Viewpoints: acquisitions strategies

Nguyen Thanh Luong
Director
TV Advertising and Service Center - Vietnam Television
Vietnam

What are your acquisition strategies?

Vietnam Television is the national broadcaster of Vietnam. We have 9 terrestrial, free TV channels (of which, the other 2 channels will be launched in the near future) which serve all Vietnamese audiences.

VTV1: General and informative channel. The channel presents all aspects of life including politics, economy, culture and society.
VTV2: Scientific & Educational Programming. Its contents concentrate on natural and social scientific issues and technology, innovation information.
VTV3: Sports, entertainment and economic programs.
VTV4: Special programs for Vietnamese overseas.
VTV5: Special programs for ethnic minority viewers in their dialects.
VTV6: Channel for Teenagers.
VTV9: the channel serves the Vietnamese audience in the South of Vietnam.

Out of the above 9 channels, 3 main channels named VTV1, VTV2 and VTV3 broadcast nationwide. Furthermore, Vietnam Television's task is to orient the Vietnamese thoughts and life styles to accord with the international integration trends but still remain the national characters of Vietnamese people and culture. Thus we would like to acquire programs without violence, without sex. for general audiences.

Who wants to be a millionaire?

What genres are you looking for?

Vietnam Television is looking for new and famous programs that can be suitable for Vietnamese audiences: Formats of Game shows; TV Shows; Formats of Television drama, series and sitcoms; TV Series, drama: romantic, comedy, fiction, action, history; Documentaries: Wildlife, Medication-Health, Tourism, Science, Life-style, history; Current Affairs; Animation; Drama and other programs for teenagers.

Can you give us several titles of domestic and international products that you acquired this year?

For recent years, Vietnam Television has acquired and broadcasted a number of famous programs around the world.

Game shows: "Who wants to be a millionaire?" (on air from 2005 till now), "Wheels of fortune" (on air from 2001 till now), "Lyrics board" (on air from 2005 till now), "The price is right?" (on air from 2004)

New programs: "Face Off" (on air from November 2007 till now), "Let's make a deal" (on air from January 2008 till now).

Telenovela format: "Ugly Betty".

Sitcom format: "Joy apartment hotel".

Drama: "Lost", "Desperate housewives", "The butterfly lovers", "Moment in Peking", "The Kid from Heaven", "Heroes from Shaolin", "Revolving doors of Vengeance", "Song of the prince".

Products from what countries are important for you?

The programs we usually acquire are from Europe, America, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Korea.