Vietnam Television Network

Vietnam Television (Vietnamese: Đài Truyền-hình Việtnam,[1][2] abbreviated THVN[3]), sometimes also unofficially known as the National Television (Đài Truyền-hình Quốc-gia[1]), Saigon Television (Đài Truyền-hình Sàigòn[1]) or Channel 9 (Đài số 9, THVN9), was one of two national television broadcasters in the 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.[4]

For the current national broadcaster, see Vietnam Television.
Vietnam Television
Channel 9
CountrySouth Vietnam
Broadcast areaVietnam, Kampouchea
Headquarters9 Hồng Thập Tự[note 1] Avenue, Saigon
Ownership
OwnerRadio-Television Public Broadcasting Centre
National Government
Joint General Staff
History
Launched7 February 1966
Closed29 April 1975
Replaced bySGTV (May 1, 1975)
Availability
Terrestrial
Over the air analogChannel 9[note 2]

THVN9 was operated by the Vietnamese Bureau of Television (Nha Vô-tuyến Truyền-hình Việtnam[1]), part of the General Department of Radio, Television, and Cinema (Tổng-cuộc Truyền-thanh Truyền-hình và Điện-ảnh[1]) in the Ministry of Propaganda.[5] Vietnam Television broadcast from the capital Saigon on channel 9 (4.5 MHz) in FCC-standard black and white.[4][6] However, from 1972, all important events were broadcast in color as standard.[7]

The other national broadcaster was the English-language Armed Forces Vietnam Network or NWB-TV on channel 11.[8] Both channels used an airborne transmission relay system from airplanes flying at the high altitudes, called Stratovision, as part of Operation Blue Eagle.

History
See also: AFVN

Vietnam Television Station (THVN) 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.[9] Initially lasting for an hour,[10] the duration was later increased to two hours. On October 25, 1966, THVN's first above-ground establishment was finished.[11]

THVN was established at the same time as AFRTS (Armed Forces Radio Television Service), which was renamed as AFVN (Armed Forces Vietnam Network) in 1967.[9] THVN broadcast on band 9, while AFVN on frequency band 11.[12] AFVN broadcast the landing of Neil Armstrong on the Moon in 1969 for audiences in South Vietnam.[13]

Recording was first performed at the National Cinema Center No. 9 on Thi Sach Street.[14][15] In 1967, THVN was split into 2 separate departments - Cinema and Television.[16] THVN's headquarter was moved to 9 Hồng Thập Tự Avenue (now Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street) - which later became the headquarter of the current Ho Chi Minh City Television.[17]

American television started in Vietnam on January 22, 1966 with tests on two channels. On February seventh, regular transmissions commenced with American programming on channel 11 and Vietnamese broadcasts on channel 9.
No permanent studio had been built, so three C-121 Super Constellation aircraft, known as Blue Eagles, were specially outfitted with film projectors and transmitters. A fourth Blue Eagle was radio only. It was used to relay audio of the 1965 World Series. Circling high over South Vietnam and transmitting U.S. TV programs on Channel 11, the Blue Eagles provided extended coverage to Americans who were arriving in increasing numbers. Steve Robbins was an organizer of Project Jenny which led to the Blue Eagle flights. He has a wealth of photos and information on his web site.
Later in 1966, a permanent TV station was completed at 9 Hong Thap Tu in Saigon. A huge antenna provided more reliable coverage. Hours were expanded and daily newscasts began. Concurrently, several detachments added television. A complete station was mounted in a van the size of a large semi trailer. The mountaintop locations of some detachments provided excellent coverage.
But unlike radio, AFVN television programming could not be fed directly from the Saigon key station to detachments. Wideband technology still was primitive in the late '60s. Programs on videotape and film were rotated among detachments using a weekly film flight and postal mail. In Saigon, sign-on was around noon daily while most detachments started transmissions around 4PM on weekdays and at noon on Saturday and Sunday. Troops watched favorite stateside series such as Bonanza, Mission Impossible, Gunsmoke, Laugh-In and Hawaii Five-O. Tape-delayed NFL football games and the ever-popular Roller Derby were other highlights. A soldier could even watch the series Combat on AFVN-TV. When Archie Bunker and All In The Family broke new ground, Archie's antics were seen weekly on AFVN-TV.
Television service continued until the American troop population dropped in 1971-72. Detachments were closed and AFVN-TV left the air in early 1973 as the Paris Peace Accords took effect. Most equipment and facilities were transferred to THVN, the South Vietnamese TV network.

