In the wake of fiscal challenges following the repeal of a support ordinance by the Seoul City Council, proposals have surfaced during a recent discussion on how to restore TBS, the Seoul public broadcaster. Experts suggest that to achieve financial independence, TBS must diversify its funding sources, moving away from heavy reliance on Seoul City's budget. This includes establishing a framework where financial contributions are shared among all 25 autonomous districts, thus reducing dependency on any single power entity. Moreover, it is proposed that citizen-driven budget initiatives and sponsorship models be combined to reposition TBS as a true 'citizen media' outlet.

Kim Chun-hyo, the director of the Media Reform Policy Group, emphasized the importance of altering TBS's funding structure to enhance institutional independence. He warned that as long as financial dependence rests on specific powers, the independence of media institutions can be compromised by political pressures. He advocated for the support from the Seoul City budget to be framed as a 'clearly capped supplementary resource' while simultaneously institutionalizing the financial contributions from the district governments to mitigate over-reliance on a single authority.

Additionally, Kim pointed out the inadequacies of TBS’s role in fostering 'local democracy,' mentioning that had TBS been proactive in monitoring local governance, the issues surrounding council member Kim Kyung could have been avoided. He argued for a stronger focus on fact-based journalism to scrutinize elected powers in Seoul and suggested that TBS should function as a 'news hub,' akin to the BBC in the UK, by collaborating with grassroots media outlets or taking cues from initiatives like the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium to boost local information and grassroots news development.