Circular No. 06/2023/TT-BTTTT guides on the principles of editing, classifying, and warning about content for sports and entertainment television and radio programs on demand services.

CIRCULAR

Guidelines on principles for editing, classifying, and warning about content for radio and television sports and entertainment programs on demand services
dịch vụ phát thanh, truyền hình bao gồm truyền hình thể thao và giải trí theo yêu cầu

Pursuant to the Press Law dated April 5, 2016,

Pursuant to the Government Decree No. 06/2016/NĐ-CP dated January 18, 2016 on management, provision, and use of radio and television services;

Pursuant to the Government Decree No. 71/2022/NĐ-CP dated October 1, 2022 amending and supplementing certain articles of the Government Decree No. 06/2016/NĐ-CP dated January 18, 2016 on management, provision, and use of radio and television services;

Pursuant to Decree No. 48/2022/NĐ-CP dated July 26, 2022 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Information and Communications;

At the proposal of the Director of the Radio, Television, and Electronic Information Administration,

The Minister of Information and Communications issues this Circular guiding principles for editing, classifying, and warning about content for radio and television sports and entertainment programs on demand services.

Article 1. Scope of Regulation and Applicability

2. Applicability:

This Circular guides principles for editing, classifying, and warning about content for radio and television sports and entertainment programs on demand services as stipulated in point c, Clause 1, Article 20a of the Government Decree No. 06/2016/NĐ-CP dated January 18, 2016 on management, provision, and use of radio and television services, which has been supplemented in Clause 11, Article 1 of the Government Decree No. 71/2022/NĐ-CP dated October 1, 2022 amending and supplementing certain articles of the Government Decree No. 06/2016/NĐ-CP dated January 18, 2016 on management, provision, and use of radio and television services.

第二条 组织和实施奖励工作的支出水平，如政府第152/2025/NĐ-CP号决定关于分级授权和奖励领域的分权规定

Agencies, organizations, enterprises (referred to as units) participating in activities of editing and providing content for radio and television services on demand; state management agencies for radio and television and other agencies and organizations related to the provision of radio and television services.

Article 2. Principles for editing content for radio and television sports and entertainment programs on demand

1. General principles

a) In accordance with the Party's guidelines and national policies and laws;

b) Eliminate from the program all contents that violate prohibitions under press laws and other relevant laws; controversial issues; issues not yet recognized by Vietnamese law;

c) Protect children and other vulnerable groups from unsuitable or potentially negative content;

d) Eliminate from the program any content, dialogue that belittles or slanders the origin or background of the interlocutor or mentioned character; content that uses physical defects of individuals for ridicule; derogatory, uncultured, immoral, and contrary to Vietnamese customs and traditions language and symbols; limit the use of slang and profanity if it is inappropriate to the context, setting, and content of the program;

đ) Eliminate the program when during the editing process, it is discovered that there are images or activities violating prohibitions under the law, contrary to Vietnamese customs and traditions, or containing sensitive political elements at the event location or sports and entertainment event venue.

2. For recorded programs to be aired later

Implement editing as prescribed in Clause 1 of this Article, including both text and image and sound files.

3. For live programs at the time of the event

a) For programs where the unit editing is also the production unit: Implement editing as prescribed in Clause 1 of this Article; edit from the script stage to the production organization stage before the live broadcast and monitor and edit the content directly from start to finish during the broadcast.

b) For programs involving exploitation and acquisition of domestic and foreign rights: Implement editing as prescribed in Clause 1 of this Article; review the content based on the broadcast schedule already available, according to the script or content provided by the partner before the live broadcast and monitor and edit the content directly from start to finish during the broadcast.

4. For sports and entertainment programs with content related to healthcare, education, and online video games: Implement editing as prescribed in Clause 1 of this Article and ensure compliance with specialized legal regulations.

Article 3. Principles for classifying content of on-demand sports and entertainment broadcasting and television

1. For on-demand broadcasting and television content that includes entertainment programs and sports programs involving dangerous sports, combat sports, martial arts with violent, dangerous elements, the implementing units must label and clearly indicate the classification level for edited programs according to the classification levels specified in Clause 4 of this Article.

2. Principles for program classification

a) Based on the manner of presentation, specific situations and contexts, interactivity, frequency, duration, level of detail of images, sound, lighting, dialogue, and the impact of the program on listeners and viewers, where the context and the degree of impact on listeners and viewers are prioritized factors in program classification.

b) Depending on the content, programs may be classified at a lower level if they contain the following circumstances:

When described verbally rather than visually in television programs, audiovisual programs;

Images and speech have a low impact;

c) Depending on the content, programs may be classified at a higher level if they contain the following circumstances:

More detailed, including close-up and slow-motion shots;

Use of highlighting techniques such as lighting, perspective, and resolution;

Use of special effects such as lighting, sound, sound effects, resolution, color, size of images, characteristics, and tone;

Described realistically rather than stylized;

Encouraging interaction.

d) In cases where a program falls between classification levels, if the program handles situations and conveys educational, humanitarian messages, praises moral and social values, and has a positive impact on listeners and viewers, it will be considered for classification at a lower level.

