The Situation of Communication

1. The Situation of Communication for Social Change in Korea(or media activism for democratic communication)and the case of Labor News Production

2. Outline 1 Background Information 2 Overall Situation on Communication for Social Change 1. Background 2. Progress 3. Issues 3 Labour News Production since Feb, 1989 1. Funding Sources 2. Main Partners in activities 3. The Social Situation Wants to Change 4. Main Activities and Objectives 5. Main Tool Utilized 6. Participatory Project 7. Social impact of Project 8. Main Obstacles and Constraints 9. Main Challenges

3. Outline cont. Further Specific Information on LNP 3 Labour News Production since February, 1989 1. Funding Sources 2. Main Partners in Activities 3. The Social Situation 4. Main Activities and Objectives 5. Main Tool Utilized 6. Participatory Project 7. Social Impact of the Project 8. Main Obstacles and Constraints

4. Background Information • 45 million population in South Korea • Fast developing (developed) society: economically, hi-tech • Strong democratic labor movement since 1987 • IMF crisis --> Neoliberalist policy • Economic booming mainly based on IT industry • Widening gap bet poor and rich, job insecurity, cutting wages • Corrupt conservative politics which has been losing support • NGO movement + New political movement from labor • Technological advance: 20 million Internet users, 10 million cellular phones, So called venture capitalists (Kosdaq) • Causing crisis, providing tools for democratic communication • Always struggle on communication and media

5. Overall Situation on Communication for Social Change (Focus on audio-visual media) <Protagonists> Government Corporation Public InstituteMainstream media (KFC, KBI, KBC, IT dept...)(public, private) Independent film and videos,video activism Watchdog groups, NGOsAlternative (Civil ?) (IT) Trade unions media IT activists

6. 1. Background A. Changing stance of Public Institute • Beginning of being partially public • Significant change by political change and advocacy Ex. Media center policy, new funding policy by KBI and KFC (although strong policy trend of Neoliberalism) B. New legal frameworks • Broadcasting law, film and video law passed • Introduction of new concepts and partial elimination of censorship (Due to political change and also long struggle and lobby by activists)

7. 1. Background cont. C. Booming of Independent (alternative) Videos • Establishment of KIFV (Association), legal status. This group is critical of mainstream media and armed with DV technology and Internet D. Progressive Trade Union: More aware of media • Relatively conservative stance of Broadcasting TUs E. Interests in new alternative forms of media • Especially on Public Access, IT’s F. Using computer mediated communication (inc. Internet) • Widely by NGOs, TU movement, etc.

8. 2. Progress • Battle on Public Access: New broadcasting law guarantees access to national public TV, satellite TV and cable TV. • Article 69 : KBS must carry the programs made directly by the viewers,based on the presidential decree. • Article 70 : Cable system operator and satellite operator must air the programs directly made by the viewers if the viewers demand to be aired through local channel or public channel, if there is no special reason for refusing to air. • The battle on policy will continue until June. • Establishing the association of organizations for viewers participation TV program (AVPTVP) : Exec committee, Policy committee, Production committee, Media center branch (22 orgs) • Establishing NGO, TU's own IT network • Korean Progressive Network (Jinbo Net : http://www.jinbo.net)

9. 2. Progress cont. • Experiment on Internet Webcasting • Possibility of (NGO) TV channel • Establishing the channel owned by coalition of NGOs • Battle on acquiring satellite channel by Coalition • Possibility of Introducing community radio structure • Change of policy level • Strategy of using new media to prepare old media • Possibility of establishing regional media center as a basis for media literacy, public access and independent media • KBI, KBC -- KIFV, AVPTVP

10. 3. Issues: New Area of Communication for Social Change • Freedom of expression (Anti-posco case) • Participatory process versus possible bureaucracy in activism • Activism with hi-tech leads to role of international solidarity • Self-Sustainment versus external funding • Shortage of traditional alternative audio-visual media producers • Experiments for which direction and which goal?

11. Labour News Production since February, 1989 (http://www.lnp89.org) 1. Funding Sources 80 % of the annual budget comes from LNP's own activities 5% from individual supporters 15% from rare public funding 2. Main partners in activities Trade unions affiliated with KCTU People's coalition for media reform (PCMR) Association of Korean independent film and videomakers (KIFV) Korean progressive network (Jinbo Net) Korean LaborNet (Nodong Net), etc.

12. 3. The social situation that LNP wants to change Strengthening democratic and progressive labor movement as an essential part of the social movement. Making the democratic media situation --> Catalyst for using media for progressive labor movement Strengthening internal participatory and democratic process 4. Main activities and objectives:Still small organization (7 in production, 4 in research) but broadening activities 1) Production newsreel, educational video, historical documentary never been aired in Korean broadcasting but have widely been distributed 2) Archive: 3,000 hours of archive 3) Training: Media literacy + self representation of the people various training programs

13. 4) Organizing and networking Workers' video making groups Core networking role for sharing the information 5) Solidarity KIFV, Jinbo Net (http://www.jinbo.net) Nodong Net (http://www.nodong.net) Anti-censorship forum Project for Peoples' TV People's coalition for media reform Human rights film festival International coalition Videazimut (http://www.videazimut.org) LaborMedia 97, LaborMedia 99 (http://lmedia.nodong.net) ex) special Mayday web project (http://mayday.nodong.net) 6) Research:separate branch research group bi-weekly web zine called PRISM (http://prism.jinbo.net - just Korean version)

14. 7) Distribution & Festival (ex: festival web site) Cassette distribution in the movement and film showcases Plans for broadcasting 5. Main tool utilized Video CMC: LNP(internet and BBS), PRISM Webcasting (http://mayday.nodong.net) 6. Participatory project Internal participatory structure Co-production ex) <One step at a time> With the people, not about the people Activity of helping rank and file workers on video Subjects covered by research departments shared with people

15. 7. Social impact of the project The video became an essential part of the labor education and information exchange Initiative in establishing new organizations and events International information exchange The result of advocacy in the activism, and in the legislation 8. Main obstacles and constraints Misconception, Fear of democratic media Financial difficulties Political oppression

16. 9. Main Challenges a. Organization restructuring for co-ordinating broadened activities b. Participatory, bottom-up policy making c. Bridging the separate activism and separate policy makers (Alternative approach to media convergence) d. Overcoming marginalized sector of labor communication through having strong coalition and networking e. Focus on specific goal with the viewpoint on structural change

17. Topic Two • Details about this topic • Supporting information and examples • How it relates to your audience

18. Topic Three • Details about this topic • Supporting information and examples • How it relates to your audience