Vietnam Today is Vietnam's first national, 24/7 English-language international television channel. Operated by the state-owned national broadcaster Vietnam Television, the channel officially launched on 7 September, 2025. Positioned as a "Window on Vietnam," its primary mission is to provide a comprehensive and contemporary view of the country for a global audience, covering a wide spectrum of topics from politics and business to culture and tourism.[1]
The channel was established under a prime ministerial decision as a key instrument of Vietnam's external communication strategy and public diplomacy efforts. Its stated objective is to promote the image of a modern, dynamic, and globally integrated Vietnam, challenge outdated international perceptions, and communicate the official guidelines of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the policies of the state to the world.[2][3][4]
Vietnam Today features a diverse content lineup that includes current affairs, political commentary, business news, cultural explorations, and travelogues. Flagship programs such as Vietnam 360, Daily Biz, and Culture Mosaic are designed to cater to a broad international viewership, including policymakers, investors, tourists, and the Vietnamese diaspora.[1][2]
Reflecting a modern media strategy, the channel is distributed across a multi-platform ecosystem. It is available through traditional broadcast methods like digital terrestrial and cable television, as well as on digital platforms, including over-the-top (OTT) applications and major social media networks, ensuring accessibility for audiences both within Vietnam and internationally.[2][4][5]
History
Background
The legal framework for Vietnam Today was established by Decision No. 747/QD-TTg, issued by the Prime Minister of Vietnam on April 11, 2025. This directive explicitly mandated the creation of a national external television service with the core mission to "promote Vietnam to the world". The channel was officially tasked with serving as a primary vehicle for the state's external information work, including the communication of the guidelines of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the policies and laws of the State to an international audience. This top-down establishment distinguishes Vietnam Today as a strategic state project rather than a market-driven media enterprise, positioning it as an official instrument of the Vietnamese government.[2][3][4][2]
Announcements
On August 22, 2025, Vietnam Television held a formal ceremony in Hanoi to publicly announce the forthcoming launch of the channel. At this event, VTV's Deputy General Director, Đỗ Đức Hoàng, served as the primary spokesperson, articulating the channel's vision and strategic imperatives. He framed the project as an "urgent task" in a complex global environment, stating that the channel would aim to portray Vietnam "in an accurate, comprehensive, timely, and profound manner". Hoàng also introduced the channel's core operational philosophy, which he defined by the guiding principles of "reliable information, engaging content, creative media".[6][4][3]
Launch
Vietnam Today commenced its official broadcast at 7:09 AM on September 7, 2025. The launch was a highly symbolic event, deliberately timed to coincide with two major national milestones: the 80th anniversary of Vietnam's National Day and the 55th anniversary of VTV's first-ever broadcast. This scheduling was a strategic act of political communication, designed to embed the new channel within the narrative of the nation's history and confer upon it the legitimacy and authority of the state's official media apparatus.[7]
The launch ceremony was a high-profile state function held at the Hanoi Opera House, attended by senior government and party officials. Party General Secretary Tô Lâm presided over the event, where he presented VTV with the First-class Labour Order and delivered a keynote address. In his speech, he highlighted the channel's strategic importance in the national agenda, reinforcing its role as a key component of Vietnam's modern communication infrastructure. The remarkably short four-month period between the Prime Minister's decision in April and the official launch in September suggests the project was a high-level political priority, enabling the rapid mobilization of state resources to overcome typical bureaucratic and logistical delays.[8][9]
Objectives
The channel is explicitly conceived as an instrument of "digital diplomacy" and a tool for projecting Vietnam's soft power on the global stage. Its creation is a direct implementation of national policies aimed at leveraging culture and communication for foreign policy goals, such as the "Strategy for Cultural Diplomacy to 2030". Officials have described its purpose as creating a "bridge between Vietnam and the global community" and affirming the country's international prestige. This was further emphasized by Party General Secretary Tô Lâm at the launch event, where he tasked VTV and Vietnam Today with being a "pioneer on the ideological and cultural front" and helping to "elevate Vietnam's presence on the global media map".[1][10]
A fundamental objective of Vietnam Today is to actively reshape global perceptions of the country by moving beyond what officials have termed "outdated stereotypes" and simplistic "pretty pictures and travel clips". The channel's mandate is to present a "vivid, contemporary and objective view" of modern Vietnam. The narrative it aims to construct is that of a "peaceful, forward-looking and stable nation" that harmoniously preserves its rich traditions while embracing innovation, economic development, and deep global integration. This official narrative also highlights the character of the Vietnamese people as youthful, resilient, and dynamic, positioning the nation as a proactive and welcoming member of the international community. While the channel's mission statement frequently employs terms like "objective" and "reliable," this is framed within the state's subjective goal of promoting a specific, curated national image. This suggests that "objectivity," in this context, refers to the authoritative presentation of the government's official perspective as the definitive, factual narrative, a common approach for state-run public diplomacy media.[4][5]
Vietnam Today's establishment marks a significant strategic pivot in Vietnam's approach to international broadcasting. While its predecessor, VTV4, primarily served the Vietnamese diaspora with a package of domestic programming, Vietnam Today is designed to engage a much broader and more diverse international audience. This shift from an inward-facing service for expatriates to an outward-facing platform for global influence mirrors the model of other major state-backed international broadcasters. The channel has identified several key target demographics for its content[3][11]:
Policymakers and political leaders seeking reliable and official information on Vietnam's positions and development.
