# Ho Chi Minh City Television

Ho Chi Minh City Television is a Vietnamese television network owned by the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City.

## History

The old name of HCMC Television was Saigon Liberation Television that began broadcasting on May 1, 1975. Until April 30, 1975, the name was Saigon Television, founded in 1965, broadcast from February 2, 1966, to April 29, 1975. At the time, in Saigon, there were two different TV stations immediately adjacent in downtown: the TV station of the US military and Saigon Television. While in South Vietnam there were five TV stations, television in the North Vietnam was still in the testing period.
After Saigon renamed to Ho Chi Minh City in 1976, Saigon Liberation Television changed to its current name. Channel 7 launched in 1986 and first served as a commercial channel. On August 23, 1987, a large fire destroyed nearly all of the building, except for the broadcasting department and the archives. However, one day later, on August 24, HTV switched to full-time color broadcast.
After the opening of the center building in early 2006 with modern equipment and technology, HTV began its switch to digital operations.
The network started broadcasting in HD on May 19, 2013, for HTV7 and HTV9.

## Operations

The station's main headquarters are located at the corner of Nguyen Thi Minh Khai and Dinh Tien Hoang Street. It also has an office in Ha Noi. HTV has two main analog channels - HTV7 and HTV9. The station started digital television at the end of 2013 using two to three multiplexes that transmit a total of 17 HTV-owned channels.
HTV7 and HTV9 also began broadcasting on the satellite in 2005, which covers the Southeast Asian countries and some other Asian countries. HTV has 17 channels:
| Channel | Launch date | Information |
| HTV1 - Public General Information | 1 October 2003 | The channel was managed by VTL Media through a five-year lease term from 2007 to 2012. Afterwards, HCMC Television managed the channel using the public information format. |
| HTV2 - General Entertainment | 1 October 2003 | The channel was originally a sports channel until 2010 under a license. It broadcasts 24/7. It is jointly operated by Anh Binh Minh Media LLC, later transferred to DIDTV, belong DatVietVAC and HCMC Television. DIDTV also manage other channels like Giai Tri TV, D-Dramas and Lotte Datviet Home Shopping. On September 19, 2018, HTV2 changed into a new name - Vie Channel. |
| HTV3 - Movie and Entertainment | 1 October 2003 | The channel was managed by TVM Corporation from June 2008 to August 2010 and again from June 2014. At first it was a kids-only channel; in 2007 it was planned to become an entertainment channel for kids and families. Since June 2008, HTV3 has served aired programmes for children, like Ben 10, Doraemon, Case Closed, etc. On November 1, 2022, HTV3 was returned to the company for management. |
| HTV Key - Science and Education | 1 October 2003 | It was launched at the same period as HTV1, HTV2, HTV3, HTV7 and HTV9 under the name of HTV4. In the early years, HTV4 rebroadcast science programs that were aired on HTV7 and HTV9. Since early 2006, HTV4 began to purchase broadcast rights for programming from the BBC, Discovery Channel, National Geographic Channel, etc. HTV4 also produce programmes on Vietnamese education and science. HTV4 has its own website: htv4.vn. On August 10, 2018, HTV4 changed into a new name - HTV Key. |
| HTV7 - General Entertainment | 1986 | The second channel of HTV, originally aired as an advertising and public service channel. Currently it airs many game shows including local franchises of Disney's Endemol Shine Group games Deal or No Deal, So You Think You Can Dance, Odd One In and others. An HDTV version of the channel was launched on May 19, 2013. |
| HTV9 - General Information | 7 February 1966 | The channel was launched as THVN9, on 1 May 1975 it was renamed HTV9 The channel launched its HDTV version along with HTV7 on May 19, 2013. |
| HTV Co.op - Film Television and Culture | 2011 | It is managed by HCMC's Union Cooperative. until 2023 |
| HTV Sport - General Sport | 2003 | Replaced HTV2 and HTV8. Until 2013, it was known as HTVC - Sport. |
| HTVC Vietnamese - General Channel for Vietnamese culture and people | 2005 | Since 2008, it is broadcast worldwide to serve the Vietnamese people around the world. |
| HTVC Vietnamese | 2006 | It broadcasts Vietnamese films. |
| HTVC Film | 2005 | It broadcasts TV movies and cinema films from around the world. |
| HTVC Film HD | 2011 | It broadcasts Asian movies. |
| HTVC Music - General Music | unknown | Since April 4, 2015, it broadcast as an interactive music channel for young people. |
| HTVC Family | June 28, 2007 | Broadcast as a channel for families. |
| Hplus | September 11, 2007 | Online broadcasting, livestreaming services, on-demand TV. Acquired by HTV in late 2011. |
| HTVC Women | October 20, 2007 | Broadcast as a channel for women. |
| HTVC Travel and Living | November 2007 | Broadcast as an information channel for travel and lifestyle. |
| HTVC Plus | 2006 | It was managed by Yan Group. also in test October 16, 2014 officially on January 9, 2015, and Channel B stop broadcast in 2017. |
| VGS Shop - Shopping Channel | 2008 | Originally called ViVi Homeshopping as it is managed by ViVi Trading Joint Stock Company. In 2013 ViVi and GS Shop formed into VGS Shop. |
| FBNC - Financial and Banking | February 2009 | It is managed by IDG Vietnam Invest Fund and The Sang Corporation. Channel ceased on 1 January 2022. |