— Billy Williams, Television in Vietnam, Popular Electronics magazine, April 1966[18] ）[19]
Color filming units of THVN9 broadcasting a National Armed Forces Day parade, Saigon, 16 June 1971.

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.[20] 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.[5] 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.[21]

The next day, the station was reconstituted as Saigon Liberation Television Station (Đài Truyền-hình Sài-gòn Giải-phóng,[1] SGTV) 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 (on channel HTV9 nowadays) was about the declaration of surrender by Dương Văn Minh.

On July 2, 1976, THVN was renamed as Ho Chi Minh City Television (HTV).

Governance and corporate structure

Board
  • Executive committee : LC Đỗ Việt[22] (first director), FD Đỗ Tiến Đức (second director), Lê Hoàng Hoa (first deputy director and executive producer)...
  • Operational divisions : Hoàng Trọng (music producer), Hoàng Thái (camera operator), Robert C. Gassert (technical advisor), Wyndham P. Duncan (sound advisor), Hoàng Thị Lệ Hợp (newsreader), Mai Thy (newsreader), Tuyết Mai (newsreader), Mai Liên (newsreader), Nguyễn Đình Khánh (newsreader), Nguyễn Văn Đông, Nguyễn Thế Bảo, Trần Văn Trạch (MC), Ngọc Phu (MC)...
  • Co-operators : Hoàng Thi Thơ, Hồ Điệp, Thẩm Thúy Hằng, La Thoại Tân, Kim Cương, Túy Hồng, Tùng Lâm, Khả Năng, Thanh Việt, Trần Thiện Thanh, Mai Lệ Huyền, Phạm Duy, Tâm Phan, Trần Quang, Hùng Cường, Bạch Tuyết, Trường Kỳ, Nam Lộc, Nguyễn Thành Châu, Phùng Há, Thanh Nga, Túy Hoa, Thành Được, Út Bạch Lan, Minh Vương, Lệ Thủy, Thanh Sang, Út Trà Ôn, Diệp Lang, Phượng Liên, Kiều Chinh, Dũng Thanh Lâm, Văn Chung, Thanh Lan, Thanh Tuyền, Chế Linh, Bạch Lan Hương, Tuyết Lan, Quốc Dũng, Kiểu Hạnh, Mộng Tuyền, Dũng Thanh Lâm, Huỳnh Thanh Trà, Phương Hồng Quế, Phương Hồng Hạnh, Phương Đại, Du Tử Lê, Khánh Ly, Trịnh Công Sơn...

Services

Ladies and gentlemen ! This is Vietnam Television, broadcast on channel 9.[5][23]

— Start

Ladies and gentlemen ! Now the time of Vietnam Television is end.
We usually try improving at items as information, education and entertainment. So wish you to be content with a little.
Goodbye and see again tomorrow, also on channel 9 of our Network.[5]

— Final
Lieutenant-General Nguyen Van Thieu at the microphone during a press conference on the eve of the national election, 2 Sep. 1967. Prime Minister Nguyen Cao Ky is to right conference took place at Independence Palace.
Lieutenant-General Nguyen Van Thieu takes the oath of office as president of the Republic of Vietnam. Vice President Nguyen Cao Ky and Grand-General Cao Van Vien stand behind and to President Thieu's right.
Time Thursday, 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
(continue)
21:30Press review
21:40International news
21:50Drama Lady from Hatien
of Southern Wind band
22:30Exclusive news
22:35Drama Lady from Hatien
(continue)
24:00Signal theme
and saluting to the national flag,
then saying goodbye

List of featured programmes broadcast by the THVN9 :

