VietNamNet Bridge – The news TV channel CNN still has been broadcasted on some Vietnamese pay-TV companies. However, the broadcasting would be stopped if the content of the TV channel cannot be edited as required by the Vietnamese laws.

Le Huong Giang, Deputy Head of the Department of Broadcasting and Electronic Information, said on October 14, that CNN remains the only TV channel which has not got the license for the content editing from the Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC).

However, some Vietnamese pay-TV companies still have been broadcasting the TV channel on their systems to satisfy the high demand of domestic audience.

According to Giang, the Prime Minister has decided that the Vietnam National Television (VTV) will edit the content of the TV channel before it is broadcasted in Vietnam.

However, VTV has reported to the department that it has not reached any consensus with CNN about the editing of the TV channel in Vietnam.

While discussing with VTV, the representative of CNN said the television has been pursuing a specific policy which does not allow anyone and any organization to edit the content.

Therefore, Giang said, the department has fallen into dilemma. If it continues allowing broadcasting CNN in Vietnam, it will violate the current regulations on broadcasting foreign TV channels in Vietnam. If not, it may face the opposition from the public.

MIC Minister Nguyen Bac Son has decided that all the 75 foreign TV channels must have their content edited before they are broadcasted in Vietnam as stipulated by the current regulations, and that all the televisions must obey the Vietnamese laws to be able to be broadcasted in Vietnam.

Son also said that if MIC allows to continue broadcasting CNN in Vietnam, it would create an unfair playing field, where other foreign TVs restrict the laws, but CNN does not.

Under the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 20 issued on May 15, 2013, foreign TV channels have to obtain the editing license from competent agencies in order to be broadcasted in Vietnam.

All the Vietnamese pay-TV televisions which broadcast foreign TV channels without the licenses will be violating the regulations.

According to MIC, all the foreign TV channels have to be edited before the broadcasting to be sure that the content of the TV programs does not act against the Vietnamese journalism laws, except the live reporting of regional and world’s sports completions, opening and closing ceremonies of sports tournaments.

However, analysts said the decision does not clearly show in details how to edit; therefore, the regulation has not been respected. While Vietnamese televisions have to spend big money on editing, foreign ones don’t have to.

A meeting between the Asian Cable and Satellite Television Association and MIC was held before the regulation took effects, where the representatives of some foreign channels said they were considering leaving Vietnam.

The representatives said the new regulation would force them to spend $1-2 million every year on the editing and translation, which is a reason for them to consider whether to stay in Vietnam.

The TV channels said the Vietnamese pay-TV market has great potentials, but it still does not bring high turnover, because only 10 percent of Vietnamese families use pay-TV services.

K. Chi