**K-News Flash **

wrote:
The long-disputed advertising brokerage bill involving the nation's TV broadcasters passed a parliamentary committee on Thursday, a major step toward getting a full parliamentary approval, but controversy over the bill is unlikely to die down soon due to a strong backlash from opposition lawmakers and some Media organizations. The "Media rep" at the National Assembly Bill HAS been pending for more than three years since the Constitutional Court ruled in November that the two thousand and eight State-run Korea Broadcast Advertising Corp.. 's Monopoly on TV ADS was unconstitutional. On Late thursday Night, the ruling Grand National Party (GNP)-dominated National Assembly unilaterally passed through the Controversial Bill are standing full session of the Committee as escorted to the main opposition boycotted the session. The Bill Calls for allocating ares Advertising Broker for Single Public stations such KBS and MBC and EBS and as Representatives for multiple private stations and other Cable channels such as SBS. Several Late Last year General Programming Cable Will not be launched channels included in the Regulation for three years from the Official Received Permission for each Business Day. In Addition, the Bill allows ares private broadcaster to hold up to 40 percent of shares in private stations for ares Media rep. Opposition lawmakers and Civic organizations, Including the Citizens' Coalition for Democratic Media, have argued the Bill Favors New General-Programming Cable channels influential dailies such as run by JoongAng Ilbo, Chosun Ilbo and Dong-ares Ilbo by guaranteeing rights to make Their Money on TV Commercials for the remaining Two-and-are-half year period Grace. They also expressed concern that the Media System Originally rep Intended to Control influential Media's dominance of Broadcasting ADS Would INSTEAD stir overheated Competition in the AD Market. Since the GNP Pushed the Bill through the escorted to Committee on culture, Sports, Tourism, Broadcasting and Communications, it Will not be Easy to draw consent from opposition are escorted to lawmakers to pass it through legislation Committee and full floor session. Even if the GNP-controlled Assembly gives approval to the Final Bill eventually, the Move is unlikely to end the controversy with some already vowing to Revise the Bill. Kim Jin-Pyo , floor leader of the main opposition Democratic Unity Party, said Friday Party Will Revise HIS rep Media Bill even if it passes the full floor session are "in Order to Secure the openness and Diversity of local News Media." "The people over Would Rage the (ruling Party's) act to push ahead an unstable Bill to give Special Benefits to Certain Television channels that Would Help the Party stay in Power, "Kim was quoted as saying During ares Party Leadership Meeting. The National Union of Media Workers also vowed to launch a struggle to abolish some "poisonous clauses" of the bill. (Yonhap)--KoreaTimes

LisNoir wrote: Controversy likely to continue over media rep bill escalates