A: Welcome to the very last Letter Box of 2018. During the past year we received a growing volume of feedback from our listeners around the world. We received many letters and emails from new listeners and stayed in close contact with our long-time listeners. Many listeners said they had resumed listening to VOV after an interruption of many years.

B: We’re happy to receive regular feedback from all of you. Despite rapid changes in digital technology, there’s still widespread support for shortwave broadcasting. Of course, feedback on our digital platform - vovworld.vn, the VOV App, and our Facebook fanpage - has also increased.

A: Thank you for your support for VOV on all platforms. We wish you a very Happy New Year and hope to continue receiving your feedback. As we wrap up 2018, we’re looking for a listener on whom to confer the title “VOV Listener of the Year”. Criteria for the title include frequent listening, sending frequent comments and feedback to VOV, making good suggestions for improving our broadcasts and sharing interesting stories. The winner will be announced in early 2019.

VOV New Year Greeting Card

B: Today we’d like to welcome Justin Shapper of the US. In a letter to VOV this week, he wrote: “I live in Wiggins, Mississippi. I use to listen to the Voice of Vietnam on the radio. I enjoyed learning about your wonderful country. I’m sad to say that, for some reason, I can no longer find your show on my radio. I would love to learn more about your wonderful country and visit Vietnam one day.”

A: Thank you, Mr. Shapper, for your feedback. We’ll send you our frequency list and program schedule to make it easier for you to listen to our broadcasts.

B: We’d like to welcome new listener John Pitz, also from the US. Mr. Pitz accidentally found our signal on the frequency of 7315 in the US and listened to our broadcast on November 29. He wrote: “I will listen to your broadcast again and again. I would like to have my daughter Anna listen, too, and use it as an opportunity to teach her about other cultures. Any suggested resources to teach her about Vietnamese cultures.”

A: Since its founding in 1945 the Voice of Vietnam has provided latest information on all aspects of Vietnam. In addition to shortwave broadcasts, our programs are also available on the internet at vovworld.vn, on our VOV English Service Facebook fanpage, and on the VOV mobile app. Mr. Pitz, we believe VOV is the best resource you can use to teach your daughter about Vietnamese culture. We hope to receive more frequent feedback from you.

Vietnamese soccer team

B: Next, we’d like to say hello to Frank Thys of the Netherlands, who first listened to our broadcast on December 9. He wrote: “I am a radio enthusiast who enjoys listening to long distance radio signals. It was a pleasure receiving your radio broadcast here in the Netherlands.  I am very happy. Today I could hear the 'Voice of Vietnam'. This was the first time I succeeded.”

A: Here’s a letter from Bob Nagel of the US. He listened to our broadcast on November 28 from 00:00 to 00:27 UTC on the frequency of 7315 khz. He wrote: “I always enjoy your English programs and this evening was no exception. I’m interested in the progress of the Vietnamese economy. I hope everyone at the Voice of Vietnam has a Happy New Year.”

A: Thank you, Bob, for your feedback. We’ll confirm your report with a QSL card.

B: This week many listeners cheered the success of Vietnam’s soccer team at the 2018 ASEAN Football Federation Suzuki Cup.

Vietnamese midfielder Nguyen Quang Hai

A: This year Vietnamese footballers inspired national pride and solidarity with the resounding achievements in the region: winning the AFF Suzuki Cup 2018, coming second at the Asian Football Confederation U23 Championship, and reaching the semi-finals of the Asian Games (ASIAD) for the first time. These successes were thanks to the effort of well-trained young players and their talented head coach Park Hang-seo from Korea.

B: In recognition of their achievements, the Prime Minister awarded Vietnam’s Friendship Medal to Coach Park Hang-seo and its Labour Medal, First Class to the football squad. Striker Nguyen Quang Hai received a Labour Medal, Second Class for his individual contribution to the squad’s victories.

Head Coach Park Hang-seo

A: Coach Park Hang-seo was also named one of the ‘Asians of the Year’ for 2018 by the Asia Journalists’ Association (AJA) in the society and culture category. Park was also named ‘Person of the Year’ by the Republic of Korea’s state-run TV broadcaster. 

B: Vietnam’s national men’s football team retained its 100th spot in the latest FIFA rankings released on December 20. Though their ranking remained unchanged, Vietnam rose five points from the previous month to 1,229 points.

A: Because Vietnam suffered no losses during the 2018 Suzuki Cup tournament, they continue to hold the number one spot in the Southeast Asian region, followed by the Philippines (globally ranked 116) and Thailand (118).  Vietnam was 99th in June 2011 and 84th in September 1998.

B:  This week we continued to receive New Year greetings from listeners around the world. Sudhir Pandey of India wrote: “A very Happy Christmas & New Year 2019 to all of you. I would like to say that you are doing a nice job of keeping us all informed about the events taking place in the world via radio, web site & social media. The fact is that whenever we want to learn about Vietnam and and related matters, VOV is the best and nicest way to do so. I would like to say, also, that your website and program are a very nice source of information, entertainment and knowledgeable. Please keep it up.”

B: Thank you, Sudhir Pandey and the members of your listeners’ club, for tuning in to VOV. We’re sending New Year greeting cards and calendars to our listeners around the world. We hope they will reach you soon.

A: Gerry Neumann of the UK sent us a beautiful postcard with warm wishes. He also reported on VOV reception in the UK: “I listen to VOV on the internet most of the time. Reception on shortwave here in southern England is usually very poor or impossible due to interference or a weak signal.”

B: Thank you, Gerry. It’s nice to hear from you again. We’ll forward your technical information to our technicians.

A: We’d like to acknowledge letters and emails from Sardar Munir Akhter of Pakistan, Christ Malboeuf of Canada, Nity Kumari of India, Richard Nowak of the US, Abid Hussain Sajid of Pakistan, and Shyamal Kumar Banerjee of India. We welcome your feedback at: English Service, VOVWORLD, the Voice of Vietnam, 45 Ba Trieu Street, Hanoi, Vietnam. Or you can email us at: englishsection@vov.org.vn. You’re invited to visit us online at vovworld.vn, where you can hear both live and recorded programs. Check out our VOV Media App available on both the IOS and Android platform to hear our live broadcasts. We look forward to your feedback on the mobile version of vovworld.vn. Once again, thank you all for listening. Goodbye until next time.