The presidential transition team will abolish a controversial newspaper law and create an alternative.

Transition team spokesman Lee Dong-gwan said the new government will repeal the newspaper law to give media firms more autonomy and boost the industry.

Enacted under the current government, the law is aimed at enhancing managerial transparency at newspaper companies and narrowing the gap between large and small newspapers.

But the law has been criticized by major newspapers, who called it a violation of press freedoms.

The spokesman said the alternative law will also allow newspaper companies to own and operate broadcasting units in preparation for change in the media environment.

He dismissed speculations about realignment of state-run broadcasting companies and privatization of a particular TV station, saying that nothing has been finalized about their reorganization.

The spokesman added that the incoming president’s only directive was to set up a media committee and have it review broadcasting issues.