  • 00 giờ (00 o'clock entertainment show) by Thẩm Thúy Hằng
  • 15 phút chuyện vui (15 minutes for funny stories) by La Thoại Tân
  • Ban thiếu nhi Gió Khơi (Offshore Wind band) by Bùi Duy Tâm & Hùng Lân[24]
  • Ban Tiếng Tơ Đồng (Sound-of-Musical-Instrument band) by Hoàng Trọng
  • Ban Tuổi Xanh (Green Age band) by Kiều Hạnh
  • Chương trình ca nhạc thiếu nhi Nguyễn Đức (Nguyen Duc's show)
  • Chương trình thiếu nhi Xuân Phát (Xuan Phat's show) by Xuân Phát
  • Đố vui để học (Funny charades for study) by Vũ Khắc Khoan (producer), Đinh Ngọc Mô (announcer) and Cao Thanh Tùng (announcer)
  • Giác ngộ (Awakening) by Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam
  • Giờ kịch Kim Cương (Kim Cuong's drama show)
  • Giờ kịch Sống (Life's drama show) by Túy Hồng
  • Giờ kịch Thẩm Thúy Hằng (Tham Thuy Hang's drama show)
  • Giờ kịch Vũ Đức Duy (Vu Duc Duy's drama show)
  • Giờ Mai Lệ Huyền (Mai Le Huyen's show)[25][26][27][28]
  • Giờ nhạc trẻ (Young Music's show) by Trường Kỳ[29] & Nam Lộc[30]
  • Hoa bách hợp (Fleur-de-lys) by Vietnamese Scout Association
  • Hoa hồng xám (Grey Roses's drama show) by Tâm Phan
  • Hoàng Thi Thơ (Hoang Thi Tho's show)[31][32][33][34]
  • Hoa thế hệ (Flowers from our generation)
  • Nhóm Tiếng Hát Đôi Mươi (Singing-of-Age-Twenty's show) by Trần Thiện Thanh
  • Phúc âm (Gospel's hour) by Christian and Missionary Alliance of Vietnam
  • Tạp lục Tùng Lâm (Tung Lam's vaudeville) / Tiếu vương hội (Comedy kings) by Tùng Lâm[35]
  • Thép súng (For Soldiers)
  • Thế giới trẻ em (World of children) by Lê Văn Khoa
  • Thể thao (Sport's hour)
  • Tiếng chuông chùa (Bell ring from the pagoda) by Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam
  • Tuồng cải lương (Reformed theater's hour)
  • Tuyển lựa ca sĩ (Selection of singers)
  • Truyền hình Đắc Lộ (Alexandre de Rhodes's hour) by Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saigon
  • [...]

Nearby permanent programmes, THVN9's directorate permitted all of South Vietnames citizens to have the right to "bidding" (đấu thầu) for buying the TV signal. Normally including officials, scholars, especially artists (vocalists, actors...). Languages included Vietnamese (primarily), 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 chapter in Australia and ended up traveling the country until 1967.[36] It was known as the “immaculate heart” statue because it puts her heart on the outside. This event was THVN (at the trial phase) lively recorded.

Nearby the media, THVN9 Network also sponsored the Young Music Festival[note 3][37] and Vietnam Film Day[note 4]. During the 1970s, Young Music Festival was the biggest cultural event in Asia and Oceania.[38][39][40][41] 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.[42] Their purpose was an anti-war exhortation and a supporting peace for whole world.[43]

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[note 5][44] of composer Nguyễn Ánh 9 by Japanese and Mandarin language.[45]

Cultural significance

Inheritances
See also: SBTN

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 (Danish Vietnamese Association),[46] France (AFP), West Germany, Hong Kong, India, Japan, New Zealand, Philippines, South Korea (KBS), Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom (BBC), United States (AP). 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.[47] In 2020, he has ever litigated Asia Entertainment Inc. (Trung tâm Asia) 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.[48] They registered a trademark as the Abroad-THVN Television Network (Vietnamese: Truyền-hình Việt-nam Hải-ngoại) to differentiate former THVN9 or Domestic-THVN.

