The inauguration of the new VOV Head Quarters at 58 Quan Su street, Hanoi

Established in 1945 as the mouthpiece of the Party and State, Radio the Voice of Vietnam has echoed the people’s aspirations to the leaders. During the resistance wars, the local radio broadcasting system played a significant part in encouraging the fighting spirit of the soldiers and people.

In parallel with the national development, VOV is the sole press agency having 4 communications genres – radio, TV, print and online newspaper. VOV’s transmissions cover 99.5% of Vietnam’s territory and almost all of Vietnam’s territory in the East Sea, with a total broadcast time of 200 hours per day.

VOV runs several channels: the News and Current Affairs channel (VOV1), the Culture, Science and Education channel (VOV2), the Music, News and Entertainment channel (VOV3), the Ethnic Languages channel (VOV4) the Overseas Service channel (VOV5), and the VOV Traffic channel. VOV5 now broadcasts in 12 languages, including Vietnamese for Vietnamese who are living abroad. Radio the Voice of Vietnam has 5 domestic bureaus and 9 foreign bureaus. Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Thanh Son says: “Radio the Voice of Vietnam, with its signature “This is the Voice of Vietnam, broadcasting from Hanoi, capital of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam”, is the pride of the Vietnamese Party and State. VOV is the voice of the nation. It is the official broadcasting agency of the nation. It has a time-honored history and heroic tradition. The Party and State want VOV to be broadcast not only throughout Vietnam but on all 5 continents.”

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung pressed the button the start the East Sea program

Since the inauguration of VOV’s East Sea program, the fishermen have been very happy. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung appreciates the program’s wide coverage, which benefits about 1 million Vietnamese fishermen. They now receive timely information about Party guidelines and Government policy, weather forecasts, sheltering from storms, and rescue on the sea.

VOV5 reporters in a working trip to Vinh Phuc province

The Vietnamese Party and State consider overseas Vietnamese to be an indispensable part of the nation. VOV is a communication bridge between Vietnam and Vietnamese people living far from home. The program for Vietnamese living abroad has become a close friend of Vietnamese people in 70 countries and territories. 84-year old Le Van Duyen in San Jose, California, the US, says: “I listen to VOV for news about Vietnam. My children and I want to know about life, society, culture, and arts in our country. Every night, my wife and I listen to Vietnamese songs on VOV and we always wait for the program. VOV tells me what I need to know.

Images of a beautiful Vietnamese nation full of hospitable people have been introduced to many international friends. Many listeners worldwide say listening to VOV is their frequent activity. VOV’s programs are now available on the website www.vovworld.vn, which offers another approach to information about Vietnam. Listeners have launched VOV fan clubs to listen to VOV together. An Indonesian listener comments: “VOV’s information is precise and I like it. Indonesian listeners are interested in cultural and economic news, and Vietnam’s development. We also love Vietnamese music, which is unique. Stories about daily life and the countryside are also interesting. We often discuss the news we hear.”

Letters, postcards, and telephone calls from listeners are a reward for VOV’s staff which helps them produce better programs to meet listeners’ expectations.

Radio has faced strong competition from advanced multi-media. But with its advantages of fast information transmission and inexpensive investment cost, radio remains a useful channel for Vietnamese and international listeners.

Le Phuong