New MBC president Lee Seong-ju outlines three key tasks for future growth

New MBC president Lee Seong-ju has pledged to focus on content competitiveness, AI transformation, and management stability over the next three years to overcome current industry crises. He aims to protect reporting independence and utilize AI to increase the value of accumulated content assets.

Lee Seong-ju, the new president of MBC, has expressed his commitment to shaping the future of the broadcaster alongside the employees. He noted that despite many difficulties, MBC has fulfilled its role as a public broadcaster and maintained the trust and love of viewers, attributing this success to the dedication of the staff.

Lee described the current reality facing MBC as grave, stating that he stepped forward to the presidency to overcome these crises. He decided to apply his accumulated experience and capabilities to the broadcaster he loves after long deliberation.

The media industry is undergoing rapid and fundamental changes. As the influence of global platforms grows and AI alters the production environment, the revenue structures that have long supported broadcasting are being shaken. Additionally, society is facing complex crises, including the polarization of public opinion, deepening economic gaps, and regional decline.

In this environment, Lee believes MBC must find its own path to survival and growth while fulfilling its duty to protect the public sphere. He envisions MBC as a media pioneer finding new paths and a public broadcaster presenting a sustainable future.

This vision is built upon the values of "trust" and "distinctiveness" that Lee has emphasized. News and current affairs must build trust through reporting faithful to facts and context while deeply addressing important social agendas. Dramas, variety shows, and documentaries should deliver fun and emotion while capturing diverse voices and challenging new stories and formats.

Acknowledging the importance of the trust MBC has built over time, Lee pledged to respect the independence of reporting and protect employees from unfair external pressure. He also intends to create content that reflects the unique perspective and stories of MBC.

To maintain trust and consistently present high-quality content, Lee emphasized the need for robust production capabilities and a stable management foundation, noting that fulfilling the duties of a public broadcaster and achieving sustainable management are goals that must be pursued together.

To this end, he will focus on three key areas:

First, he will strengthen content competitiveness. Recognizing that the power to create good content comes from creativity and expertise, he will listen to the voices from production sites and support fresh attempts to lead to great works and new growth.

Second, he will turn digital and AI transformation into an opportunity for growth. He plans to expand the use of AI across the production field and increase the value of accumulated content assets. In this process, he will uphold human-centered principles and help employees develop their creativity and expertise.

Third, he will establish a sustainable management foundation. He aims to improve the balance between content production and distribution and seek ways to use company assets efficiently. This is intended to increase management stability and secure investment capacity for high-quality content.

Lee stated that these goals cannot be achieved by one person alone. Having met many colleagues in the field to find solutions since running as a candidate, he confirmed the capabilities and passion of the members and identified areas that need change. He emphasized that communication and cooperation are now required.

The principle for MBC's organizational operation will be "One-Team." While respecting the expertise of each organization, he intends to break down the walls that hinder cooperation. He plans to have the management and the entire company consider goals together to unite organizational capabilities.

The principle for personnel management will be ability and cooperation. He pledged to exclude prejudice or private interests and ensure that the efforts and achievements of employees are fairly recognized.

Furthermore, he noted that the headquarters, affiliates, and subsidiaries must grow together. He stated that conveying regional voices and capturing diverse lives is an important duty of MBC. He plans to expand cooperation by utilizing the strengths of each entity and seeking ways for the entire MBC Group to develop from a long-term perspective.

Lee acknowledged that the path ahead may not be smooth, but noted that MBC possesses the strength to have overcome numerous difficulties. He expressed confidence in the employees who take pride in their work and do their best, stating he will achieve a new leap forward for MBC with them.

In the process, Lee said he will constantly learn and reflect on himself. He promised to listen to the voices from the field and correct wrong judgments, adding that he will not delay necessary tasks or avoid difficult decisions, taking responsibility for those decisions himself.

He remarked that a new path only opens when someone takes the first step, and that MBC must now pioneer that path. He pledged to devote all his strength to the future of MBC over the next three years.

Finally, he urged employees to review familiar practices and gather their experience and wisdom to find better solutions. He called for firmly protecting the values that must be kept while boldly changing what needs to be changed, aiming to create an MBC that viewers trust and employees are proud of.

* Inquiry: MBC External Cooperation Team (02-789-2149)

Read the original (Korean)