 Voice of Vietnam celebrates its 76th founding anniversary on September 7, 2021 |
B: In his congratulatory message, Javad Mottaghi, Secretary-General of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union wrote: “This is indeed a very great milestone in the history of any organization, but it is especially praiseworthy given the challenges your network and nation have undergone over that three-quarters of a century. Through it all, the leadership and staff of Voice of Vietnam have remained faithful to your mission to provide the people of Vietnam with the best possible broadcasting services, to aid in development, social cohesion, national growth, and the personal growth of every citizen.”
A: Mr. Mottaghi also said he believes that, after their success in containing the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Vietnamese people will defeat the virus again this time. He wrote: “The road is not an easy one, but I am sure you can take some comfort from knowing that we and all your colleagues and friends across the Asia-Pacific and around the world send you our most heartfelt best wishes at this time and in the years to come.”
B: Thank you, Mr. Javad Mottaghi, ABU Secretary-General for your beautiful message. We’d also like to thank Shivendu Paul and SB Sharma of India for their message.
 Mr. Javad Mottaghi, ABU Secretary-General in an online talk with VOV leaders |
A: Johnny Antonio Ramírez López of Peru wrote: “Congratulations, VOV! Greetings! Dear VOV, your listeners are celebrating your anniversary with much joy and affection. Thank you for your pleasant company and interesting information that helps us to become better human beings day by day. I love you very much, VOV. You are the truth, the critical opinion, the reflection, the culture, identity, and feeling of Vietnam in the world. Cám on, VOV! Cám on, Vietnam!”
B: Amir Jameel of Pakistan attached to his email a beautiful greeting card. He wrote: “Vietnam is celebrating its 76th National Day on September 2nd, commemorating President Ho Chi Minh reading the Declaration of Vietnam Independence at Ba Dinh square in Hanoi. Voice of Vietnam is celebrating its 76th founding anniversary on September 7.”
A: “Voice of Vietnam is one of the world’s leading radio stations, thanks to its informative, cultural, educational, and impressive daily programs and its hard-working professional staff, working day and night for the progress of the Voice of Vietnam. On this so happy occasion, we congratulate VOV’s management and staff for their hard work to make VOV one of the world’s leading radio stations.”
B: Thank you, Mr. Jameel, for your greetings and for your regular feedback on our programs.
A: In an email titled “Happy 76th Birthday to VOVWORLD”, Rabi Sankar Bosu of India wrote: “I would like to convey my heart-felt best wishes and congratulations with the fragrance of a bunch of red roses to the broadcasters, engineers, and others (past and present) who work for the Voice of Vietnam World Service, on the occasion of the 76th founding anniversary to be celebrated on September 7. ‘This is the Voice of Vietnam, broadcasting from Hanoi, the capital of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam’ – this enchanting announcement has become familiar to generations of listeners worldwide over the years since its inception on September 7, 1945, five days after the founding of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam by President Ho Chi Minh.”
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B: “It’s really a matter of pride that, as a part of the world radio industry over the past seven decades, VOV has played an important role in Vietnam’s development and renewal. President Ho Chi Minh always placed a high value on overseas communications and overseas radio service.”
A: Mr. Bosu shared his very good understanding of the Voice of Vietnam by listing all the channels and media forms that VOV produces to serve listeners inside and outside Vietnam. Talking about his engagement with VOV, Mr. Bosu wrote: ‘”My journey with VOV’s English Service started back in the year 1985. Nearly 36 years ago, on one midsummer evening, I happened to pick up the English broadcasts of the VOV World Service. Nowadays I listen to VOV on internet streaming. And even though I am too busy with writing articles for the international media, I always find time to visit VOV’s website! The more I visit VOV’s website, the more I am fascinated by the history, culture, society, art, food, vastness, and diversity of Vietnam. The VOV website has made me an ardent lover of Vietnam, its people, history, culture, and festivals. I hope that VOV will continue to play its key role in providing us a friendly face of Vietnam and representing Vietnam around the world. Congratulations and long live the Voice of Vietnam!”
B: Thank you, Mr. Bosu, for sharing your affection for VOV. We hope all our dear listeners will stay safe during this difficult time of pandemic. Please keep in touch to let us know you’re all fine.
