| Callsign: | Tongyang Broadcasting HLKC |
| Branding: | TBC-TV 7 Seoul |
| Analog: | 7 (VHF) |
| Affiliations: | Defunct |
| Founded: | June 1965 |
| Location: | Seoul |
| Owner: | Samsung |
| Tongyang Broadcasting Company | |
| Hangul: | 동양방송 |
| Hanja: | 東洋放送 |
| Rr: | Dongyang Bangsong |
| Mr: | Tongyang Pangsong |
| Context: | south |
Tongyang Broadcasting Company (TBC, June 1964 – November 30, 1980, Tongyang is the Korean word for "Oriental"[1]) was a South Korean commercial television station which was merged by the government with KBS. It was owned by the Samsung Group founder Lee Byung-chul and was a sister company to the JoongAng Ilbo.[2] [3]
It was reported in September 1962 that preparations were being made for the first TV commercial broadcast in Korea. According to the article, Tongyang TV Broadcasting Co., Ltd. was ready to transmit radio waves using purely Korean technology, having secured three cameras and one relay vehicle, and applied before the Korean government for broadcasting frequencies. In January of the following year, it was reported that it was scheduled to establish in May by being assigned channel 7 with permission from the authorities. However, the launch was postponed, and in July of that year, chairman Lee Jae-hyeong and director Lee Byung-cheol visited Nippon Television's president and asked for assistance, such as technical assistance. At that time, the government showed willingness to produce TV receivers and transmitters in Korea, except for parts that could not be manufactured, and the first TV cameras from Tongyang Broadcasting Station were also produced by combining movie cameras and used devices.
On May 9, 1964, Tongyang Radio was launched, and on December 7, 1964, Tongyang Television (with headquarters in Seoul on VHF channel 7, call sign HLCE-TV[4] followed by a branch in Busan on channel 9 on December 12, 1964) under the name JBS,[5] [6] on January 15, 1966 it changed from JoongAng (Central) Broadcasting Co., Ltd. to Tongyang Broadcasting,[7] [8] and on August 15 of the following year, Tongyang Standard FM was launched. Tongyang Broadcasting has garnered attention with popular variety shows including Show Show Show and various soap operas since the establishment of TBC-TV and even surpassed the ratings of KBS, which was a state-run broadcaster, and MBC was dominant even after TV set up, despite MBC having several hit dramas. However, as a whole, Tongyang Broadcasting slightly outperformed MBC.
Fiscally, TBC made tremendous success due to its connections to Samsung, as the channel was headed by its founder, and one of the subliminal goals of TBC was to sell more television sets, at a time where these were still few. TBC took the upper hand in producing prerecorded dramas, something KBS hadn't achieved at the time.[9] TBC also had an animation division, which provided subcontracting services for Japanese animation companies. Thanks to these contracts, the network assisted in the production of The Golden Bat and Ghost Man. From 1973, it also started accepting American orders, with Universal Arts being the first client. This would pave way to an entire subcontracting industry in Korea.[10]
In the late 1960s, foreign loans of more than US$870,000 were introduced to expand the facility. In July 1969, the Apollo 11 Moon landing were broadcast live on TV and radio. In 1971, the nominal capital of Tongyang Broadcasting was valued at 400 million won. In the early 1970s, a transmission tower was established in partnership with Dong-A Broadcasting and Munhwa Broadcasting. Since 1978, it has grown significantly, including preparing for color television broadcasts. In the case of Tongyang TV's Busan branch, it is impossible to broadcast a direct signal from Seoul (simultaneous transmission) due to the absence of microwaves, focusing on local programs in Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongsangnam-do. Therefore, the Seoul (key station) programs such as Show Show Show were broadcast by air or railroad (overland), and broadcasts were delayed by one week, contributing to strengthening the independence of local broadcasting.
5 minutes left, 5 minutes left... The remaining 5 minutes are too harsh. I wish it was 10 minutes. Can't 5 minutes be 10 minutes? Even if the Tongyang Broadcasting that you cherished disappears... we would be grateful if you could cherish the memories of Tongyang Broadcasting in your hearts for a long time. Ah, it's 4 minutes. Goodbye. Goodbye. This is TBC Dongyang Broadcasting. This is TBC Tongyang Broadcasting, your station. Stay safe and healthy until we meet again. I leave with the hope that your work will be accomplished as you wish and that God's protection will always be with you, the TBC family. I will also take off my headphones now. thank you thank you And I will now leave Tongyang Broadcasting, knowing that Studio 7 is a place with which I have become attached. Tongyang Broadcasting is now 3 minutes long. Lastly, I would like to inform you once again of Tongyang Broadcasting's call sign. here it is… 630… old kilohertz… HLKC… this is… Tongyang Broadcasting..."[11]
In November 1980, Tongyang Broadcasting was forced to merge with KBS at 00:00 on December 1, 1980, following the media consolidation measures carried out by Heo Mun-do after the 12.12 incident and the military forces came into power.[12] TBC Radio was split into two with the AM frequency becoming KBS Radio 3 and the FM frequency became KBS 2FM, and TBC TV became KBS2. Tongyang Broadcasting disappeared. At the time of the merger and acquisition, Tongyang Broadcasting's assets amounted to 34 billion won. Dong-A Broadcasting's was about 4.2 billion won, and other broadcasts were less than 1 billion. Later, JoongAng Ilbo estimated the assets at the time to be 70 billion won.[13] On The March 12, 2008 edition of MBC's The Knee-Drop Guru, host Heo Cham said, "Many singers cried during Toyo Broadcasting's farewell broadcast, and it turned into a sea of tears. In particular, Lee Eun-ha cried during this broadcast, so she was suspended from appearing on radio for a while".[14]
In October 1988, just before the No. 5 government investigation led by the Roh Tae-woo government and just before the hearing of the Fifth Republic, the “Tongyang Broadcasting Revitalization Promotion Committee” was formed and adopted a resolution calling for a revival of its operations.
On November 26, 1990, JoongAng Ilbo submitted an application for compensation to the Seoul District Prosecutors 'Office of Seoul District Prosecutors' Office to pay compensation of KRW 860 billion for damages incurred from the forced transfer of Tongyang Broadcasting to the Korean Broadcasting System and the state. The committee rejected 14 companies including the JoongAng Ilbo for compensation for damages after three years of lapse.
On November 30, 2009, 19 years later, about 400 people, including former TBC officials and entertainers, held a 'Prayer for the Restoration of Tongyang Broadcasting' and adopted the resolution to encourage JoongAng Ilbo to advance into the general entertainment channel business. The JoongAng Ilbo insisted that its long-term JTBC was the successor to TBC before the Korea Communications Commission's selection process for the generalist channel, and was closed on November 30, 1980. It was launched on December 1, 2011 in commemoration of 31st anniversary of TBC's shutdown.
89.1 MHz, the FM frequency of Tongyang Radio, became KBS 2FM on December 1, 1980, and the TV callsign of the Busan branch of Dongyang Broadcasting was reorganized to KBS Busan 2TV.