Influences

According to MA Thành Lộc (born in 1961) about his childhood, father (PA Thành Tôn) often used a Vespa scooter for carrying his children to Saigonese avenue everynight. Because every South Vietnamese squares have always a television set for service freely poor people.[49] "A popular and familiar habit ; a nice memory of my love city" – said him.[50]

During the Vietnam War in North Vietnam's localities, every municipal families who want to buy radio receivers and TV sets must registered at the police office of their ward or county. Moreover, areas as countryside, frontier and especially 17th parallel were forbidden. Illegal cases could came the jail or revamped learned many years. So this enactment was like a resistance for all efforts of their enemy. Or which was called in North Vietnamese documents as the "propagandas of our enemies" (tuyên truyền của thế lực thù địch).

However, by the recall of author Vương Trí Nhàn to RFI (Thụy Khuê's voice programme) about 2000s, many cultural & arts organizations, military and security agencies in Hanoi be still licensed to observe South Vietnamese radio and television, especially THVN9.[51] By singer Ái Vân, she knew singing voice of Út Trà Ôn, Ngọc Giàu, Lệ Thủy, Út Bạch Lan, Thành Được... from the 1960s when was a post-war.[52]

  • Composer Hoàng Trọng and Sound-of-Musical-Instrument band in 1968
    Composer Hoàng Trọng and Sound-of-Musical-Instrument band in 1968
  • Hoàng Thi Thơ's choir on television
    Hoàng Thi Thơ's choir on television
  • Band "Vietnamese Children"
    Band "Vietnamese Children"
  • Singer Thanh Lan on TV show, 1970
    Singer Thanh Lan on TV show, 1970
  • Singer Phương Hồng Hạnh on TV show, 1971
    Singer Phương Hồng Hạnh on TV show, 1971
  • Economic Minister Phạm Kim Ngọc on TV news, 1972
    Economic Minister Phạm Kim Ngọc on TV news, 1972

Notes
  1. It means "red cross"
  2. Băng tần 9
  3. Đại-hội Nhạc-trẻ
  4. Ngày Điện-ảnh Việtnam
  5. Không

