The 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics have been confirmed for exclusive broadcast by JTBC, making it difficult for the three terrestrial broadcasters—KBS, MBC, and SBS—to schedule live Olympic coverage. JTBC announced that negotiations with terrestrial broadcasters for resale rights broke down, so it will broadcast the games through JTBC and Naver.
The core argument of the three terrestrial broadcasters: Concerns over infringement of ‘universal viewing rights’
The keyword the three terrestrial broadcasters cite as problematic is ‘universal viewing rights’. Universal viewing rights, based on the Broadcasting Act, are explained as meaning that events of significant national interest, such as the Olympics and World Cup, must be accessible for the general public to watch.
The point where terrestrial broadcasters see themselves at a disadvantage
Past KBS reports have also raised concerns that if cable channels (channels heavily reliant on pay-TV) exclusively broadcast the Olympics, it could undermine the legislative intent behind universal viewing rights. In the recent controversy, the three terrestrial broadcasters have maintained a critical stance framed around ‘free accessibility’ and ‘national events’.
JTBC’s Position: “We will work with Naver and remain open to cooperation.”
JTBC officially announced its exclusive broadcast, stating it “negotiated resale agreements to allow more viewers to enjoy the content but failed to reach a consensus.” It also conveyed its position that for major global sporting events like the World Cup in the future, it will open a multi-party negotiation table starting in January to seek cooperation with various operators.
Background enabling ‘exclusive broadcasting’: 2019 IOC contract
The IOC announced in 2019 that it had granted JTBC the domestic media rights for the 2026-2032 Olympics. The IOC explained that this contract included guarantees requiring “a minimum of 100 hours for the Winter Olympics and a minimum of 200 hours for the Summer Olympics” to be broadcast on a ‘nationwide coverage TV channel’.
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