“Over the past years, VOV has well carried out its tasks of spreading Party guidelines and State policies as well as Government instructions, making significant contributions to national achievements,” Mr Dung told VOV leaders and staff during a working visit on March 6.

He noted that the radio has provided accurate and up-to date information about the country’s policies to every citizen, deserving to be a special newspaper of the Party, State and nation. 

He particularly praised VOV’s contributions to the fight against natural disasters, through its live broadcasts on flood and storm prevention work in the central region last year.

VOV director general Vu Van Hien briefed Mr Dung on major developments of VOV. He said the national radio is now broadcasting its programmes on six channels via SW, MW, FM, satellite and the Internet, covering almost all the national territory and many regions in the world, with a total daily airtime of nearly 200 hours. In addition, VOV online newspaper (VOVNews) and weekly newspaper help provide up-to-date information about political events inside and outside the country.

Mr Hien proposed that the Government and the Prime Minister allow VOV to continue restructuring its organisation and channels, expand its coverage to all areas including strategic locations, build a modern transmission control centre in Hanoi’s Me Tri area, and establish several more overseas bureaux.

The Prime Minister said VOV broadcasts in 11 foreign languages and ethnic languages and the webcasting of its four major channels has testified to its rapid growth in recent years, helping to bring the voice of Vietnam to listeners living inside and outside the country.

“VOV must strongly develop to become a national radio of high reputation in the region and the world,” said Mr Dung.

He welcomed the VOV plan to expand its coverage to the East Sea where between 9,000 and 12,000 fishing vessels operate every day. He hoped that VOV will soon keep fishermen offshore abreast of the latest information about coming storms, not only what is happening in Vietnam and around the world.

He asked VOV to pay more attention to improving the quality of its daily broadcasts to attract a larger number of listeners.