On May 1, 1975, the first day after the liberation of the South and the reunification of the country, the signal of Vietnam Television was transmitted using the very broadcast system of the former regime. People from both the North and the South followed the news and special programs on the first day of national unity. For the announcers who first went on air to declare that Saigon had been liberated and the country was reunited, it was not only an honor but also a sacred memory that would last a lifetime.
“Being part of the liberation and reunification, and being the first person to appear on national television, a leading information channel, is a memory I can never forget”, shared journalist Ho My Hanh, the anchor of the Victory News Bulletin.
“At that time, taking over the Saigon television station was the most crucial task. Difficulties and even sacrifices were faced and surmounted as the preparations were made urgently. Nevertheless, we saw it as an honor and a mission that had to be fulfilled”, recalled journalist Nguyen Huu Phuoc, another anchor for the Victory News Bulletin. “When we arrived, the staff of the Saigon television station were no longer there. That meant we had to restore the broadcasting operations of the station and simultaneously call upon the former staff, who had fled in fear, to return to work”.
The historic first broadcast was the result of the tireless efforts of reporters, camera operators, and technical experts from the fledgling Vietnam Television team. Before April 1975, along with the military units advancing toward the South to liberate the beloved region, there were special units of Vietnam Television whose mission was to ensure that the country’s television programs could be aired in the South as soon as possible.
Members of the young Vietnam Television team were already present in Saigon on the morning of April 30, 1975, documenting the historic footage of President Duong Van Minh of the Republic of Vietnam and his cabinet unconditionally surrendering. They then immediately prepared the first report and the inaugural news bulletin for broadcast.
On the evening of May 1, 1975, the first signal of Vietnam Television was transmitted from the heart of Saigon. The moment of national reunification also united the television networks of the North and South, embodying the aspirations of harmony, trust, and the strength of national solidarity. Though they did not directly bear arms, the television journalists of Vietnam were also soldiers who contributed to the great spring victory that marked the beginning of more than half a century of dedication by Vietnam Television to the revolutionary cause of the Party, the country, and the people.
