Vietnam Pay-TV Situation 'Vastly Improved'

A CASBAA spokesman commented on the favorable evolution of the situation in Vietnam’s pay-TV market in recent weeks. Following a period of confusion after new pay-TV regulations came into force on May 15, most international TV channels (including major global news channels) have been restored to all pay-TV platforms in Vietnam (subject to appropriate commercial contracts and operational arrangements).

John Medeiros, CASBAA’s Chief Policy Officer, commented “the situation with respect to availability of international TV channels in Vietnam has vastly improved.” Medeiros observed that “after the initial period of confusion, the Vietnamese government made clear that it did not want to see foreign TV channels (and specifically not the international news channels) dropped from the country’s pay-TV systems. This positive and welcome intervention from the top levels of the government has made a real difference. The translation requirement for live news channels has been removed; we further understand that the remaining difficulties affecting the news channels are now being ironed out in negotiations between them and their distribution partners, and also that a substantial number of additional international channel licenses for entertainment channels have been issued since May 15th, with more on the way.”  

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