Circular No. 17/2025/TT-BVHTTDL stipulates the list of radio and television channels and programs serving political tasks and essential information dissemination for the nation and localities.

CIRCULAR

Regulations on the list of radio channels and television programs serving national and local political tasks and essential information dissemination

Pursuant to the Press Law No. 103/2016/QH13;

Pursuant to Decree No. 43/2025/NĐ-CP dated February 28, 2025 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism;

Pursuant to the Government Decree No. 06/2016/NĐ-CP dated January 18, 2016 on management, provision, and use of radio and television services, amended and supplemented by Government Decree No. 71/2022/NĐ-CP;

At the proposal of the Director of the Radio, Television, and Electronic Information Department;

The Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism promulgates this Circular regulating the list of radio channels and television programs serving national and local political tasks and essential information dissemination.

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

This Circular stipulates principles for determining, the list of radio channels and television programs serving national and local political tasks and essential information dissemination, and responsibilities for implementation.

Article 2. Applicability

This Circular applies to press agencies with radio operation licenses, television operation licenses; service providers of radio and television; Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Departments of Culture and Sports of provinces and centrally-administered cities, and other organizations and individuals related to regulations on radio channels and television programs serving national and local political tasks and essential information dissemination.

Article 3. Principles for Determining Radio Channels and Television Programs Serving National and Local Political Tasks and Essential Information Dissemination

1. Principles for determining radio channels and television programs serving national political tasks and essential information dissemination include:

a) They are radio channels and television programs of press agencies with radio operation licenses, television operation licenses;

b) They have objectives that are comprehensive news and politics or specialized objectives and contents ensuring the provision of information and propaganda for national political, defense, security, ethnic, and foreign affairs tasks;

c) For radio channels serving national political tasks and essential information dissemination, the broadcasting time of the channel must be at least 17 hours/day; the self-produced program time must be at least 10 hours/day (of which, the new self-produced program time must be at least 4 hours/day);

d) For television channels serving national political tasks and essential information dissemination, the broadcasting time of the channel must be 24 hours/day; the self-produced program time must be at least 10 hours/day (of which, the new self-produced program time must be at least 5 hours/day).

2. Principles for determining radio channels and television programs serving local political tasks and essential information dissemination include:

a) They are radio channels and television programs of provincial press agencies with radio operation licenses, television operation licenses;

b) They have objectives that are comprehensive news and politics ensuring the provision of information and propaganda for local political tasks and reflecting all aspects of local activities;

c) For radio channels serving local political tasks and essential information dissemination, the broadcasting time of the channel must be at least 14 hours/day; the self-produced program time must be at least 2 hours 30 minutes/day (of which, the new self-produced program time must be at least 1 hour 30 minutes/day);

d) For television channels serving local political tasks and essential information dissemination, the broadcasting time of the channel must be at least 15 hours/day; the self-produced program time must be at least 3 hours/day (of which, the new self-produced program time must be at least 2 hours/day).

Article 4. List of radio programs channels, television program channels serving political tasks, essential information dissemination of the state and localities.

Clause 1. The list of radio program channels serving political tasks, essential information dissemination of the state and localities as prescribed in Appendix I attached to this Circular.

Clause 2. The list of television program channels serving political tasks, essential information dissemination of the state and localities as prescribed in Appendix II attached to this Circular.

Clause 3. Based on requirements for serving political tasks and essential information dissemination at each stage, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism shall consider and adjust the lists prescribed in Clauses 1 and 2 of this Article.

In case there is a change in the name of the press agency, the name of the radio program channel, or the name of the television program channel as prescribed in the Appendices attached to this Circular but without changes in functions and tasks and still ensuring the principles stipulated in Article 3 of this Circular, the name may be used according to the operating license issued by the competent authority.

Article 5. Responsibilities for Implementation

Clause 1. Responsibilities of service providers for broadcasting and television

Providing radio program channels, television program channels serving political tasks, essential information dissemination of the state and localities as prescribed in this Circular on the broadcasting and television promotion service system must have an agreement with the content provider regarding the signal reception point, ensuring the integrity of content, copyright, and technical quality when transmitting, broadcasting, and delivering the program channel.

b) For broadcasting and television service providers charging fees:

Providing radio program channels, television program channels serving political tasks, essential information dissemination of the state and localities as prescribed in this Circular on the broadcasting and television fee-charging service system. Depending on the type of service authorized, the entity must provide a television program channel or a radio program channel serving political tasks, essential information dissemination of the state and locality on the service. Prioritize positioning for the group of channels serving political tasks, essential information dissemination of the state in the company's service system so that citizens can easily access information and propaganda content about Party guidelines and State laws.

In case the entity only provides fee-charging television services, the group of essential television program channels serving political tasks, essential information dissemination of the state should be positioned from the first to the tenth channel for cable digital, analog cable, terrestrial digital television, satellite television services; position the group of television program channels serving political tasks, essential information dissemination of the state on the first page of the service access interface for cable IPTV services, broadcasting and television services on the Internet; ensure the integrity of content, copyright, and technical quality when transmitting, broadcasting, and delivering the program channel.

Clause 2. Responsibilities of press agencies listed in the radio program channels, television program channels serving political tasks, essential information dissemination of the state and localities as prescribed in the Appendices attached to this Circular

a) Ensuring the operation of radio program channels, television program channels serving political tasks, essential information dissemination of the state and localities in compliance with the principles stipulated in Article 3 of this Circular.

b) Ensuring the source signal for broadcasting radio program channels, television program channels serving political tasks, essential information dissemination of the state and localities so that broadcasting and television service providers can transmit, broadcast, and deliver the program channel to users with high quality.

c) Implementing agreements on signal reception points for radio program channels, television program channels serving political tasks, essential information dissemination of the state and localities with service providers to provide signals upon written request from the service provider.

Clause 3. Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Departments of Culture and Sports of provinces and centrally-administered cities are responsible for performing state management functions over press activities related to providing radio program channels, television program channels serving political tasks, essential information dissemination of the state and localities on broadcasting and television promotion service systems; fee-charging broadcasting and television services provided in their localities.

Article 6. Implementation Provisions

1. This Circular shall take effect from September 12, 2026.

2. Circular No. 18/2016/TT-BTTTT dated June 28, 2016 of the Minister of Information and Communications on the list of television channels and programs serving political tasks and essential national and local information dissemination shall cease to be effective from the date this Circular takes effect.

3. Any difficulties encountered during implementation should be reported to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (through the Radio, Television and Electronic Information Administration) for consideration and resolution./.

THE MINISTER




Nguyen Van Hung