MBC has once again proven its title as ‘MBC is the election broadcaster.’

MBC’s 21st presidential election broadcast ‘Election 202’, which aired on the 3rd, recorded a viewership rating of 11.7% (Nielsen Korea)based on households in the metropolitan area, taking an overwhelming 1st place in the time slot before the vote counting broadcast(17:00~25:00).

In particular, the household viewership rating soared to 19.4% in the 30 minutes immediately following the exit poll announcement, proving in numbers that the show was highly focused on viewers.

Around this time, ‘Choice 2025’ reached its peak of broadcast concentration, recording a peak viewership rating of 20.6% (households)and a 9.6% viewership rating for those in their 20s and 40s at around 8 PM.

Next, the ‘Election 2025 Special News Desk’ broadcast, which began with a full-scale analysis of the main election results and the political landscape, recorded a household viewership rating of 14.7% and a 2049 viewership rating of 7.4%, the highest figures among the main news broadcast this year.

Overall, MBC recorded an average household viewership rating of 11.7% and a 2049 viewership rating of 5.6% throughout the entire election broadcast, showing a clear gap with other major election broadcast programs aired at the same time.Other programs in the same time slot recorded 1-3% based on households, while MBC performed well with a gap of more than three times that of KBS1(3.6%) in second place and SBS(3.1%) in third place.

In addition, since the 12/3 martial law, MBC’s main news has maintained a steady advantage over other broadcasters, and this trend of viewer trust continued in this election coverage.

This ‘Election 2025’ went beyond delivering the election results and reconsidered the direction of election coverage as a public broadcasting station.It presented a new framework for future election broadcasting through multifaceted attempts such as technological advancement, content composition experiments, and implementation of democratic values.

MBC introduced a six-sided LED stage for the first time in election broadcasting history.The space and images were organically produced through a screen measuring 44m in total length and 7m in height, and the wire cam installed on the ceiling conveyed the vote counting scene from a dynamic perspective.

A shift from information-centered to story-centered was also attempted.A total of 40 special corners, including ‘Run, Republic of Korea’ where marathon runner Lee Bong-ju runs across the country, ‘Paldo Sodam Hansang’ which elaborately reproduces regional representative foods, and ‘Democracy is Science’ which combines science and democracy, illuminated voters ‘lives and social context in a three-dimensional way.

In addition, the debate corner featuring Yoo Si-min, Jeong Gyu-jae, Jo Kyung-tae, and Park Ju-min presented a balanced perspective by examining various political positions, and the reporters’ real-time data commentary and interface contributed to increasing viewer understanding.


Reporter Lee Jeong- annjoy@donga.com

This article is automatically translated using Google AI. If you notice any inaccuracies, please let us know at allkstar@donga.com.