[Stage Voices]Is It Right to Leave the Competition for Olympic and World Cup Broadcasting Rights Unchecked?

The first goal scorer for Korea in the World Cup was Park Changsun. He made history by scoring Korea's first-ever World Cup goal during the group stage match against Argentina at the 1986 Mexico World Cup. I still vividly remember waking up at 3 a.m. in third grade to watch that moment live on TV. Ever since then, whenever the national football team played, I always made sure to watch the games on television.

However, there was a time when I found myself in the frustrating situation of not being able to watch a national team match. The channel scheduled to broadcast the game was not included in the basic IPTV package. That channel was only available through a more expensive premium package with a higher monthly fee.

Back when terrestrial TV could be watched for virtually "free" with a monthly license fee of 2,500 won, there were no restrictions on watching national team matches. Ironically, in an era where viewers pay 10,000 to 20,000 won per month for paid TV, it has become more difficult to watch these games. This situation is both frustrating and inconvenient for viewers.

Greek actress Mary Mina lit the torch for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics at the Panathinaiko Stadium in Athens, Greece, on the 4th (local time).
Photo by EPA Yonhap News

With the advent of cable TV and the dramatic increase in the number of channels, competition among broadcasters to secure broadcasting rights for major sporting events such as the World Cup and the Olympics has intensified. As a result, conflicts between channels have sometimes led to innocent viewers being caught in the crossfire. The 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, opening on February 6 next year, is likely to be another example. This is because negotiations between JTBC, which holds the broadcasting rights, and the three terrestrial broadcasters seeking to resell those rights, have yet to be finalized.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) supervises even the accommodation arrangements for media personnel through the local organizing committee during the Olympics. As a result, media registration and accommodation for journalists are typically decided about a year before the Games begin. With only about two months left until the Olympics, the three terrestrial broadcasters have still not secured broadcasting rights, making it virtually impossible for them to provide live on-site coverage this time. According to insiders, the current negotiations between the three terrestrial broadcasters and JTBC may only result in the terrestrial broadcasters relaying the international feed provided by Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS). If this happens, viewers may have difficulty accessing behind-the-scenes stories about the athletes' efforts and dedication, beyond just the Olympic competitions themselves.

The government has refrained from intervening in the competition among channels for major sports broadcasting rights. The rationale is that such competition is a natural phenomenon in the cable TV era and that government intervention would run counter to market principles. The fact that cable TV penetration in Korean households has reached 95% is another reason for the government's passive stance.

However, the Olympics and World Cup are stages where national athletes represent the country. Since these athletes are supported by taxpayers' money, the government should make efforts to ensure that all citizens can watch these events without restrictions.

Above all, if market logic is followed too strictly, it becomes difficult to avoid a significant outflow of national wealth.

It is desirable for domestic broadcasters to negotiate jointly with the IOC and FIFA over Olympic and World Cup broadcasting rights. This approach would help reduce the financial burden of acquiring these rights. The current conflict between JTBC and the three terrestrial broadcasters also stems from the dispersal of bargaining power in the competition for rights, leading to excessive costs. At the very least, when it comes to the Olympics and World Cup-where national athletes compete-the government should take a more proactive role to help secure greater negotiating power.