There is no end to the Lee Myung-bak administration’s ambitions to control the news media. If there is one thing it has pushed for more tenaciously than others since President Lee was inaugurated, and about which it will stop at nothing, it is controlling the news media. It was only just the start when Lee made his political mentor, Choi See-joong, head of the Korea Communications Commission. It mobilized the Blue House, the Grand National Party, the prosecution, the Board of Audit and Inspection, and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in removing KBS President Jung Yun-joo, then it sent people who had advised Lee during his presidential campaign, people like Gu Bon-hong, out to work in news media companies and related institutions. It mobilized law enforcement agencies in its effort to gag the MBC program “The Producer’s Notebook” (pidi sucheop). Frequently there have been allegations that the Blue House coerced news outlets to suppress news that has not suited its fancy.

  This plot to seize control of the news media is coming to a climax -- in the form of the seven “evil laws” (akbeop) the ruling Grand National Party has pledged to pass before the year is out. Each is a piece of legislation that seeks to give legal framework to owning control of the media by newspaper companies and corporations -- including media companies that are themselves chaebol (jokbeol eollon) such as the Chosun Ilbo, DongA Ilbo; media companies owned by chaebol (jaebeol eollon) such as the JoongAng Ilbo; and regular big business chaebol. The proposed laws would also give the Korea Communications Commission the absolute authority of an organ of state power. Together, the proposed laws are anti-democratic and against the Korean people. The plan is to cover the eyes and ears of the Korean public by joining hands with the newspapers that control the newspaper market and, after putting broadcasting in their pockets, too, use this as their base for holding on to the presidency for years to come. The bills the GNP proposes are full of clauses that are meant to hurt diversity in public opinion. It is in no way different from the way the military dictatorships of yesteryear would inflate reports advantageous to organs of state power and those with established privilege in Korean society while blocking opposing views.

  It was unavoidable that broadcasting company unions, starting with MBC, are going on strike today to block this plot to seize control of the news media. One should not have to explain the sinking feeling that those who work at these broadcasting companies must feel as the knives of the government close in on them. They must have felt they had to act to prevent further damage to their identities as media professionals who work for the whole of the country. The opposition parties, groups in civil society, conscientious intellectuals and citizens need to pool their strength together to shatter this plot to seize control of the media. The twisted media structure these seven “evil laws” (akbeop) will create will not be compatible with the development of our democracy.

  If the GNP forces these bills through, a river will appear between the Lee administration and a majority of the Korean people, one that will be uncrossable. People voted for Lee with a mandate to revive the economy for the common Korean, but no one will tolerate the way he has devoted himself to expanding his power. We ask and warn the Lee administration and the GNP once again: Immediately scrap the seven “evil laws” and devote yourselves to reviving the economy, this with purity of heart. There will still be problems calling for attention even if they were entirely proactive about unifying the country; how can they make enemies of the people at a such a difficult time?

모든 책임은 언론장악 야욕에 있다

  이명박 정권의 언론장악 야욕은 끝이 없다. 출범 이후 수단과 방법을 가리지 않고 가장 집요하게 밀어붙인 분야가 바로 언론장악이다. 이 대통령의 정치적 멘토인 최시중씨를 방송통신위원장에 앉힌 것은 시작에 불과했다. 정연주 <한국방송> 사장을 몰아내려고 청와대·한나라당·검찰·감사원·방송위·교과부 등이 총출동했고, 구본홍씨 등 대선 캠프 특보 출신을 언론사와 관련기관에 대거 내려보냈다. <문화방송> ‘피디수첩’에 재갈을 물리는 데는 사정기관이 동원됐다. 입맛에 맞지 않는 기사를 삭제하려고 청와대가 외압을 행사했다는 논란도 잇따랐다.

  이런 언론장악 야욕이 고비를 향하고 있다. 한나라당이 올해 안에 처리하겠다고 공언한 7대 악법이 그것이다. 족벌언론·재벌언론과 재벌의 방송장악을 제도화하고 방통위를 무소불위의 권력기관으로 만드는 반민주·반국민 법안들이다. 신문시장을 장악한 몇몇 언론과 손잡고 방송까지 손에 넣어 국민의 눈과 귀를 가리고 장기집권 기반을 구축하겠다는 것이다. 국민의 다양한 목소리를 위축시키는 데 쓰일 조항들도 법안 곳곳에 들어 있다. 권력기관과 기득권층에 유리한 보도는 부풀리고 반대 목소리는 봉쇄하려 한 과거 군사정권 때와 다를 바 없다.

  문화방송을 비롯한 방송사들이 이런 언론장악 야욕을 막아내고자 오늘부터 파업에 나선 것은 불가피하다. 한 해 동안 시시각각 좁혀드는 권력의 칼날을 보고 이들 방송사 구성원이 느꼈을 자괴감은 말하지 않아도 짐작이 된다. 온 국민을 위해 일한다는 언론 종사사로서 정체성이 더 손상되지 않으려면 행동에 나서지 않을 수 없었을 터이다. 야당과 시민사회 단체, 양심적 지식인과 시민 등은 정권의 언론장악 야욕을 분쇄하는 일에 힘을 모아야 한다. 7대 악법이 만들어낼 비뚤어진 언론구조는 우리나라 민주주의 발전과 결코 양립할 수 없다.

  한나라당이 이들 악법 처리를 강행한다면 이명박 정권과 절대다수 국민 사이에는 건널 수 없는 강이 생길 것이다. 민생경제를 살리라고 표를 줬더니 권력기반 확대에만 몰두하는 정권을 용납할 국민은 없다. 정부와 한나라당에 다시 한번 당부하고 경고한다. 7대 악법을 당장 폐기하고 순수한 마음으로 경제살리기에 집중하기 바란다. 적극적으로 국민통합을 위해 노력해도 모자랄 이 어려운 시기에 국민을 적으로 삼아서야 되겠는가.

[한겨레사설 12/25]

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