JTBC
South Korean broadcasting company
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
JTBC (shortened from Joongang Tongyang Broadcasting Company; Korean: 제이티비씨; stylized in all lowercase) is a South Korean nationwide pay television network. Its primary shareholder is JoongAng Holdings, with a 25% stake.[1] It was launched on December 1, 2011.[2] JTBC is a generalist channel, with programming consisting of television series, variety shows, and news broadcasting; its news division is held in similar regard to the three main terrestrial networks in South Korea.[3]
Worldwide
- Hong Jeong-do (Vice Chairman & CDXO)
- Lee Soo-young (CEO & President)
- Jeon Jin-bae (CEO & Head of News Division)
| |
 The JTBC Trust Building located in Digital Media City | |
| Founded | March 21, 2011 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | 48-6, Sangamsan-ro, Mapo District, Seoul , South Korea |
Area served | South Korea Worldwide |
Key people |
|
| Owner | JoongAng Group (25%) DY Asset (5.92%) JoongAng Ilbo (4.99%) Warner Bros. Discovery (5.72%) S&T Dynamics (2.37%) Sungwoo Hitech (2.37%) Sungbo Cultural Foundation (1.18%) Daehan Steel (1.18%) Ace Bed Co. (1.18%) Hanssem Co. (1.18%) |
| Subsidiaries | SLL JTBC Mediacomm JTBC Mediatech JTBC Plus |
| Website | jtbc |
| Country | South Korea |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | South Korea Worldwide (via internet) |
| Programming | |
| Language | Korean |
| Picture format | 1080i (HDTV) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | JTBC |
| History | |
| Launched | December 1, 2011 (cable) |
| Availability | |
| Streaming media | |
| JTBC On air | Watch live (only in South Korea) |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 중앙동양방송 |
| Hanja | 中央東洋放送 |
| RR | Jungang dongyang bangsong |
| MR | Chungang tongyang pangsong |
In 2011, JTBC was one of four new South Korean nationwide generalist cable TV networks alongside The Dong-A Ilbo's Channel A, The Chosun Ilbo's TV Chosun and Maeil Business Newspaper's MBN.[4][5][6][7][8] They serve as supplementary networks to the existing conventional free-to-air TV networks like KBS, MBC, SBS and other smaller channels launched following deregulation in 1990.
History
Origins of the network can be traced back to 1964, when JoongAng Ilbo, then a part of Samsung, founded the Tongyang Broadcasting Corporation (TBC) and ran the network for 16 years until it was forced to merge with the state-run KBS by the military regime of Chun Doo-hwan in 1980.
At its founding in 2011, some media analysts considered the return of JoongAng Ilbo to television in JTBC as the reincarnation of TBC.[9] JoongAng Ilbo wanted to reuse the name Tongyang Broadcasting Corporation, but failed because Taegu Broadcasting Corporation has held the rights to TBC in South Korea since 1994.
- Timeline
- June 26, 1964: Tongyang Broadcasting Corporation launches.
- December 7, 1964: TBC-TV starts broadcasting on channel 7.
- November 30, 1980: TBC-TV merges with KBS Television by the special law of Chun Doo-hwan, president of military authorities, resulting in the launch of KBS 2TV.
- July 22, 2009: Amendment of the media law was passed by the national assembly to deregulate the media market of South Korea. It was a response from the South Korean government to the Chojoongdong (The Chosun Ilbo, JoongAng Ilbo, and The Dong-A Ilbo), which were the major media conglomerates, aiming to launch the cable market.[10]
- December 31, 2010: JTBC, TV Chosun, MBN, and Channel A are selected as "general cable television channel broadcasters".
- March 11, 2011: JoongAng Ilbo establishes the JTBC corporation.[11]
- December 1, 2011: JTBC (short for Joongang Tongyang Broadcasting Company) starts broadcasting on channel 15.[12]
- May 2013: Former MBC news anchor Sohn Suk-hee is designated as JTBC's new president for its news division.[13]
- January 2015: JTBC constructs a new building in Digital Media City in Sangam-dong, Seoul.
