The Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) has told enterprises that import, manufacture and distribute smart TVs to check the legality of the TV viewing apps installed on home screens of products or integrated into keys on remote controllers.

In Vietnam, on-demand broadcasting services (OTT TV VOD) began developing in 2018 with the participation of foreign companies. 

For domestic companies, the content of video on demand has to be edited carefully by agencies with television operation licenses. 

Meanwhile, the content of VOD on OTTT TV VOD services of foreign companies is not edited, classified and labeled in accordance with Vietnamese laws. As a result, the content can distort Vietnam’s history, deny the achievements of revolutions, violate Vietnam’s territorial sovereignty, or damage Vietnamese traditional customs and culture.

Watching TV content on smart TV with internet TV apps is becoming increasingly popular. There are many smart TV types and models in the Vietnamese market, manufactured and distributed by many companies such as Sony, Samsung, LG, TCK, Casper and Panasonic.

With the feature of customizing the interface of operating systems, smart TVs have ready-installed TV apps such as Netflix, FPT Play, VT360, AmazonTV, Fim+ and YouTube.

According to the MIC’s Authority of Broadcasting and Electronic Information (ABEI), the installation helps optimize enjoyment and viewers can easily access content per their personal demands.

However, many installed TV apps and apps integrated into keys on remote controllers are not allowed to operate in Vietnam. Many bad content not suitable to Vietnam’s culture exists on the apps, causing negative impact on children and adolescents.

Therefore, as per the proposal by MIC, the government asked it to amend and supplement regulations in Decree 06 dated 2016. On October 1, 2022, the government issued Decree 71, amending and supplementing regulations of Decree 06 on managing, supplying and using broadcasting services.

Under the newly released decree, the enterprises that provide on-demand TV services on the internet (news, sports, entertainment and films) must have licenses to provide pay-TV broadcasting services.

The decree covers foreign companies which provide TV services on demand across borders as well.

ABEI affirmed that state agencies have sufficient legal foundation to manage the services of providing films and broadcasting programs on the internet, including the services provided by foreign firms. 

To disseminate legal documents and guide foreign companies to observe the new rules, MIC has sent a document requesting Netflix, Apple, Amazon, Tencent, IQIYI and Hunan Happy Sunshine Interactive Entertainment Media to report their plans on implementing procedures to apply for licenses to provide pay-TV services in Vietnam. 

Van Anh