A: VOV5’s English Program is proud to have been one of the first broadcasts on September 7, 1945. Since then, we have always been a channel linking international friends with Vietnam and making Vietnam better understood around the world.
B: On this special occasion, let’s go back in time and look at how the Letter Box, one of our longest and most popular programs, was created.
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A: Before the Letter Box program was created, our first program intended to interact with listeners was a program called “A small talk to American GIs”. In 1965, the first year American troops were sent to Vietnam, Radio the Voice of Vietnam began broadcasting “A small talk to American GIs” to give American soldiers another point of view about the war they were fighting.
B: Trinh Thi Ngo, an announcer better known by the name “Hanoi Hannah”, became legendary as the voice of this program, which aired nightly after each long day of fighting. The broadcast opened with the words: “This is Thu Huong, talking with American soldiers in southern Vietnam.” At first, each program was 5-6 minutes long and broadcast twice a week. Later it was extended to 30 minutes and broadcast three times a day. Ngo spent the broadcast time talking to hundreds of thousands of American servicemen.
A: Ngo used the alias “Thu Huong”, but the American GIs called her “Hanoi Hannah”, because the program was broadcast from Hanoi and Hannah is an American woman’s name that starts with the letter H. Americans like word games, Ngo said.
B: American servicemen who listened to “A small talk to American GIs” said they hated and feared Trinh Thi Ngo’s voice but were unable to resist it. Many of them, after listening to Ngo’s talks, sought ways to oppose what they began to see as an unjust war and get back home.
A: When the war ended, Ngo’s program ended as well. But many American journalists came to Vietnam to talk to her and many war veterans kept recordings of her radio broadcasts.
 A record of listeners' letters to VOV (source: Trinh Huu Tuan) |
B: At that point, a new segment called “Mailbag” was created. Trinh Huu Tuan, one of our predecessors, who worked with the Mailbag at that time, talked to us about how he produced the program. Tuan said, “Ngo did the Mailbag first, and then when Ngo stopped working, I continued the job. I read letters from listeners, selected some of the questions they asked, decided on a topic to be the theme of the next program, and made a plan. The plan determined what kind of answer was needed for each question, and decided by whom and how and when each question would be answered. I planned all this out three months in advance. It was a very exciting thing to do, because you knew you had a particular listener out there listening to you. The job was not impersonal. We felt we we’re talking to that guy. I noticed whether it was a black guy, a guy 72 years old, or a Spanish guy.”
A: Now, after many years, the Mailbag, which has been renamed the Letter Box, still serves as a bridge linking us with our listeners. It allows us to talk with them, answer their questions about Vietnam, and hear their stories as well.
B: The way we produce the Letter Box remains unchanged. The only difference is that now we receive –in addition to postal letters – emails, and comments on our website and Facebook fanpage. These new forms of interaction have brought us closer to our listeners by getting their feedback much more quickly than the days or weeks it takes to deliver a postal letter.
 A record of listeners' letters to VOV (source: Trinh Huu Tuan)
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A: Our audience is increasing and we are receiving a growing number of letters, emails, and other feedback sent to VOV, and particularly the English Section.
B: Now we’d like to share with you some more anniversary greetings from listeners. Josh Tyler, a British listener, said, 'Since learning about the VOV5 channel, I’ve spent as much time listening as I can. The programs I enjoy most are Discovery Vietnam and Vietnamese Culture. VOV was one of the main sources I had for learning about Vietnam before I came here. When I came here to work, I didn’t feel so overwhelmed. Thanks, VOV.”
A: Rudy Hartono of Indonesia has been listening to VOV regularly for 30 years. He says he is impressed by VOV’s development and VOV5’s performance connecting Indonesian listeners and Vietnamese people. “I admire VOV’s broadcasters. I’m glad that VOV has contributed to the friendly relationship between Vietnam and Indonesia. VOV is a professional media agency that broadcasts Vietnamese news in 13 languages to the world. I hope VOV will continue to develop and reach more listeners.”
B: Thank you all for tuning in to VOV’s English broadcast and leaving your comments on our Facebook fanpage. We always 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.vn. We have more great stories and videos on our website at vovworld.vn. Thank you all. Stay safe and healthy. Goodbye.