Network Wars for Sunday Variety Show Time Slots Far From Over, KBS Says, "We Didn't Start It"

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It looks like the network wars for the 4 p.m. Sunday variety program time slot won't be ending yet.

After citing KBS' irregular scheduling as the reason for the "disruption" in the schedules of SBS variety shows "Roommate" and "Running Man" and MBC variety shows "Dad, Where Are We Going?" and "Real Men" last August 3, the national television network KBS cleared its side and gave their explanation countering the allegations of the other two networks.

"Actually, we weren't the ones who started it," said KBS who also felt that they were treated unfairly regarding the time slot war.

According to a rep from KBS Happy Sunday, "We'll be putting each other on the mud but if we don't air our side, the viewers will look at us as the cause of the problem."

"Although we did move our shows to an earlier time slot, we think it's unfair that the other networks are saying that 'KBS was the first one to move their time slots up so we didn't have any choice but to move ours too,'" continued the rep. "After announcing that we'll air at 4:10 p.m. (KST), we kept that time slot. It is MBC and SBS who are using us as an excuse for moving their time slots slightly earlier," added the representative.

According to the data produced by Nielsen Korea on the shows that aired on August 3, "Superman Returns" aired at 4:12 p.m. as the first corner of KBS Happy Sunday that was supposed to air at 4:10 p.m.

On the other hand, the MBC Sunday Night program "Dad, Where Are You Going?" that was supposed to air at the same times slot (4:10 p.m.) aired slightly earlier at 4:07 p.m. SBS Good Sunday show "Roommate" also aired three minutes earlier at 4:02 p.m. as opposed to its announced schedule of 4:05 p.m.

However, a PD who formerly directed a show in "Happy Sunday" said, "Even when I was directing, the networks may or may not know about the irregularities in the line up."

"Before 'Sunday Night' and 'Good Sunday,' there's MBC 'Section TV Entertainment News' and SBS 'Inkigayo.' Since it's a live show, there's a possibility that it can end earlier (and move the next show's time slot earlier) if you take only one song or item out. I don't understand why KBS is at fault right now," said the PD.

Actually, according to some analysis, it is said that the show that started the Sunday afternoon time slot war for the networks was SBS Good Sunday survival talent show, "K-pop Star."

"K-pop Star" started as a 120-minute show in March 2012 and it had the 4:50 p.m. time slot. Before this, a show scheduled for a 5 p.m. time slot that starts airing during the 4 p.m. slot was unheard of.

At that same time on March 4, 2012, "Happy Sunday" also aired its episode of "1 Night, 2 Days" Season 2. With that, it was said that the competition between the two networks fighting for the 4 p.m. time slot began heating up.

With the variety programs aired for four hours from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m., viewers feel some fatigue with the line up but the networks still continue the "4 p.m. time slot war" and show no signs of stopping.

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