The Voice of Vietnam echoes through the ages

•  VOV in the front line of emulation

A week after its establishment, two VOV news bulletins in English and French appeared in the first transmission of the Vietnam News Agency.

In the following years VOV joined efforts with the Vietnamese people in the protracted resistance wars against French colonialists and US imperialists, as well as with its affiliates such as the Vocie of Southern Resistance, Saigon-Cho Lon, Interregion Five, Liberation CP90, Northwest-Northern Vietnam-Cao Bac Lang and Tram Cave broadcasting stations, Bach Mai, Me Tri and CK2 transmitting stations and others in the formation of a united voice of Vietnam.

In the resistance war against French colonialists, VOV had to relocate its station for 14 times to ensure its broadcasts uninterrupted. After the US air blitz over Hanoi on the nights of Dec. 21 and 22, 1972, the technical facilities of VOV were badly damaged, but the Voice of Vietnam continued echoing over the country and some parts of the world.

Hundreds of VOV’s reporters, singers and artists engaged in the two protracted resistance war. Dozens of them laid down their lives on the battlefield. The current archives of VOV still keeps 30,000 broadcasting hours or 50,000 programmes on tapes and discs which are of historical value. They have been digitalized for long-term maintenance and use such as real sound from the old battles, plants, construction sites, immortal songs, particularly Ho Chi Minh’s voice reading the Declaration of Independence and appealing for national resistance, and Saigon puppet generals’ statement of surrender.

In the process of national defence and construction over the last 66 years, VOV has always been a bridge linking the country to overseas Vietnamese and international friends. Through its radio and TV broadcasts, VOV has disseminated Party guidelines and State policies to the people of all ethnic groups in the country and its listeners also have had plenty of opportunity to access and give feedback to favourite programmes such as ‘National Assembly and voters’ and ‘Government and people’, so on and so forth.

Over the last 20 years of the renewal process, VOV has received much attention from the Party and State and care and love from its listeners. Many of its broadcasting stations in the country have been upgraded and modernised. A large number of young reporters and technicians have been employed and trained to give the best service to listeners.

Currently, VOV has 48 broadcasting stations across the country, 19 of which are located on high mountains. Its programmes cover 99.5% of Vietnam’s territory. Everyday, VOV broadcasts nearly 200 hours on 90 AM, FM, SW frequencies via the satellite and the internet to all parts of the country and the world.

Many interesting programmes are broadcast and re-broadcast in all 4 forms of the press. Interactive channels include VOV1, VOV transport and VOV online. Currently, VOV has a total staff of 2,200 including professional editors, reporters, technicians and artists. It has been twice awarded the ‘Hero’ title by the Party and State. The News and Current Affairs channel, VOV1 was awarded the ‘Hero in the Renewal process’ and the Broadcasting Technology Center the ‘Hero of the Armed Forces’ title to mark VOV’s 66th founding anniversary for its contributions to the cause of national construction and defence.