• Korean journal of communication and information
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• v.43
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• pp.173-208
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• 2008

This study analyses the business performance according to the business diversification of Korean mass media enterprises from year 2003 to 2006. The conclusions drawn which could be divided into five main parts are the followings: First, newspaper companies pursue unrelated diversification in various industrial areas, in order to gain maximum profit while broadcasting companies exert themselves to provide better service by diversifying the major contents. Second, overall the interviewed companies display a constant decline in profit gained from their major business area thus establishing strategies to broaden their focus on diversification of any sort. Third, the researcher completed group analysis in regard of diversification measure resulting in division of three groups. The group which had the most immense diversification range gained the highest ROE, the lowest ROE volatility, and lesser probability of risk taking. The analysis adresses the companies broadening their business areas by researching and focusing on diversification are relatively stable in terms of the profit they gain. Fourth, the middle level group in terms of sales scale, debts, enterprise history, major share rate and high ROE group carry out diversification progressively. The sales scale affects positively to diversification, while the major share rate affects negatively to diversification. Fifth, in accordance to the research, diversification overall contributes to obtainance of successful outcome. Since there was not an immense amount of studies to be referred in the media area, the researcher interviewed and did panel discussion with numerous strategists and managers who are in charge of diversification of media companies. However, collection of only 4 years of data limits the research to be considered to be a generalized study, and does not reflect time gap between business diversification and business performance. Development is required in future studies to be established regarding the media companies' specificity different to other industries, classified the media companies into media types, and consider the time gap in the diversification activities and business performance.