for many independent film/video activist groups to emerge around the country. And the existence and activities of these activist groups shape one of the main aspects of Korean independent cinema.

On the other hand, Korean independent cinema has been a rigorous effort to build a new film culture outside the mainstream movie scene. In 1984, the first independent film festival, called "We Stick with Small Movies," took the first step in this effort. They declared a departure from the commercial film industry which had been stuck in vulgarity and aesthetical failure for many years. They experimented with maybe amateurish but more socially critical and rebellious aesthetics. Later, this led to the formation of an alternative, non-commercial cultural space for independent film-makers and movie-goers, where they can enjoy more space for creator's personality and cultural diversity.

Thus, independence from the capital as well as the dominant power regime have been two of the major aspects of Korean independent cinema. And now in 2009, it is facing a new opportunity, despite the fact that the government is trying to reduce its funding for the public sphere based on market-friendly policies.

The Success of

In 2009, the independent documentary film sees an unprecedented success. The film is about the partnership between an old farmer and his aging ox. Initially, it was released at 7 theater screens on January 15. And after 7 weeks, the number of theater screens increased to 300. By the end of March, the box office recorded as many as 2,900,000 tickets sold. Moreover, other independent movies such as and are also proving to be successful in the market. These successes are raising the public recognition of independent movies in general, as well as the difficult situation in which they find themselves and thus the need for public support.

New legislation for the support of independent films

Now, a legislation process is going on to support independent films. A bill for the public aid of independent films is being drawn up by a member of the National Assembly. As a matter of fact, the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) was about to end their support with the change in the government regime. But the recent successes of these films made them withdraw their decision. However, nothing has been clearly settled yet, and the market-friendly government is by no means willing to stop its deregulation effort for the public sphere. In this regard, the success of the independent movies is providing a rare opportunity that should not be missed. The legislation process should be carried out in a direction that maximizes the possibility of independent cinema and the citizen's right to cultural diversity in accordance with the changing media landscape.

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3. Yongsan Candlelight Media Center in solidarity with struggling evictees

Chae-Eun Park, staff of policy & research dept. in MEDIACT

Trans. by Miyoung Moona Lee

Death of 5 evictees, January, 2009

At 6 a.m, January 20, 2009, five evictees who had been struggling in a building against the eviction were killed by the police's violent crackdown. About 1,500 policemen were mobilized to crackdown 50 evictee protesters. It looked like a wartime operation. The police's horrible attack started when even one day had not passed after the strugglers occupied the building. The police did not give any try to talk with the evictees. Immediately after the SWAT team entered the building, a fire broke out. However, without taking any safety measures, the police pushed their operation and consequently killed 5 protesters and 1 police officer.

In Korea, the SWAT team is usually supposed to be put into the building after 24 hours. Behind this unprecedented violence of the police, there is the Korea government's conservative and oppressive politics.

Opening of Candlelight Media Center in spring, 2009

Several months have passed since the horrible eviction. But the government has shown no will to solve the issue. The policemen who killed the 5 evictees were given a verdict of 'not guilty', while the evictees who joined the protest were held in court. And the dead's families and other protesters are maintaining their sit-in struggles in Yongsan, the dead's funeral still being delayed. And as always mainstream media never pays proper attention to their struggle.

To make the reality known to people, the strugglers and media activists made a media center in the beer house Rhea just behind the building where 5 evictees were killed. They named their media center "Candlelight Media Center". (The candle symbolizes disobedience and resistance in Korea. People usually hold candles in gatherings for protest) The beer house Rhea had been run by one of the victims. After his death, his family provided the space for the media activists. The 1st floor of the building is used as an art gallery, a radio studio, and a cafe, and the 2nd floor is used as a TV studio and a meeting room.

Communication and solidarity building: connecting Yongsan with the World

Everyday a variety of events is taking place in Yongsan struggle site, such as radio and TV broadcasting, graffiti, art exhibition, musical performance, film screening, street lecture, etc. The tragic place of eviction and death is now filled with people's voices. With meaningful and interesting programs and projects, the Candlelight Media Center is performing an important role of appealing to people for their support and solidarity.

* The alternative radio station, "Media Redevelopment Action Radio"

Everyday during lunch time, the Action Radio team broadcasts their news using the speakers in front of the building. The shows are usually composed of news reports, interviews, reading letters, street music performances, etc. The Action Radio is also available on the Yongsan Solution Committee's homepage and blog.

(http://blog.jinbo.net/Yongsanradio)

* TV programs : prompt reports and broadcasting of the evictees' struggle

- Two or three prompt reports are produced every week. They are usually about forced evictions, the police violence, and rallies held at the struggle site in Yongsan.

- A short documentary program about the evictees' life and struggle is produced every two weeks.

- The videos produced are broadcast on Internet and RTV, a public access TV channel.

* Street Screening and Lecture

- There are film screenings with different social issues, and lectures on the urban redevelopment and the freedom of expression.

* Oral history project

-Some activists are working on an oral history project. Using a video camera, they interview the evictees about the development and violence that destroyed their life in Yongsan. The interviews will be made into documentary films and books.

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contact

MEDIACT's policy & research department

Ji Hyun Kim, imaginekim@empal.com

Chae-eun Park, rosa1919@gmail.com

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http://www.mediact.org

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