The Korea Communications Commission said on Wednesday that it is considering sanctioning terrestrial broadcasters and cable TV operators over the unprecedented halt of high definition broadcasting.

Cable TV operators stopped airing the programs by terrestrial broadcasters MBC, KBS and SBS in high definition on Monday, forcing some 7.7 million viewers to watch lower-quality public broadcasts.

With their talks on retransmission fees being stalled for more than a week, the KCC plans to meet representatives from both sides on Friday to make last-ditch efforts to narrow differences between them.

“The KCC will hear from them on various factors that have caused the halt of HD broadcasting and will demand them to come up with follow-up measures for viewers,” said Kim Jun-sang, a KCC official.

“If they fail to reach an agreement, we will take strict action to ask them to take responsibility,” he said, hinting at punitive measures such as suspension of business.

Both sides have continued discussing cable stations paying 100 won per subscriber to terrestrial broadcasters in retransmission fees. But cable operators have resisted, saying they will agree to offer commission only for new subscribers.

The talks came as the country plans to go digital by 2013, but most analog TV broadcasters need more funding to make that happen. Cable TV stations have resisted a compromise, saying the additional fees would be a threat to their survival in the long-term.

In a press conference on Tuesday, cable operators threatened to stop airing both digital and analog terrestrial programs all together if their demands are not met.

In a separate move, five cable TV stations filed a lawsuit against SBS on Wednesday, demanding the channel share its advertising profits worth 500 billion won per year.

“SBS has provided some 20 percent of the profits to local broadcasters in retransmission fees. Cable operators who have aired its programs also have the right to share the profits,” they said.

By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldcorp.com)