B: Sultan Mahmud Sarker, President of Bangladesh’s Shetu Radio Fan Club, told us: “We will be with you in the new year as in the previous year. I will listen to all VOV World Service events and send feedback on the new programs. We are always with you on this assumption that radio is our constant companion. I wish you all the best of health and longevity.”
A: Mohamed Elsayed Abd Elraheim of Egypt emailed us to say: “The months of 2019 have passed and we have experienced beautiful as well as sad events. But we hope that next year will be the most beautiful and best year for us and everyone around us and the world. I congratulate you and convey my greetings and many thanks to VOV. I wish you more progress and success in the new year 2020."
B: Rasheed Naz of Pakistan wrote on our website: “First of all I want to say thank you for your amazing fantastic program. I really appreciate your program. I enjoy listening to programs both on shortwave radio and online streaming. Reception quality is good and programs are interesting, informative, and entertaining. Sending you love, our warmest Christmas wishes, and glad tidings, from our family to yours. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!”
A: Vicentiu Daniel Gheorghe of Romania wrote: “On the occasion of the winter holidays and the end of the year I wish much more health, prosperity, and happiness to the members of VOV and their families. Happy New Year!”
B: Many thanks to all of you for your kind wishes and support for VOV. We wish you a new year filled with prosperity, joy, and contentment. New year is new hopes, new resolutions, new spirits, good health, happiness, and success. VOV, of course, will have many fantastic programs for you.
A: From South Korea, Kwon Dae-geun told us that he has been listening to shortwave stations since 1979. He listens to many broadcasters on shortwave everyday. He eagerly listens to VOV broadcasts in Korean and now in English. He gets a lot of information about Vietnam through VOV’s broadcasts, he said.
B: He also said: “I visited Hanoi and Halong Bay in Vietnam last year, but in February 2020 I will travel to Da Nang and Da Lat. Vietnam is a beautiful country. I would like to continue traveling to many places in Vietnam. It was a pleasure to hear in your “Discovery Vietnam” segment about the agricultural tourism of Lam Dong province where Da Lat city is located."
A: Thank you, Mr. Kwon, for tuning in and writing to the English Service. We hope to welcome you to our office at 45 Ba Trieu street when you come to Vietnam next year.
 The jury board of VOV's K-POP singing contest. |
B: We’re very glad that the Korean section has listeners inside and outside Vietnam. Our Korean programs attract a lot of young Vietnamese who are fond of Korean culture, music, movies, fashion, and art. VOV’s cooperation with RoK radio stations and organizations has helped promoted these programs abroad.
A: A big event late this year and early next year will be VOV’s K-POP Contest and Concert. Many K-POP fans have contacted us to ask about VOV’s 2019 K-Pop Contest. In two months, the jury board has received 400 entries and selected 29 for the final to be held on Friday, December 20th, at VOV’s Theater. The show will be broadcast live on VOV’s radio channels, vov.vn website, and television channels, including Vietnam Journey and VTC.
B: The judges well-known singers and songwriters from Vietnam and South Korea. Among them are Yang Jung-seung, also known as Midas Son, who has produced well-known Korean singers like Kim Jong-kook, Kim Bum-soo, MC The Max, and Lee Sun-hee, and choreographer Lee Won-woo, who played a key role in the BTS band’s “Love yourself” concert in 2018 and in the music video for “Idols”.
A: After the K-POP contest VOV will co-organize a “2020 K-Pop Super Concert” on January 11th, 2020, with Sublime Entertainment Concert Company and To&Ro Media. Top Vietnamese and Korean singers and bands will appear on the stage, including EXO-SC, NCT 127, SHINee, ELRIS, ACE, and Alphabat.
B: The event commemorates 27 years of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the RoK and one year since the first Korean language program was broadcast on VOV5.
A: I’m reading a message from Leônidas dos Santos Nascimento, a 53-year old man living in Brazil. He says he started listening to shortwave stations in 1978, when he first heard Portuguese Canada Radio. He fell in love with the hobby and was a very active DXer, and a technical monitor for Radio RSA South Africa, Vatican Radio, DW, Taiwan and NHK World Radio Japan.
B: Leônidas went on to say: “Unfortunately, for professional reasons I was off the radio between 2012 and 2018. On my return I was very sad to note the termination of services by several broadcasters. But I am very happy with those who have maintained their service. I commit myself whenever I can I listen to them and send reception reports. In many remote locations on the planet this means of communication is still the most effective way to keep people informed of what is happening in the world.”
A: It’s lovely to correspond with Dx’ing enthusiasts like you. Your story has inspired us a lot. We hope to hear such stories from other listeners. Leônidas told us: “To do my listening I recently purchased a Xhdata D-808 Brand receiver and a DZ Ultimate loop antenna with a 7-meter long wire, because unfortunately I do not have enough space to install a large antenna.”
B: We’ll send you a QSL card to confirm your report together with a frequency list and schedule of our English programs. Some listeners have asked for scripts of our audio programs. We’re sorry. We don’t provide scripts of our programs, but on our website you can read daily news and features.
A: Jayanta Chakrabarty of India emailed us to mention an award honoring Vietnamese scientists for their outstanding achievements in specialized fields like rice production, pharmaceuticals, physics, and genetics.
B: He wrote: “Three of these notable scientists received the L'Oreal-UNESCO Award, which will encourage them to greater achievements. It is heartening to note that female citizens of Vietnam are given equal opportunities to pursue their field of study. They have proved that they can contribute as much towards building a resilient, self-sufficient, prosperous, and proud nation. They are examples of the increasingly active role women are playing in the betterment of Vietnamese society. Credit must be given to the foresight and pragmatism of Vietnam’s government for taking a proactive role in women's education and welfare.”
A: Thank you all for your reports and feedback. We’ll send you QSL cards to confirm them. We welcome your feedback at: English Service, VOVworld, the Voice of Vietnam, 45 Ba Trieu street, Hanoi, Vietnam. Or you can email us at: englishsection@vov.org.vn. You’re invited to visit us online at vovworld.vn, where you can hear both live and recorded programs.
B: Check out our VOV Media App, available on both the IOS and Android platform to hear our live broadcasts. We look forward to your feedback on the mobile version of vovworld.vn. Once again, thank you all for listening. Goodbye until next time.