CJ ENM ADMITS TO VOTE RIGGING SCANDAL

[Anchor Lead]

CJ ENM has issued an apology for vote rigging allegations surrounding its popular audition show. The company also announced measures to better address the issue. But the plans, which came five months after the controversy surfaced, are not concrete enough to soothe the discontent and disappointment of victims and viewers.

[Pkg]

[Soundbite] "Vote for your boy now."

CJ ENM's audition shows became a mega hit by calling viewers "public producers" and encouraging them to participate and vote for deserving candidates. However, allegations were raised that viewer votes and rankings of contestants were manipulated throughout the seasons. CJ ENM's CEO Heo Min-heoi eventually apologized for the vote rigging scandal.

[Soundbite] HEO MIN-HEOI(CJ ENM CEO) : "I would like to offer my sincere apology for the scandal that disappointed everyone."

But it came some five months after the controversy arose in July. The company promised to seek ways to compensate victims. CJ ENM plans to first of all, create a 30-billion-won music fund with proceeds earned through the audition program.

[Soundbite] HEO MIN-HEOI(CJ ENM CEO) : "The fund will be managed and operated by an independent, outsourced agency and used in helping to boost the music industry and developing K-pop."

It also promised to provide financial compensation and support contestants who suffered damage because of the ranking manipulations. However, there are no detailed compensation plans drawn up yet. The company still hasn't revealed the original rankings of contestants. They claim this is due to concerns of secondary damage. CJ ENM issued the apology in the face of a barrage of public criticism. The company, at the same time, made it clear, the vote rigging was a personal wrongdoing committed by the show's producer and there was neither systematic intervention across the company nor involvement by senior officials. Police is conducting an investigation into vote rigging allegations involving another audition show "Idol School."