VTV freshens up its image

VTV freshens up its image

With its efforts to recruit young MCs for the new channel for youth, VTV6 and the popular entertainment channel, VTV3, Vietnam Television (VTV) seems to be trying to rejuvenate itself.

Fierce competition

At VTV, young MCs arent just in demand for separate shows as they once were. VTV latest channel, VTV6, has recently begun recruiting young people for a series of programmes.

Last week, the Music Department at VTV3 also announced its plan to recruit young MCs, the purpose of which, according to musician Luong Minh, Head of VTV3 Musical Department, is to meet the demand for MCs of new programmes in the future.

VTV recruitment has always attracted a great number of students and other young applicants. VTV6 recent recruitment, for instance, was highly competitive since only one of every 40 candidates was chosen.

Applicants often have to go through three rigorous rounds of competition which include the general selection round when application documents are read and selected, the sound and image test round, and the studio recording one.

Successful applicants are those meeting requirements in physical appearance, voice, and knowledge as well as demonstrating an ability to respond quickly to unexpected situations.

Unprofessional training

Most of VTV current MCs didnt go through any official training in the profession. On the contrary, they started walking on the MC road thanks to some natural talent.

Musician Luong Minh said that was why of hundreds of applicants in a recruitment season, perhaps none are selected. For instance, though it wanted to have 20 new MCs, VTV6 has only succeeded in finding 12.

Ta Bich Loan, VTV6 director, added that some of VTV MCs were currently working for other stations and this caused inconvenience and passivity in the use of human resources.

Another problem is that though it has a great demand for MCs, VTV has chiefly relied on short-term MC training sessions delivered at the Hanoi Palace of Culture and Friendship or by its subsidiary, the Vietnam Television Film Company (VFC).

Some hope that as VTV is more and more in need of well-trained MCs, it will organise more professional training programmes.