Vietnam Television Network


Vietnam Television, sometimes also unofficially known as the National Television, Saigon Television or Channel 9, was one of two national television broadcasters in South Vietnam from February 7, 1966, until just before the Fall of Saigon on April 29, 1975. It was the first television broadcaster in Vietnam.
THVN9 was operated by the Vietnamese Bureau of Television, part of the General Department of Radio, Television, and Cinema in the Ministry of Propaganda. Vietnam Television broadcast from the capital Saigon on channel 9 in FCC-standard black and white. However, from 1972, all important events were broadcast in color as standard.
The other national broadcaster was the English-language Armed Forces Vietnam Network or NWB-TV on channel 11. Both channels used an airborne transmission relay system from airplanes flying at the high altitudes, called Stratovision, as part of Operation Blue Eagle.

History

Vietnam Television Station was established in 1965; its first broadcast was on February 7, 1966, at 6:58 pm, and the last one was at 11:58 pm on April 29, 1975. The first broadcast recorded images of Prime Minister Nguyễn Cao Kỳ and US ambassador Cabot Lodge Jr.|Cabot Lodge]. Initially lasting for an hour, the duration was later increased to two hours. On October 25, 1966, THVN's first above-ground establishment was finished.
THVN was established at the same time as AFRTS, which was renamed as AFVN in 1967. THVN broadcast on band 9, while AFVN on frequency band 11. AFVN broadcast the landing of Neil Armstrong on the Moon in 1969 for audiences in South Vietnam.
Recording was first performed at the National Cinema Center No. 9 on Thi Sach Street. In 1967, THVN was split into 2 separate departments - Cinema and Television. THVN's headquarter was moved to 9 Hồng Thập Tự Avenue - which later became the headquarter of the current Ho Chi Minh City Television.
Historical events in early 1975 were also broadcast by Saigon Television. The chaotic and bloody evacuation from the Central Highlands to Tuy Hoa along Highway 7, dubbed as the "Convoy of Tears" was broadcast on television - causing more terror for the people in the South. This was followed by a live broadcast of the resignation speech of President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu on the evening of April 21, 1975.
On April 30, the TV crew of THVN9 went to the Independence Palace to broadcast for President Dương Văn Minh, but did not because around 7 am, Minh told everyone to leave. A few hours later, the regime of the Republic of Vietnam ended.
The last broadcast of THVN9 was from 18:45 to 22:45 on April 29, 1975, the day before the Fall of Saigon. After the Fall of Saigon, THVN9 was handed over to the Viet Cong. Vietnam Television's final programming aired the evening of April 29, 1975.
The next day, the station was reconstituted as Saigon Liberation Television Station with a live broadcast of South Vietnamese President Dương Văn Minh's surrender. However, SGTV became Ho Chi Minh City Television on May 1, 1975. The first broadcast was about the declaration of surrender by Dương Văn Minh.
On July 2, 1976, THVN was reorganized as Ho Chi Minh City Television.

Governance and corporate structure

Board

Services


File:Nguyễn Văn Thiệu, Nguyễn Cao Kỳ during a press conference on the eve of the national election, 2 September 1967.png|thumb|right|Lieutenant-General Nguyen Van Thieu at the microphone during a press conference on the eve of the national election, 2 September 1967. Prime Minister Nguyen Cao Ky is to right conference took place at Independence Palace.

TimeThursday, March 2, 1972
18:00Signal theme
and saluting to the national flag,
then the present of daily list
18:05Short news
18:10Civil defence
19:00Announcement
19:05Weekly news
19:15New music to audiences
20:00News
20:30Mobilize voice
21:00Criticize
21:10Mobilize voice
21:30Press review
21:40International news
21:50Drama Lady from Hatien
of Southern Wind band
22:30Exclusive news
22:35Drama Lady from Hatien
24:00Signal theme
and saluting to the national flag,
then saying goodbye

List of featured programmes broadcast by the THVN9 :
*
Nearby permanent programmes, THVN9's directorate permitted all of South Vietnames citizens to have the right to "bidding" for buying the TV signal. Normally including officials, scholars, especially artists. Languages included Vietnamese, Chinese, French, English, Khmer and Montagnard.
In divided Vietnam, the highlight of Vietnamese Catholicism and the Fátima messages was the visit of one of a few official statues of Our Lady of Fátima to South Vietnam in 1965. Originally scheduled for a three-month visit, this particular statue came from the Blue Army of [Our Lady of Fátima|Blue Army] chapter in Australia and ended up traveling the country until 1967. It was known as the “immaculate heart” statue because it puts her heart on the outside. This event was THVN lively recorded.
Nearby the media, THVN9 Network also sponsored the Young Music Festival and Vietnam Film Day. During the 1970s, Young Music Festival was the biggest cultural event in Asia and Oceania. It has attracted many vocalists and bands from South Vietnam, Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and even the United States. Their purpose was an anti-war exhortation and a supporting peace for whole world.
On 27 April 1971, THVN9 reported Taiwanese singer Teresa Teng's tour. She performed at Lệ Thanh Theatre, Bát Đạt Grand Hotel in the capital Saigon for a month, then visited the Western Delta. Teng performed first hit No of composer Nguyễn Ánh 9 by Japanese and Mandarin language.

Cultural significance

Inheritances

After 30 April 1975, total of videotapes were transferred to People's Army of Vietnam's Archives at No. 83 Lý Nam Đế street in Hanoi. However, some still existed by collectors. Many other copytapes were held by governments such as Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, West Germany, Hong Kong, India, Japan, New Zealand, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States. Besides, many of them were still used by modern Vietnamese filmmakers to do propaganda documentary ones.
From 2010, journalist Lê Quang Thanh Tâm has begun sharing some THVN9 tapes to Facebook and YouTube. Although clause as old reports of singers and actors. In 2020, he has ever litigated Asia Entertainment Inc. for a copyright theft when they registered as an owner on YouTube channel with these tapes.
In Los Angeles during the 1980s, some former technicians re-established THVN9 to broadcast news and dramas by Vietnamese language for service to the Vietnamese American community. They registered a trademark as the Abroad-THVN Television Network to differentiate former THVN9 or Domestic-THVN.

Documents

  • : Trường Kỳ's memoir
  • Lê Quang Thanh Tâm, Điện ảnh miền Nam trôi theo dòng lịch sử, Hochiminh City Culture & Arts Publishing House, Saigon, 2015
  • Phạm Công Luận, Hồi ức, sưu khảo, ghi chép về văn hóa Sài Gòn, Phuongnam Books & Thegioi Publishing House, Saigon, 2016-2022