## Services

HTV has:
* TFS, a TV studio, specializing in producing movies and documentary films.
* TV Service Center, a venue to contact the services and advertisements.
* Programme Production Centre, a production company, specialize in producing television programs.
* Ho Chi Minh City Television Cable Center brings quality programming to the audience in Vietnam and worldwide. The main programs include science, education, sports, movies, entertainment, etc.
HTV's cable system has various channels where HTV has rights to rebroadcast such as:
* National: Vietnam Television, An Viên Television, People's Police Television, Hanoi Radio Television, HTV3, Yan TV, among others
* News: Cable News Network (CNN IAP), France 24, FOX News, BBC World, CNBC Asia, Channel NewsAsia, Bloomberg, NHK World TV
* Documentary: Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, National Geographic, Nat Geo Wild, Nat Geo People, BBC Earth, Da Vinci Learning, Discovery Asia, Asian Food Channel
* Sports: Fox Sports, Fox Sports 2, Fox Sports 3
* Movies and series: HBO, Cinemax, Fox Movies, AXN, Cinema World
* Kids: Cartoon Network, Boomerang, Animax, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Baby TV, CBeebies
* Music: Channel V, MTV Asia
* General Entertainment and Worldwide Promotion: E!, Star World, Fashion TV, Arirang, KBS World, TV5 Monde, DW-TV, tvN, ABC Australia, Warner TV, NHK World Premium, Outdoor Channel, BBC Lifestyle

## Featured programs
### Prizes, tournaments, contests

* Miss Television Contest 1967: THVN9 organizes the first contest of Vietnam & Southeast Asia.
* National Bicycle Race for Ho Chi Minh City Television Cup: The first stage road bicycle race of a television station in Vietnam. Organized by the station's Sports Department with the aim of promoting the movement of sports socialization and celebrating the day of national reunification.
* Ho Chi Minh City Television Singing Contest: The first singing competition on Vietnamese television, and was held annually. The winning vocalists from this contest, especially in the first 15 years, all became famous singers after the competition. Typical faces from this contest include Như Quỳnh, Mai Thien Van, Đàm Vĩnh Hưng...
* Hi-5
* Giai điệu trái tim: New song composition contest, with the participation of many musicians of that time.
* Chuông vàng vọng cổ: The first cải lương competition in the country, contributing to the development of cải lương.
* HTV Award: The annual award is given to artists, individuals, actors... who have contributed to HTV during a year.
* Tiếng hát măng non truyền hình: the kids version of Tiếng hát truyền hình.
* Tiếng ca học đường
* Golden Swallow
* HTV Challenge Cup

### Annual special program

* Tao Quan: A comedy program that aired on the last night of the lunar year and ended at the time of New Year's Eve, with the main character being Tao Quan - who synthesizes the main events. occurred during the year. "Tao Quan" first premiered in Vietnam on HTV9 on New Year's Eve and became the most anticipated program on New Year's Eve in the two decades.

### Other

* Nhịp cầu âm nhạc: The first live on-demand music program in Vietnam. The program has a phone number with 6 lines to receive direct requests from the audience, broadcast once a month on channel HTV7.
* Vầng trăng cổ nhạc: Ancient song program & cai luong excerpts airing monthly.
* Trong nhà ngoài phố
* Ngân mãi chuông vàng
* Vượt lên chính mình: A game show with low-income families winning money to pay off their debts and start businesses.
* Chinh phục đỉnh Everest: Athletes had to conquer four peaks: Fansipan, Kinabalu, Kilimanjaro, Island Peak before the challenge. finally the "roof of the world" - peak Everest. On May 22, 2008, the first 3 climbers of Vietnam, Bui Van Ngoi, Phan Thanh Nhien and Nguyen Mau Linh entered the list of conquerors. reach the summit of Mount Everest.
* Ngôi nhà mơ ước: The program to build houses for disadvantaged families across the country.
* Thay lời muốn nói.
* Thử thách cùng bước nhảy: Dance competition program, adapted from So You Think You Can Dance, co-produced by HTV and Đông Tây Promotion.
* 60 giây: General news program, security and order, society, domestic & international culture... broadcast live in 2 time frames 06:30–07:00 and 18:30-19:00 every day on HTV7 and HTV9, conducted by HTV News Center, Dien Quan & ADT Group Holdings.
* Tiếng hát mãi xanh
* Thần tượng âm nhạc - Vietnam Idol
* Người bí ẩn - Odd One In: The program searches for talents, strange stories, extraordinary talents... hidden through the competition rounds with the judgment of the artists. Co-produced by HTV and Đông Tây Promotion.
* Bí mật đêm chủ nhật
* Vì yêu mà đến
* Running Man Vietnam: A popular and successful campaigning reality TV show in some countries, in collaboration with Madison Media Group and East West Promotion production.
* Nhanh như chớp
* Siêu trí tuệ Việt Nam: A program to search for talents and talents related to mind, judgment. Adapted from The Brain format and co-produced by HTV and Vie Channel of DatVietVAC.
* Rap Việt - The Rapper
* Rock Việt
* Xuân Hạ Thu Đông, rồi lại Xuân
* Cơ hội đổi đời
* Tiếng rao 4.0
* Hát mãi ước mơ
* Sàn đấu vũ đạo
* Hát cho ngày mai: Music program to honor doctors and volunteers in the fight against COVID-19.
* Mẹ vắng nhà, ba là siêu nhân - The Return Of Superman
* Đây chính là nhảy đường phố - Street Dance Vietnam
* 2 ngày 1 đêm - 2 Days and 1 Night