World Bank director for Vietnam Victoria Kwakwa met with VOV Director General Vu Van Hien in Hanoi on March 18 to discuss the possibility of cooperation.

Ms Kwakwa acknowledged that the media and press, particularly VOV, have played an important role in Vietnam’s vigorous growth.

In recent years, the WB has lent assistance to Vietnam in poverty reduction and research activities. Its loans to Vietnam have proven effective in such fields as traffic, education, energy, and rural development. Ms Kwakwa said the WB is pleased at the effective management of its investments in Vietnam.

Dr Hien said VOV has tried its best to act as a link between the government and the public, and to produce programmes aimed at reducing poverty, fighting social evils, protecting the environment, and developing the economy.

VOV now encompasses radio and TV broadcasting, print, and online journalism, which create an enormous combined strength for the agency. It broadcasts in 12 ethnic languages for domestic listeners and in 12 foreign languages for overseas listeners. VOV can now reach nearly 100 percent of Vietnam’s population, including most of the East Sea.

VOV recently launched two traffic information channels in Vietnam’s biggest cities - Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City - which have proved useful and popular.