“South Korean Broadcasting workers face 4 a.m. call times with no recourse”, 24 July 2024

[Discussion Held at Parliament House] Survey unveils struggles of broadcasting irregular workers: average four months unemployment annually

A recent survey has shed light on the precarious employment conditions faced by non-regular workers in the broadcast media industry. The findings revealed that these workers experience an average of four months of unemployment each year. Despite their eligibility, only half of these workers are enrolled in employment insurance, and 60% did not receive unemployment benefits.

Alarmingly, one in four non-regular broadcast media workers are employed without a written contract, relying on verbal agreements or no contractual procedures at all. In 79% of cases, broadcast production contracts are terminated involuntarily and unpredictably…

…Broadcast writers, producers (PDs), and actors have reported feeling the impacts of decreased production… Kim Ki-young, head of the broadcast staff branch of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions(KCTU), remarked, “Six years ago, the union was formed, and working conditions and pay improved, but we are regressing. The number of dramas produced has decreased, forcing us into an unreasonable work structure.” He continued, “We are now shooting for 27 to 32 hours straight again. Official start times are at 7 a.m., but workers are called in at 4 a.m. for rehearsals, and they cannot protest. Without a contract, they face easy dismissal.”

…Kim Sung-gil, a professor at Dong-A University of Broadcasting Arts, commented, “Broadcasting arts is currently the largest revenue-generating industry globally, yet Korean broadcasters struggle. The video media industry is expanding in various ways, and there are workers within it.” He argued, “This is not a ‘collapsing ecosystem,’ as some suggest, but a changing one. The challenge now is to adapt the ecosystem from the workers’ perspective.”

…Participants at the discussion concurred that addressing these issues requires starting with 'proper contracts.' They stressed the necessity of mandatory written standard contracts for all broadcasting jobs, including broadcast staff, writers, and performers.