Under the theme “Broadcasting for a Strong and Prosperous Vietnam,” the festival brought together 34 provincial and municipal press and broadcasting agencies, along with the Military Broadcasting Center and the Public Security Communications Department, among others. Nearly 350 entries were submitted in various formats, including live broadcasts, investigative reports, and ethnic-language programs.
Notably, podcasts were included for the first time as an official competition category, with nearly 100 entries, highlighting the strong growth of audio content on digital platforms.
VOV President Do Tien Sy said that with the digital era’s profound changes in journalism, radio is no longer confined to traditional receivers but has expanded to digital platforms and smart applications.
Mr. Sy said: “In a multi-platform media era, radio is no longer just about ‘listening’ but about experience; not just ‘delivering information’ but also connecting emotions. This requires every broadcaster to continuously innovate their thinking, enhance their capabilities, master technology, and create compelling content to meet the growing demands of audiences, thereby reaffirming radio’s role and position within Vietnam’s media landscape and opening up more dynamic and creative pathways for the future.”
The festival activities included two international seminars called “Podcasting – A Creative Avenue for Radio in the Digital Era” and “Live Broadcasting in the New Era – Skills to Engage Audiences.” These events discussed global broadcasting trends and best practices in producing content for digital platforms.
Journalist Cong Vinh, Deputy Director of the News Center at the Ho Chi Minh City Radio and Television Station, said audience habits have fundamentally changed.
“Listeners no longer sit for 30 minutes or an hour as they did with traditional radio. They might spend just 20 minutes in a taxi or car, and the story is only halfway told when they leave. With podcasting, content can be distributed on platforms, broken down into shorter clips to go viral. That means we must produce radio content that works on all digital infrastructure, crafting stories in concise formats of 10 or 15 minutes,” said Mr. Vinh.
The 17th National Radio Festival converged traditional radio journalism and digital content creators to shape more modern, more engaging audio products with a stronger social impact.
