Voice of Ho Chi Minh City is the official radio broadcasting station of Ho Chi Minh City. The station airs on four frequencies, its programs being accessible in other parts of the country, including the Hanoi area around the capital city.
Media assets
Radio: Voice of Ho Chi Minh City’s People
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
Voice of Ho Chi Minh City is run jointly by the culture and communication department at the administration of Ho Chi Minh City and the Communist Party subsidiary in Ho Chi Minh City. The station was established through Decision No 55 of the government dated 2014 (a decision made by the Ministry of Information and Communications).
Source of funding and budget
The government has been for many years the main funder of Voice of Ho Chi Minh City. However, in recent years, the government has encouraged the station to generate funding through its own activities to reduce the outlet’s dependence on the state budget. There is no publicly available information about the budget of Voice of Ho Chi Minh City. As commercial revenue in the media field is centralized in the hands of a government-controlled agency, it can be said that the funding of the Voice of Ho Chi Minh City is controlled by the state.
Editorial independence
According to official guidelines, Voice of Ho Chi Minh City is responsible for informing and propagating the policies of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee. Hence, the station’s editorial strategy is fully shaped by the local authorities to ensure it follows the interests of the local administration.
No domestic statute and no oversight mechanism to validate the editorial independence of Voice of Ho Chi Minh City have been identified.
October 2023