- November 2018: Sohn Suk-hee is promoted to JTBC's president and CEO.[14]
- June 2019: JTBC acquires the Korean rights to the Olympic Games from 2026 to 2032.[15]
- April 2020: JTBC moves its newscasts to Creation Hall, starting with JTBC Newsroom, with its other programs following suit on May 18.[16]
- June 2021: JTBC buys a majority stake in production company Wiip from Creative Artists Agency (CAA).[17]
Programs
- News programs including JTBC Newsroom, After News 5 and Newsroom Now, Sangam-Dong Class
- JTBC dramas hold 9 spots of the 50, including The World of the Married being the highest-rated cable drama on the list of highest-rated Korean dramas in cable television, surpassing JTBC's previous record with SKY Castle.
- Cultural productions such as Begin Again and Ssulzun
- Variety shows including Knowing Bros, Let's Eat Dinner Together, Traveler, and more.
Drama
| Currently airing TV series | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Airtime | Program | Original title | Start date |
Variety
| Currently airing variety shows | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airtime | Program | Original title | Start date | ||
| Monday at 20:50 (KST) | Talk Correspondent 25 O'Clock | 톡파원 25시 | February 2, 2022 | ||
| Monday at 22:30 (KST) | A Clean Sweep | 최강야구 | June 6, 2022 | ||
| Tuesday at 20:50 (KST) | Same Day Delivery, Our Home | 당일배송 우리집 | December 16, 2025 | ||
| Tuesday at 22:30 (KST) | I Can't Do It Alone | 혼자는 못 해 | January 13, 2026 | ||
| Thursday at 22:30 (KST) | Divorce Camp | 이혼숙려캠프 | August 15, 2024 | ||
| Saturday at 19:10 (KST) | Yes Man | 예스맨 | January 17, 2026 | ||
| Saturday at 21:00 (KST) | Knowing Bros | 아는 형님 | December 5, 2015 | ||
| Sunday at 21:00 (KST) | Please Take Care of My Refrigerator | 냉장고를 부탁해 | November 17, 2014 | ||
Viewership ratings
- The table below lists the top 10 dramas with the highest average audience share ratings (nationwide), corresponding episode with highest rating and the date.
| Ranking | Drama | Episodes | Highest Nielsen Korea Nationwide Rating |
Cable Channel Ratings Ranking |
Date | Airing Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The World of the Married | 16 | 28.371% [18] | 1 | May 16, 2020 | Fridays and Saturdays |
| 2 | Reborn Rich | 16 | 26.948% [19] | 2 | December 25, 2022 | Fridays to Sundays |
| 3 | Sky Castle | 20 | 23.779%[20] | 3 | February 1, 2019 | Fridays and Saturdays |
| 4 | Doctor Cha | 16 | 18.546%[21] | 4 | June 4, 2023 | Saturdays and Sundays |
| 5 | Itaewon Class | 16 | 16.548%[22] | 5 | March 21, 2020 | Fridays and Saturdays |
| 6 | Agency | 16 | 16.044% | 6 | February 26, 2023 | Saturdays and Sundays |
| 7 | King the Land | 16 | 13.789% | 7 | August 6, 2023 | Saturdays and Sundays |
| 8 | The Tale of Lady Ok | 16 | 13.575% | 8 | November 30, 2024 | Saturdays and Sundays |
| 9 | Welcome to Samdal-ri | 16 | 12.399% | 9 | January 21, 2024 | Saturdays and Sundays |
| 10 | The Lady in Dignity | 20 | 12.065% | 10 | August 19, 2017 | Fridays and Saturdays |
- 「Ratings」data sourced from Nielsen Korea nationwide rating of cable channel, with the inclusion of occasional advertisement
Subsidiaries
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| JTBC Plus | Operates the JTBC's specialty cable channels, JTBC2, JTBC Sports, JTBC4 and JTBC Golf Publishes Ilgan Sports since 2015 |
| JTBC Mediatech | |
| SLL (formerly JTBC Content Hub and JTBC Studios) | Provides in-house drama and film production Subsidiaries include Drama House, Zium Content, BA Entertainment, Film Monster Co. and Perfect Storm Film |
| JTBC Mediacomm | Conducts broadcast advertising sales on behalf of JTBC, JTBC Plus and Baduk TV |
Award
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 23rd Asian Television Awards | Cable & Satellite Network of the Year award | JTBC | Won | [23] |
