JTBC insists Tongyang Broadcasting Corporation (TBC) is ground for the return of "JoongAng Ilbo" to television in JTBC. TBC, which was a part of the Samsung Group, was launched in 1966 and ran the network for 16 years. In 1980, however, TBC was combined with the state-run Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) under the Chun Doo-hwan military regime. JTBC opened on December 1, 2011 to honor TBC, which was associated with KBS on November 30, 1980.