The potential for the development of the pay television industry inVietnam remains large, but policies are needed to ensure that thisdevelopment is rapid and sustainable.
Industry experts expressedthis view at an international conference in the capital city onSeptember 11 which discussed opportunities for the development of paytelevision in the country.
The Cable and Satellite BroadcastersAssociation of Asia (CASBAA) and VTVCab sponsored the conference, whichcarried the theme "Vietnam In View 2014" and attracted more than 100representatives from leading television and mass communicationenterprises.
Since its inception in Vietnam in 1993, theindustry has experienced dynamic growth alongside the country's economicdevelopment but has yet to achieve its full potential.
HoangVinh Bao, director of the Authority of Broadcasting and ElectronicInformation under the Ministry of Information and Communications, saidpay TV has expanded to most provinces and cities throughout the country,with more than 30 providers of cable, satellite, mobile and digital TVservices.
Although the number of pay TV subscribers nearlydoubled from 2010 to 2013 and reached 6.5 million by the end of lastyear, the potential for pay TV remained huge in a country ofapproximately 22 million households and a population of 90 million.
VuTu Thanh, deputy regional managing director and representative of theUS-ASEAN Business Council in Vietnam, said that to date, pay TV serviceshad penetrated a mere 25 percent of the population, which was lowerthan that of neibouring countries at 31.8 percent.
Thanh addedthat with such a huge potential, Vietnam should have policies tostimulate the development of pay TV services to contribute to thecountry's economic development.
Television advertisementturnover enjoyed a rapid growth of around 28 percent in recent years.Advertising on pay TV channels has become a new trend and was projectedto account for 80 percent of future advertisement turnover, according toThanh.
Le Dinh Cuong, deputy president of the VietnamAssociation of Pay TV, said the industry was faced with the growingpopularity of over-the-top (OTT) television, as well as cheating andevasion of fee payments among subscribers and unhealthy competitionamong service providers to attract more subscribers.
Cuong addedthat the participation of telecommunications companies such as VNPT,Viettel and FPT in the pay TV market would pull down pay TV fees, andthe association was considering imposing regulations on floor serviceprices to prevent this.
Since pay TV is an indispensabledevelopment trend and plays a key role in serving the country's demandfor entertainment, the Government should focus on rearranging pay TVservice providers to creating strong companies and enhancecompetitiveness and quality within the industry, said Bao.
Healso called for the completion of legal frameworks for the industry toensure its development in line with the Government's plan and the globaltrend.-VNA
Industry experts expressedthis view at an international conference in the capital city onSeptember 11 which discussed opportunities for the development of paytelevision in the country.
The Cable and Satellite BroadcastersAssociation of Asia (CASBAA) and VTVCab sponsored the conference, whichcarried the theme "Vietnam In View 2014" and attracted more than 100representatives from leading television and mass communicationenterprises.
Since its inception in Vietnam in 1993, theindustry has experienced dynamic growth alongside the country's economicdevelopment but has yet to achieve its full potential.
HoangVinh Bao, director of the Authority of Broadcasting and ElectronicInformation under the Ministry of Information and Communications, saidpay TV has expanded to most provinces and cities throughout the country,with more than 30 providers of cable, satellite, mobile and digital TVservices.
Although the number of pay TV subscribers nearlydoubled from 2010 to 2013 and reached 6.5 million by the end of lastyear, the potential for pay TV remained huge in a country ofapproximately 22 million households and a population of 90 million.
VuTu Thanh, deputy regional managing director and representative of theUS-ASEAN Business Council in Vietnam, said that to date, pay TV serviceshad penetrated a mere 25 percent of the population, which was lowerthan that of neibouring countries at 31.8 percent.
Thanh addedthat with such a huge potential, Vietnam should have policies tostimulate the development of pay TV services to contribute to thecountry's economic development.
Television advertisementturnover enjoyed a rapid growth of around 28 percent in recent years.Advertising on pay TV channels has become a new trend and was projectedto account for 80 percent of future advertisement turnover, according toThanh.
Le Dinh Cuong, deputy president of the VietnamAssociation of Pay TV, said the industry was faced with the growingpopularity of over-the-top (OTT) television, as well as cheating andevasion of fee payments among subscribers and unhealthy competitionamong service providers to attract more subscribers.
Cuong addedthat the participation of telecommunications companies such as VNPT,Viettel and FPT in the pay TV market would pull down pay TV fees, andthe association was considering imposing regulations on floor serviceprices to prevent this.
Since pay TV is an indispensabledevelopment trend and plays a key role in serving the country's demandfor entertainment, the Government should focus on rearranging pay TVservice providers to creating strong companies and enhancecompetitiveness and quality within the industry, said Bao.
Healso called for the completion of legal frameworks for the industry toensure its development in line with the Government's plan and the globaltrend.-VNA