3. Criteria for program classification include:

a) Subject matter, content;

b) Violence;

c) Nudity, sexual content;

d) Drugs, stimulants, addictive substances;

e) Horror;

f) Coarse language, obscene images, sounds;

g) Dangerous behaviors, imitable actions.

4. Program Classification Levels

The program classification levels according to the criteria for classification specified in Clause 3 of this Article are ranked from low to high as follows:

a) Class P: Programs permitted to be broadcast to listeners and viewers of all ages;

b) Class K: Programs permitted to be broadcast to listeners and viewers under 13 years old, provided they watch or listen together with their parents or guardians;

c) Class T13: Programs permitted to be broadcast to listeners and viewers aged 13 and above;

d) Class T16: Programs permitted to be broadcast to listeners and viewers aged 16 and above;

đ) Class T18: Programs permitted to be broadcast to listeners and viewers aged 18 and above;

e) Class C: Programs not permitted to be broadcast.

5. For programs classified as Class C: Not allowed to be provided on services.

6. The list of program classification levels specified in the Appendix attached to this Circular.

Article 4. Principles for warning content of on-demand sports and entertainment broadcasting and television

1. For programs with classification levels from Class K to Class T18: warnings must be implemented;

2. For entertainment programs, which include reality television shows, artistic performances; television programs with competition content, performances involving dangerous, risky actions with injury risk; fantasy television programs, reenactments of real events; sports programs involving dangerous sports, combat sports, martial arts with violent, dangerous elements: a warning message must appear no later than three seconds before the situation or content requiring a warning occurs and must remain displayed throughout the duration of the situation or content to prevent imitation and learning by viewers.

Article 5. Principles for displaying classification levels and content warnings for on-demand sports and entertainment broadcasting and television programs

1. Principles for displaying program classification levels

a) The classification level must be clearly and prominently displayed in the program introduction/display menu on the device interface so that listeners/viewers can make decisions about listening/viewing the provided programs.

b) For television programs and audiovisual programs: The classification level must continuously appear in the top left or top right corner of the device screen throughout the program transmission, ensuring it does not overlap with service icons or other icons.

c) For radio programs and audio programs: There is no need to display the classification level during program transmission.

2. Principles for displaying warnings

a) Warnings must be displayed immediately when the program is transmitted and during the program transmission; this can be done through one or more appropriate methods, including but not limited to spoken words or written text.

b) For television programs and audiovisual programs:

Display the warning content in writing or spoken form within three seconds after the program starts transmitting, and display the warning text at least once more during the program for programs under thirty minutes in length, and at least twice for programs thirty minutes or longer.

The position of the warning text display should be immediately below the program classification icon as specified in point b, Clause 1, Article 5; at the bottom of the screen during program transmission for programs specified in Clause 2, Article 4 of this Circular, ensuring it does not overlap with service icons or other icons.

c) For radio programs and audio programs: Display the warning content verbally immediately when the program starts transmitting.

Article 6. Principles for managing on-demand sports and entertainment broadcasting and television programs that have been edited, classified, and warned

1. Broadcasting and television service providers must display classification levels and warnings on programs according to the provisions of Clause 1, Article 3 and Clause 1, Article 4 of this Circular.

2. Broadcasting and television service providers must establish editing, classification, and warning records according to the provisions of point d, Clause 3, Article 21 of Decree No. 06/2016/ND-CP dated January 18, 2016 of the Government on the management, provision, and use of broadcasting and television services, supplemented by point b, Clause 12, Article 1 of Decree No. 71/2022/ND-CP dated October 1, 2022 of the Government amending and supplementing some articles of Decree No. 06/2016/ND-CP.

3. Broadcasting and television service providers must manage content using technical and technological measures to ensure requirements:

a) Control on the transmission server (playout server) programs that have been edited, classified, and warned, and manage listeners/viewers through a mandatory personal information login mechanism before listening/viewing programs; allow listeners/viewers to control access rights by setting individual listening/viewing restrictions.

b) Store all provided programs on storage systems for thirty days to serve inspection work by competent authorities.

c) Edit through a delay server for entertainment programs broadcast simultaneously with original programs.

Article 7. Implementation Organization

1. The Radio, Television, and Electronic Information Administration shall, based on its functions, tasks, and authority, take the lead and coordinate with relevant agencies and units to guide and inspect the implementation of this Circular nationwide.

2. Units shall base their guidelines and rules for editing and classifying programs on the principles set forth in this Circular and its attached appendices, and promulgate them for application within their units.

Article 8. Effective Date

1. This Circular takes effect from August 15, 2023.

2. During implementation, if any issues arise, units are requested to report to the Ministry of Information and Communications (through the Radio, Television, and Electronic Information Administration) for research, amendment, and supplementation as necessary./.