Media of Vietnam

Media of Vietnam are tightly regulated by the Vietnamese government. First and foremost, the media are a tool for government information and propaganda. The government views the media as "the voice of the party and of the masses," and sees its main function as being "to propagate the party's lines and policies."^{[citation needed]} Though market competition has caused the Vietnamese media to embrace popular culture, newspapers, radio and television are still compelled to reflect on the fundamentals of Marxism-Leninism and the ideals of Ho Chi Minh.^{[citation needed]}

Television

Vietnam Television

Main article: Vietnam Television

The first television broadcasts in Vietnam were in the 1960s when the United States set up two channels (one Vietnamese language and one in English) in Saigon.

The national broadcaster Vietnam Television (VTV) was established in Hanoi with technical assistance and training from Cuba in September 1970. VTV now is the largest television network in the nation, broadcast in nine FTA channels and available internationally via satellite. VTV also operates the largest cable network (VCTV) and a DTH satellite service. These carry the nine FTA VTV channels: VTV1 - VTV9 (no VTV 7, VTV8), fourteen Vietnamese subscription channels: VCTV1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (RealTV), 6, 7, 8 (BiBi), 9 (InfoTV), 10 (O2TV), 11 (TV Shopping), 12 (Style TV), 15 (Invest TV), Bóng Đá TV, and about 45 local & international channels.

Vietnam Multimedia Corporation (VTC)

Main article: Vietnam Multimedia Corporation

VTC operates five national channels and is the only provider of digital terrestrial television (DTT) in Vietnam. VTC's DTT service is a subscription service though piracy of the signal is rampant.

VTC is a Vietnamese state-owned corporation under Ministry of Post and Telematics. It has 3 FTA channels VBC-VTC5 -the entertainment channel, TodayTV-VTC7- the movie channel, and Let's Viet-VTC9 -the Vietnamese culture channel, and a number of subscription channels including VTC2 - the IT & ICT channel, VTC3 - The sport channel. VTC4 - the fashion and style channel, VTC6 - the movie channel. Three new channels now broadcast for examination are VTC7 - the second VTC1, VTC10 the interactive channel and VTC11 - kid's tv, VTC12 Advertising channel, VTC14 Natural Disaster, VTC16 Argiculture

In 2006, VTC Mobile TV, one of the world's first subscription TV services for mobile phones, became available using DVB-H. It is operated by Vietnam Multimedia Corporation, owners of VTC.

Local stations

These include Hanoi TV and Ho Chi Minh City Television (HTV). The latter is available over most of the Mekong Delta.

Other Subscription TV

Since 1991, hotels, restaurants, clubs, government offices and diplomatic organizations in Vietnam have been permitted under license to install and operate satellite dishes to bring in foreign programming. Nowaday, most of people in large cities (such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City) subscribe to a cable network. The largest network is VCTV (a division of VTV), follows by that of Ho Chi Minh City Television (HTV), Hanoi TV (HCTV), and Saigon Tourist Cable Service (SCTV) - a joint venture between VTV and Saigon Tourist company. The latest payTV supplier is K+ - a joint venture between Vietnam Cable Television (VCTV) and Canal+, first broadcast in later 2009 via Direct To Home (DTH).

Radio

The first Vietnamese-language radio transmission was made on September 2, 1945 when Ho Chi Minh read out the Declaration of Independence.

Prior to 1945, Vietnamese people were banned from owning radio receivers, and broadcasting was under control of the French colonial government, which established the first radio station in Vietnam, Radio Saigon, in the late 1920s.

Vietnam's national radio station, now called the Voice of Vietnam, started broadcasting from Hanoi the just a week after declaration of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. During the Vietnam War, Radio Hanoi operated as a propaganda tool of the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam.

South Vietnam set up its own network in Saigon in 1955.

Following Reunification, all of the radio stations were combined into the Voice of Vietnam, which became the national radio station in 1978.

Today, VOV strives to offer diverse, high-quality programming and in every aspect of mass media. It broadcasts on many channels, repeated on Medium wave (MW) AM, FM and shortwave (SW) AM bands throughout Vietnam and the rest of the world:

• VOV1 (MW and SW) - news, current affairs and music
• VOV2 (MW and SW) - cultural and artistic programs
• VOV3 (FM) - music & entertainment
• VOV4 (MW) - ethnic minority language programming
• VOV5 (MW) - world service broadcasts in 11 foreign languages
• VOV News - a website containing news and other aspects
• VOVTV( Television Channel)- nationally broadcast which aims at delivering update news every 30 minutes per program
• VOV newspaper 'the Voice of Vietnam'- a printed version with more in-depth contents of VOVnews website
• VOV transportation - updating information during rush hours to help people travel smoothly through traffic jams.

As of 2004, it was estimated that VOV’s programs reached more than 90% of all households in Vietnam.

In addition, most cities and provinces has their own radio stations.

Newspapers

As Vietnam moves toward a free-market economy with its doi moi measures, the government has relied on the print media to keep the public informed about its policies. The measure has had the effect of almost doubling the numbers of newspapers and magazines since 1996.

The first Vietnamese-language newspaper was the French-sponsored Gia Định Bao, established in Saigon in 1869. In the years that followed, both the nationalistic and the colonial sides relied on newspapers as a propaganda tool. During the final period of French colonialism many reporters were arrested and imprisoned and several newspaper offices closed by the authorities.

For Ho Chi Minh's revolutionary side, Vietnamese journalists covered the First Indochina War. After the war, presses were set up in Hanoi and the basis for the country's newspaper industry as it exists today was formed, with the main Communist Party organ, Nhan Dan (The People), established in 1951.

Current large Vietnamese-language newspapers include Tuoi Tre (Youth, published in Ho Chi Minh City, described as a "reformist" newspaper), Thanh Nien (Youth), Nguoi Lao Dong (Labour or The Worker), Tien Phong (Vanguard), Sai Gon Giai Phong (Liberated Saigon), and Ha noi moi (New Hanoi). Prominent French language newspapers include Saigon Eco and Le Courrier du Vietnam.

The largest online newspapers are VNexpress, Vietnam Net, Tuoi Tre, 24h.com.vn, Dan Tri. The largest online news aggregator in Vietnam is Baomoi.com

See also

• Cinema of Vietnam
• Communications in Vietnam
• Culture of Vietnam
• Current events in Southeast Asia

References

• Vietnam Pictures - A rich collection of Vietnam pictures
• Việt Nam Cultural Profile - More information about broadcasting and Internet in Việt Nam
• Voice of Vietnam: State radio broadcaster

or [1]

• VTV: State television broadcaster
• VTC: Digital TV
• Vietnam News Agency: Official state news agency
• Tuoi Tre (Youth): daily newspaper with highest circulation (in Vietnamese)
• Vietnam Net: Popular online newspaper
• VnExpress: Popular online newspaper
• 24h.com.vn: Popular online newspaper
• Nhan Dan (The People): Official Communist Party newspaper
• Vietbao CATV Official Site for Vietbao CATV
  • VietBao Channels Vietbao CATV Channels and Program Schedule
• Baomoi.com Popular online news aggregator
• LinkHay.com Leading user-powered news network