넷플릭스와 국내 방송사의 콘텐츠 다양성 추이 비교 분석: 사회적 약자 관련 콘텐츠 다양성을 중심으로 = A Comparative Analysis of Netflix and Korean Broadcasters’ Contents Diversity: Focusing on socially disadvantaged contents

국문 초록 (Abstract)

청소년 미혼모의 이야기, 여성 축구부 결성기, 돌싱들이 새로운 사랑을 찾는 예능 프로그램 등 국내 방송사들은 이전에 다루지 않던 사회적 집단을 스크린에 담기 시작했다. 이러한 흐름은 넷플릭스가 '다양성 보고서'에서 강조한 콘텐츠 구성 방식과 유사하다. 본 연구는 넷플릭스의 다양성 사례를 국내 방송 산업에 적용하여 국내 방송사들의 사회적 약자 콘텐츠 제작 현황과 그 변화를 분석하고자 한다. 이를 위해 지난 6년간 지상파 3사, 종편 및 케이블 3사, 국내 OTT 플랫폼 3사, 그리고 넷플릭스의 예능 및 오락 프로그램 중 사회적 약자를 주요 소재와 출연진으로 다룬 프로그램을 대상으로 내용을 분석하고, 빈도 분석 및 HHI(Herfindahl-Hirschman Index) 지수를 측정하였다. 방송사별로 연도별 사회적 약자 콘텐츠 수와 편성된 사회적 약자 집단의 종류를 조사함으로써 양적 및 질적 다양성을 분석했다. 국내 방송사 중 종편인 MBN이 가장 많은 관련 콘텐츠를 제작했으나 특정 소재에 집중된 편성을 보였다. 반면, 지상파 방송사는 상대적으로 적은 수의 다양성 프로그램을 제작했으나 다양한 집단을 다루는 경향을 나타냈다. 특히, 장애인과 성소수자 집단은 국내 방송사에서 거의 다뤄지지 않은 반면, 넷플릭스에서는 이와 관련된 콘텐츠가 다수 제작되어 국가별 차이가 두드러졌다. 또한, 넷플릭스의 다양성 보고서 발간 이후, 종편 방송사의 사회적 약자 콘텐츠 제작 편수가 지상파에 비해 급격히 증가하였다.

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The emergence of global OTT platforms has intensified competition within the domestic broadcasting industry, prompting broadcasters to portray previously underrepresented social groups on screen. Representative examples include stories about teenage single mothers, the formation of a women's soccer team, and reality shows where divorced individuals seek new love. This trend aligns with Netflix's content strategy emphasized in its “Inclusion Report,” which advocates for the representation of diverse social groups and the inclusion of creators from various gender and racial backgrounds. Netflix has boldly started to feature stories about groups that have traditionally received less attention. In January 2021, Netflix released the first report of its newly launched inclusivity strategy, which examined films and series produced by Netflix US between 2020 and 2021 based on 22 diversity and inclusion indicators, including gender, disability, race, and sexuality. The study analyzed the production trends and changes in content focusing on marginalized groups within the domestic broadcasting industry by applying Netflix’s diversity practices. Furthermore, it seeks to determine whether the programs featuring social minorities, which have recently gained attention in Korea, have been influenced by global OTT platforms like Netflix, by comparing content diversity trends among different broadcasting stations.
The study's methodology was conducted in three stages: 1) Data Collection and Content Analysis, 2) Frequency Analysis, and 3) Measurement of the HHI Index and Graph Plotting. For data collection, we analyzed Netflix original content in the entertainment/variety genre and entertainment/variety programs from Korean OTT platforms (Wavve, TVing), the three major Korean terrestrial broadcasters (KBS, MBC, SBS), and three general programming channels (JTBC, MBN, tvN) produced after 2015. The period from 2015 to 2023 was selected to examine the trend of increasing diversity since the release of Netflix's first original entertainment/variety content in 2015. The study selected entertainment/variety programs as the most appropriate genre for analyzing content diversity. These programs frequently adopt new formats, hold strategic importance for both OTT platforms and broadcasters, and align well with viewer consumption patterns. Their relatively low production costs and stable revenue generation also enable greater flexibility in diversifying topics and casting. Therefore, a total of 238 Netflix programs, 33 TVing programs, 31 Wavve programs, 276 tvN programs, 158 JTBC programs, 123 MBN programs, 116 KBS programs, 96 SBS programs, and 83 MBC programs were analyzed. The units of analysis were 'program topic' and 'program cast.' For program topic, we identified whether the social disadvantaged were included in the plot or planning intent provided by each broadcaster/platform. Program cast was defined as the group of participants appearing in a work, identifying cases where a particular group made up the entire cast or more than half of the cast, or where a specific cast member's name was mentioned in the program title. For the classification of socially disadvantaged groups, Seeman’s (1959) framework—based on dimensions of power, interaction, culture, and moral/normative aspects—was adopted. Power-disadvantaged groups included low-income individuals, women, and children/adolescents; interaction-disadvantaged groups included persons with disabilities and the elderly; and cultural/moral-normative disadvantaged groups encompassed foreigners (e.g., migrant workers and spouses), divorced or single-parent families, and sexual minorities. Reflecting Korea’s unique sociopolitical context, North Korean defectors and residents were also included (see Table 1).
Frequency analysis and the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) were employed to examine program trends. We assessed the quantitative and qualitative diversity by examining the number...