Investors and the international business community looking for insights into economic opportunities and the investment climate.
Scholars, experts, and researchers requiring access to data and in-depth analysis on Vietnamese affairs.
Tourists and potential visitors interested in the country's culture, heritage, and destinations.
The Vietnamese diaspora seeking to maintain a connection with their homeland.
Programming
Content style
Vietnam Today's content is guided by three core principles, articulated by its leadership as "Official information, sharp content and creative communication" or, alternately, "reliable information, engaging content, creative media". This philosophy aims to balance the channel's role as a state broadcaster with the need to produce content that can compete in the global media market.[5]
Programming is intended to carry a "distinctly Vietnamese identity" while being presented in a "modern, accessible style for global viewers". The overarching goal is to narrate Vietnam's story in a "vivid, new, attractive way, with a multi-dimensional perspective" that appeals to international tastes. The content spans a wide array of subjects, including politics, the economy, culture, society, tourism, cuisine, heritage, environmental issues, technological innovation, and digital transformation.[2]
Programs
To cover this broad mandate, Vietnam Today has developed a slate of specialized programs. The programming is heavily weighted toward "soft" topics such as culture, tourism, and cuisine, which are central to nation-branding and soft power projection. Of the identified programs, a significant majority focus on these appealing, non-political aspects of the country. This content mix directly supports the channel's mission to reshape perceptions by building goodwill and attracting tourists and investors. At the same time, the inclusion of programs focused on political and economic discourse, such as The Point and Executive Talk, indicates an ambition to establish the channel as a credible source for its target audience of policymakers and business leaders. These programs serve as the primary vehicles for communicating official state and party positions on key issues.
The following table outlines the key known programs broadcast on the channel[2]:
Key Programs on Vietnam Today
Genre
Program Title
Description
Current Affairs & Politics
Vietnam 360
Covers current affairs and political topics.
Current Affairs & Politics
The Point
Focuses on politics and in-depth commentary.
Current Affairs & Politics
Executive Talk
Features interviews with key figures.
Business & Economy
Daily Biz
Provides daily business and economic news.
Culture & Lifestyle
Culture Mosaic
Explores various aspects of Vietnamese culture.
Culture & Lifestyle
Amazing Vietnam
Showcases tourism and travel destinations.
Culture & Lifestyle
Heritage Journey
Focuses on Vietnam's cultural and natural heritage sites.
Culture & Lifestyle
Street Food
Explores Vietnam's vibrant street food scene.
Culture & Lifestyle
Taste of Vietnam
Delves into Vietnamese cuisine.
Culture & Lifestyle
Speak Like a Local
A segment likely focused on language and cultural immersion.
Information regarding the channel's team of anchors, hosts, and correspondents is limited in official launch materials. Public announcements have made general references to a team of "young presenters" tasked with conveying the channel's modern image.[1]
Distribution
The channel's distribution network is designed to be robust both domestically and internationally. A key element of its initial international rollout is the leveraging of existing Vietnamese state-affiliated corporate infrastructure in neighboring countries. The specified OTT partners for Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar—Unitel, Metfone, and Mytel, respectively—are all telecom brands operated by Viettel, a Vietnamese state-owned enterprise. This demonstrates a synergistic approach, using established commercial networks to deploy strategic media assets in a region of high geopolitical importance. Furthermore, the strong emphasis on OTT applications and social media platforms reflects an understanding of modern media consumption habits and a strategic effort to reach younger, digitally-native audiences worldwide.[2]
The following table details the primary platforms where Vietnam Today is available[4]:
The channel's initial international broadcast footprint covers the Americas, Europe, and key Southeast Asian neighbors, including Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar. VTV has announced plans for a phased expansion of its global distribution network beginning in 2026. This expansion will involve forging partnerships with international television service providers in regions identified as strategically important to Vietnam's foreign policy objectives. Future distribution methods will be tailored to the technological landscape of each target region and may include traditional terrestrial and satellite broadcasting, cable and IPTV services, and program exchange agreements with other broadcasters.[4]
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