“This is the Voice of Vietnam, broadcasting from Hanoi, the capital of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.” This announcement has become familiar to millions of Vietnamese and international listeners from far and wide whenever they tune in to VOV. The national radio has also been an inspiration to Vietnamese people through all the different periods of the revolution.
Founded by the late President Ho Chi Minh and supported by the Party and State, VOV has constantly grown to become one of the best ways of conveying the Party and State’s messages to the people. It has also helped to preserve and enrich the purity of the Vietnamese language which is extremely important to the Vietnamese nation.
During the war of resistance against the French colonialists, VOV broadcast the Party and State’s instructions and orders from the General Command of the Vietnam People’s Army to encourage the army and people to take an active part in the 9-year war, culminating in the resounding victory at Dien Bien Phu in 1954.
During the war of resistance against the US imperialists and the war for national defence, VOV was the only media agency to provide information to every corner of the country, especially the soldiers and people in the southern region. It was then given the special task of disseminating orders to attack and carry out tactical feints on various fronts, helping the army and people to secure victory. It also effectively launched a propaganda campaign amongst the enemy, foiling the psychological warfare of the US and the Saigon puppet regime.
Its broadcasts focused on mobilising the people to take part in the war, promoting revolutionary heroism, the just struggle of the Vietnamese people, laying bare the crimes committed by the US imperialists and rallying international support on the diplomatic front.
In addition, VOV sent many officials, reporters and artists to cover events and give performances to soldiers on the ferocious battlefields in the central and southern regions, as well as in southern Laos.
It also assisted Laos’ National Radio and Cambodia’s National Radio to instal equipment and train reporters, fulfilling its international commitments.
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| At the control room of VOV Traffic Programme |
During the Doi Moi (Renewal) process, VOV has constantly renewed and improved the quality of its broadcasts. Notably, it has recently restructured its five channels to cater to the various tastes of listeners around the globe. It has also developed other means of media such as a journal, an online newspaper and a TV channel to bring the station’s strength into full play.
It has made a breakthrough in using modern broadcasting technology to increase its broadcasts to a total airtime of more than 200 hours per day for the purpose of closer interaction with listeners.
Its Overseas Service (VOV5) currently broadcasts in 11 foreign languages and has a programme for Vietnamese nationals living overseas. It also broadcasts programmes in 11 ethnic languages to convey the Party’s guidelines and the State’s policies to ethnic minority people.
Technically, it has frequently updated its broadcasting technology and diversified its transmission system via satellite and Webcasting. It has built FM transmitter stations on mountains in the northern, central, Central Highland and south-western regions to expand its coverage to remote, border and island areas as well as areas inhabited by ethnic minority groups. It has recently installed the latest modern equipment to enable its broadcasts to reach the East Sea, 3,500-4,000km away from the mainland.
To date VOV’s coverage reaches 99 percent of the country’s inhabited area and most important regions over the world.
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| Editing video clips for VOVTV broadcasts |
As a leading media agency, VOV has constantly increased its cooperation with radio and television broadcasters worldwide. It has established bilateral ties with more than 70 other radio and television broadcasters and it is also an active and responsible member of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union. It currently chairs the French-speaking Radio and Television International Council (CIRTEF) for the 2009-11 term.
For the past 64 years, VOV has received great attention from the Party and State. During his lifetime, President Ho Chi Minh visited VOV five times. Many other senior Party and State leaders have also visited VOV and made recommendations to improve the quality of radio programmes.
To acknowledge VOV’s tremendous contributions to the country, the Party and State have awarded it many high distinctions, including the Ho Chi Minh Order (in 1990), the Gold Star Order (in 1995), the title of Labour Hero during the Renewal process (in 2001) and Hero of the People’s Armed Forces (in 2009).
All VOV officials, reporters, technicians and artists are determined to uphold their glorious tradition and continue to fulfil the tasks assigned to them by the Party and State.