여당인 한나라당이 2008년 12월 3일 신문과 방송의 겸영을 허용하는 신문법 개정안 등 7건의 미디어 관련 법률 개정안을 내놓았다. 한나라당은 미디어 환경 변화에 따라 불필요한 규제를 폐지하고 미디어 산업의 선진화를 기하기 위하여 필요한 입법이라고 주장한다. 그러나 야당은 개정안이 언론의 자본 종속을 가속화하고, 언론의 공공성을 심각하여 훼손하여 민주주의의 위기를 초래할 것이라고 우려한다. 이 글은 한나라당이 12월 임시국회에서 개정하고자 천명한 7개 미디어 관련 법률 개정안의 구체적인 내용을 간략히 검토한 후 방송의 소유규제 완화를 미디어산업의 선진화와 민주주의의 위기라는 두 개의 시각에서 집중적으로 검토하고 있다. 미디어산업의 선진화와 민주주의는 결코 양립할 수 없는 대립적 가치가 아니라 동시에 추구할 수 있는 병립적 가치라고 할 수 있다. 급변하는 미디어 환경 변화를 감안할 때 신문과 대기업의 방송진출을 전면금지하고 있는 현행 규제는 과잉규제다. 한나라당의 주장처럼 신문사와 대기업의 방송 진출을 허용하는 것은 정당하다고 본다. 다만, 신문이 우리나라 여론형성에 과도하게 개입하였던 역사적 현실과 대기업이 우리나라 경제에 차지하는 막대한 위치를 감안할 때, 신문과 대기업의 방송 진출의 범위와 속도는 보수적으로 접근하여야 할 것이다. 이러한 관점에서 볼 때 한나라당이 유예기간 없이 겸영을 전면 허용하고, 규모에 관계없이 신문과 대기업의 제한적 방송진출을 허용한 것은 규제완화의 초기 단계로서 과도한 것이라는 평가를 받을 만하다. 미디어 환경 변화에 사경제주체가 신속하게 적응할 수 있도록 과거 규제를 전면적으로 재검토할 필요가 있으며, 조속한 규제완화가 어려울 경우 재검토 주기를 정기화하는 것도 필요하다고 본다.

The governing Grand National Party proposed revisions of 7 media related laws on Dec. 3, 2008 to modify old media regulations following recent change of media circumstances, one of which is to loosen the newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership rules. The opposition parites are against the revision plan in a loud voice. Their main concern lies at the possible crisis of democracy after allowing large newspapers and conglomerates to run broadcasting business. This paper briefly reviews the revisions of media related laws, which the governing party declared to pass in a near future, and deeply analyses the cross-ownerhip rules in terms of two values: efficiency and democracy. Today's media marketplace are not the same as 1980s' when the current cross-ownership rules were made. There are enough reasons to revise current media ownership rules, which prohibit large conglomerates and all newspapers to aquire any equity of broadcasting companies. We can invent many ways to sustain media diversity, which is the vital ground for democracy and freedom of speech, even allowing newspapers and large companies to work in the broadcasting field, which will definately lead more competition and efficiency. However, we cannot neglect unique history of the Korean press, which have exercised enormous powers in setting national agendas, and incomparable powers of large conglomerates in Korean economy. Only the gradual revision of cross-ownership rules can satisfy two seemingly confliciting values, namely, diversity and efficiency. My opinon is that new media ownership rules proposed by the governing party goes too far. Furthermore, it must be added that, considering rapidly changing media surroundings, media rules should be revised regularly.

The governing Grand National Party proposed revisions of 7 media related laws on Dec. 3, 2008 to modify old media regulations following recent change of media circumstances, one of which is to loosen the newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership rules. The opposition parites are against the revision plan in a loud voice. Their main concern lies at the possible crisis of democracy after allowing large newspapers and conglomerates to run broadcasting business. This paper briefly reviews the revisions of media related laws, which the governing party declared to pass in a near future, and deeply analyses the cross-ownerhip rules in terms of two values: efficiency and democracy. Today's media marketplace are not the same as 1980s' when the current cross-ownership rules were made. There are enough reasons to revise current media ownership rules, which prohibit large conglomerates and all newspapers to aquire any equity of broadcasting companies. We can invent many ways to sustain media diversity, which is the vital ground for democracy and freedom of speech, even allowing newspapers and large companies to work in the broadcasting field, which will definately lead more competition and efficiency. However, we cannot neglect unique history of the Korean press, which have exercised enormous powers in setting national agendas, and incomparable powers of large conglomerates in Korean economy. Only the gradual revision of cross-ownership rules can satisfy two seemingly confliciting values, namely, diversity and efficiency. My opinon is that new media ownership rules proposed by the governing party goes too far. Furthermore, it must be added that, considering rapidly changing media surroundings, media rules should be revised regularly.

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media ownership rules, cross media ownership, diversity, media concentration, pluralism, regulation, communication law, media convergence