"Since cutting the ribbon in 1996, Arirang has been with you for the last 20 years...
as Korea's one and only international broadcasting agency.
Marking the anniversary, we decided to take a look at the international broadcasting service
sector around the world."
Voice of America, Deutsch Welle, France24, CCTV, Russia Today, and Arirang TV.
They are some exemplars of state-funded international broadcasters or public international broadcasters
in top ten broadcasting nations.
Created in the early 20th century for ways to keep their colonial outposts in touch with
metropolitan views, international broadcasting went through a transformation during the war...
and... over its 80-year history, has evolved in style, presentation, and rationale.
"I see international broadcasting historically as having been this really important way in
which countries have been able to speak across frontiers directly to ordinary people around
the world.
I think it's been a really important way in which public diplomacy has been conducted."
Today, it's used by developed and emerging economies to promote their cultures, perspectives,
and improving national image... among others.
Eric Cremer is Vice President of Distribution for France24, one of the most solid public
international broadcasters in the world.
I sat down with him during his recent visit to Arirang TV.
"We are state-owned so most of our resources come from the taxes of the citizens.
Our role is to provide international news about the most important issues of the world.
I would say we would like to give a French perspective on this.
It doesn't mean the government's perspective, but a French perspective."
As a leading executive of France's public broadcaster, Cremer
feels that it's only appropriate that Korea, too, has a well-functioning international
broadcaster.
"I think Korea is a big country.
It has a strong history, strong culture, it's one of the most developed nations in Asia.
So, it's very normal that Korea has an international channel.
Arirang is not a news channel like we are, but tends to promote Korean culture and does
it well."
In fact, France24 is the latecomer of the two in the game.
Korea recognized the need for an international broadcaster early on... making entry into
international TV broadcasting with the launch of Arirang in 1996... at most ten years earlier
than its counterparts in France, China, and Russia.
Major broadcasting nations have invested heavily in international broadcasting over the last
15 years: generously funded and legislatively supported new entrants such as China's CCTV
and Russia's RT which have achieved strong footholds... continuously growing in size...
in reach... in global influence.
Their legislative arrangements, formal missions, goals AND journalistic independence are written
into the law in their respective countries - with the exception of Korea.
Arirang has no underpinning legislation and is classifed as a non-profit foundation under
the Korean civil code ... despite being one of the pioneers of public international broadcasting
in the English language.
So, what prompts these governments to provide legal grounds and spend annually hundreds
of millions of dollars on their country's international broadcasters?
Christopher Springate is a longtime reporter, anchor, and producer of DW News.
"DW is kind of like Germany's visiting card, global visiting card.
We have a global reach, we talk to the world and that's a very good way… you know German
politics of course, the German government is deeply committed to those values that I
was talking about; democratic, pluralistic values.
We can open doors for some of those aspects of German policy."
For the last 20 years, Arirang has been the single provider of public international broadcasting
service in Korea...
under the motto: Bringing Korea to the world, the world to Korea.
"A special legislation for an international broadcaster guarantees stable funding for
its operations.
By writing it into law, the government, out of state necessity, can designate a broadcaster
as its official media outlet... bound with the mission of delivering various Korea-related
issues to viewers around the world.
In order for the broadcaster to appropriately carry out that public role, financial resources
should be fully sponsored by the state based on a special law."