Origins of the network can be traced back to 1964, when
JoongAng Ilbo, then a part of
Samsung, founded the
Tongyang Broadcasting Corporation (TBC) and ran the network for 16 years until it was forced to merge with the state-run
KBS by the military regime of
Chun Doo-hwan in 1980. At its founding in 2011, some media analysts considered the return of
JoongAng Ilbo to television in JTBC as the reincarnation of TBC.
JoongAng Ilbo wanted to reuse the name Tongyang Broadcasting Corporation, but failed because
Taegu Broadcasting Corporation has held the rights to TBC in South Korea since 1994. ;Timeline • June 26, 1964:
Tongyang Broadcasting Corporation launches. • December 7, 1964: TBC-TV starts broadcasting on channel 7. • November 30, 1980: TBC-TV merges with
KBS Television by the special law of
Chun Doo-hwan, president of military authorities, resulting in the launch of
KBS 2TV. • July 22, 2009: Amendment of the media law was passed by the national assembly to deregulate the media market of South Korea. It was a response from the South Korean government to the
Chojoongdong (
The Chosun Ilbo,
JoongAng Ilbo, and
The Dong-A Ilbo), which were the major media conglomerates, aiming to launch the cable market. • December 31, 2010: JTBC, TV Chosun, MBN, and Channel A are selected as "general cable television channel broadcasters". • March 11, 2011:
JoongAng Ilbo establishes the JTBC corporation. • December 1, 2011: JTBC (short for Joongang Tongyang Broadcasting Company) starts broadcasting on channel 15. • May 2013: Former
MBC news anchor
Sohn Suk-hee is designated as JTBC's new president for its news division. • January 2015: JTBC constructs a new building in
Digital Media City in
Sangam-dong,
Seoul. • November 2018:
Sohn Suk-hee is promoted to JTBC's president and CEO. • June 2019: JTBC acquires the Korean rights to the
Olympic Games from
2026 to
2032. • April 2020: JTBC moves its newscasts to Creation Hall, starting with
JTBC Newsroom, with its other programs following suit on May 18. • June 2021: JTBC buys a majority stake in production company Wiip from
Creative Artists Agency (CAA). ==Programs==