References
  1. Old spell in Vietnam
  2. "Vietnam Cultural Profile: Television". Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Việt Nam, Rockefeller Foundation. Archived from the original on 2011-02-18. Retrieved 2014-04-22.
  3. Vietnam Cultural Profile: Television
  4. Tấn Đức (2008-12-15). "Buổi phát sóng truyền hình đầu tiên ở Việt Nam" [The first television broadcast in Vietnam]. E-info (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 2014-05-02. Retrieved 2014-04-22.
  5. THVN9
  6. Hà Đình Nguyên (2005-04-28). "'Đây là Đài Truyền hình Sài Gòn giải phóng...'". Thanh Niên (in Vietnamese). Ho Chi Minh City: Vietnam United Youth League. Retrieved 2013-08-15.
  7. South Vietnamese Armed Forces Day 1971 & 1973
  8. Williams, Billy. "Television in Vietnam". Broadcasting in Vietnam During the War. Archived from the original on 2010-03-28.
  9. AFRS, AFRTS, AFVN Vietnam
  10. Smith, Harvey et al. Area Handbook for South Vietnam. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 1967. tr 293
  11. History of Project Jenny
  12. Television in Vietnam.
  13. Vietnamese youth with bleak future now holds key to a brighter energy future with NASA invention.
  14. Nữ nghệ sĩ Phương Liên 50 năm sân khấu
  15. Vương Hồng Anh. "VƯƠNG HỒNG ANH - Những ngày với Du Tử Lê ở KBC 3168, Sài Gòn". www.dutule.com. Archived from the original on 2014-05-02. Retrieved 2014-04-26.
  16. VƯƠNG HỒNG ANH - Những ngày với Du Tử Lê ở KBC 3168, Sài Gòn.
  17. Phát thanh viền đầu tiên buổi phát hình 1/5/1975.
  18. Lee W. Hauser (1972). A History of the American Forces Vietnam Network, 1962-1972. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina. p. 47. Archived from the original on 2014-05-02. Retrieved 2014-04-30.
  19. "HISTORY OF PROJECT JENNY". Blue Eagle Nest. Archived from the original on 2016-04-25. Retrieved 2014-04-23.
  20. America in Vietnam
  21. Băng ghi âm lời tuyên bố đầu hàng của tướng Dương Văn Minh ngày 30/4/1975 của TS Nguyễn Nhã
  22. Băng Đình (2005). "Hội Ngộ Truyền Thông V.N.C.H. Sau 30 Năm Saigon Thất Thủ". Đặc San 3 Chu Văn An. Sydney.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  23. "THVN9 News". Vietnamese Radio in Australia (VNRA). Archived from the original on 2013-04-13. Retrieved 2014-04-22.
  24. Ngàn mây tung Cánh Bằng chính đoàn Gió Khơi
  25. Mai Lệ Huyền và cơn sóng thần “nhạc kích động” với danh ca Hùng Cường
  26. Ca sĩ Mai Lệ Huyền : Hùng Cường Không có giờ để yêu tôi
  27. Mai Lệ Huyền, một "đệ nhất sexy" và một người phụ nữ bình thường
  28. Búp bê lửa “đốt cháy” vũ trường Sài Gòn
  29. Trường Kỳ và nhạc trẻ một thời của Sài Gòn
  30. Phỏng vấn Nam Lộc về phong trào Nhạc Trẻ 1 2 3
  31. Maxim's Club - Vũ trường huyền thoại tại Sài Gòn
  32. Phòng trà ca nhạc Sài Gòn xưa : Queen Bee & Maxim's
  33. David Lan Pham Two Hamlets in Nam Bo: Memoirs of Life in Vietnam Through Japanese ... Page 98 2008 "Phạm Duy, Lam Phương, Hoàng Thị Thơ, Văn Phụng were the most well known composers at that time."
  34. Adelaida Reyes Songs of the Caged, Songs of the Free: Music and the Vietnamese Refugee Experience. 1999 Page 124 "The local in this case has global implications. Many of Vietnam's most famous musicians now reside in Orange County. The presence of Pham Duy, Thai Thanh, Hoang Oanh, Hoang Thi Tho, Viet Hung, Duy Khanh, Khanh Ly, and Kim Tuyen, among others — luminaries in the Vietnamese musical firmament by the time they left Vietnam — has led overseas."
  35. "Diễn hài trước và sau 1975? Tiếng Việt". BBC News. 2014-12-23. Archived from the original on 2023-04-06.
  36. Đức Mẹ thánh du tại Việt Nam 1965
  37. Bệ phóng học đường và phong trào Nhạc Trẻ
  38. Nam Lộc và Sàigòn ơi vĩnh-biệt
  39. Nhớ về phong trào Nhạc Trẻ
  40. 50 năm phong trào Nhạc Trẻ
  41. Ban nhạc rock Việt vẫn biểu diễn tại Mỹ sau 40 năm
  42. Hình xưa Nhạc Trẻ 1 2
  43. Rock concert at the Saigon Zoo 29 May 1971
  44. 你/Nii/Anata - Teresa Teng
  45. Chuyện về bài “Không” của Nguyễn Ánh 9 qua giọng ca diva Đặng Lệ Quân
  46. Collection of the Danish Vietnamese Association
  47. LQTT Productions 1 2
  48. Truyền Hình Việt Nam THVN 48, 30 April 1986
  49. Coi vô-tuyến công-cộng hồi xưa
  50. NSƯT Thành Lộc tuổi thơ dữ dội gắn liền với Sài Gòn - Thành Phố Tôi Yêu
  51. Talk with researcher Vương Trí Nhàn about Southern literature : 1 2
  52. Chân Dung Nghệ Sĩ - Ái Vân | Hồi Ức 1 Bông Hồng: Cuộc Vượt Thoát Từ Đông Âu

See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to THVN9.

Further reading

Documents
  • One time of YoungMusic : 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
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