He told VOV managers and staff at a working session in Hanoi on October 13 that to keep up with regional and global broadcasting advances, VOV should boost scientific research and apply new broadcasting technology in its programme production to attract more listeners. He also stressed the need to train reporters in making modern broadcasts.

The Party official spoke highly of VOV’s achievements in providing up-to-date and reliable information to listeners living inside and outside the country in the three forms of daily radio broadcasting, online newspaper and weekly publication. He said the Vietnamese revolutionary press has developed rapidly in terms of quantity and quality and has actively participated in regional and global press activities. However, there remain certain weaknesses that need to be addressed, such as inaccurate reporting, poor management and wastefulness in developing local radio and television systems. 

For his part, VOV Director General Vu Van Hien briefed Mr Rua on the national radio’s developments in recent years. VOV now has more than 2,000 staff working as managers, reporters, technicians and broadcasting trainers. Its daily airtime now totals 193 hours, one quarter of which is for the overseas service. Especially, the radio broadcasts its programmes in 11 ethnic languages to serve listeners across the country. It also has five domestic and six foreign bureaux.  

Mr Hien said during the past years, VOV has strictly followed Party and State guidelines on press management. It has produced programmes for target audiences to disseminate Party and State policies, reflect people’s aspirations and timely react to hostile forces’ slanderous allegations.

To become a leading media agency in Vietnam, Mr Hien said VOV has spared no effort to renew its programming structure and apply modern broadcasting techniques to make its daily programmes ever more attractive to listeners.

“VOV is striving to cover the whole country with priority given to people living in remote and mountainous areas and fishing offshore,” said Mr Hien.

According to the General Director, VOV will develop multimedia services, including broadcasts on mobile phones in the near future.