What are the “weapons” that help VTVGo confidently compete with cross-border platforms?
In many remote and remote areas, YouTube and VTVGo are the two most popular TV viewing applications on smart TVs. These are the two platforms chosen by many people besides the “foreign” digital platforms.
Recently, the launch of the national digital TV platform VTVGo has made many people question whether this domestic platform can compete with cross-border platforms.
Mr. Nguyen Minh Dung, representative of VTVGo application operation team, Center for Digital Content Development and Production, Vietnam Television Station (VTV Digital) confirmed to VietNamNet reporter that VTV is aiming to bring VTVGo back to life. life again. become a counterweight to cross-border platforms like YouTube. and Facebook for prestige and influence.
According to Mr. Dung, the story of competing for influence with international competitors was set out by VTV 9 years ago, not a new one.
Back in time nearly a decade ago, VTV decided to develop the VTVGo application with the goal of distributing all VTV’s content on a digital platform for the public to follow, and VTV easily brought a variety of content. content to serve the entertainment and essential needs of Vietnamese people not only in the country but also abroad. VTV Digital is the unit receiving this responsibility.
Before the birth of VTVGo, VTV operated VTV4 channel, transmitting content abroad via satellite, contributing to improving the efficiency of external information work. But due to the characteristics of the transmission solution, the results are not as expected.
Since VTVGo was born, because this is an Internet-based application, anyone can install it on any device with an Internet connection, so VTV’s content abroad is faster, at a significantly reduced cost. tell. With VTVGo, not only channel VTV4 but all other channels of VTV can be watched anywhere in the world.
For many years after that, the operation of the TV channel content transmission platform, including on-demand programs, was implemented by VTVGo’s technical and content operations departments with the spirit of no need to know. At 23 o’clock at night or in the early morning, if there is a problem such as the content is not correct or because of a small error that the program cannot see, we are ready to handle it as quickly as possible.
VTVGo is a free application, users do not even need to log in to use it. Because of this convenience, VTVGo has been chosen by many people besides foreign platforms.
“There is quite interesting information that the VTVGo development team observed, that in many remote areas, people already have smart TVs or TV boxes with Android operating system, there are two regular applications. open to everyone: one is YouTube, and the other is VTVGo. Although YouTube has a variety of content, many content are difficult to determine the truth or even inappropriate, so many people still want to install VTVGo to watch news programs, movies and many other programs by VTV. produced, with official content, carefully censored and appraised”, Mr. Dung said.
Recent statistics show that, VTVGo has had 45 million cumulative downloads from its inception to the end of the second quarter of 2023. This number includes installs on devices that are no longer in use. Many people change their electronic devices and when they get a new device, they install VTVGo again to watch the content they love or need.
Frankly admitting that statistics are difficult to achieve complete accuracy, Mr. Dung shared more information: “VTV Digital’s statistics show that out of the total of 8 million current regular users of VTVGo across all channels platform, there are 1 million people abroad and 7 million people in Vietnam. The number is not really big. But compared to the total number of 5 million Vietnamese expatriates living and working abroad, this number of 1 million is also remarkable. In the coming time, the national digital television platform VTVGo will have enough channels of all 63 local television stations and 7 essential TV stations, increasing its ability to meet the demand for information related to television stations. If the region is the homeland of overseas Vietnamese, the number of people who regularly watch VTVGo abroad will certainly increase. With the support of the Department of Radio, Television and Electronic Information, Ministry of Information and Communications, VTVGo will also be able to develop many special and exclusive features and content to better serve the needs of the public. them, especially overseas Vietnamese”.
VTVGo is aiming to serve 15 million regular users by 2025, the number of regular users abroad will reach the milestone of 2 million people.
VTVGo’s competitive “weapon”
In Vietnam, cross-border platforms like YouTube and Facebook have more than 60 million regular users. These platforms have the backing of global technology companies, so they have great advantages in terms of platform systems, techniques and infrastructure. While VTV Go is just a product originating from a state press agency with many limitations related to technology investment and human resources.
But for many people to choose to install VTVGo next to cross-border platforms, it is impossible to “catch the enemy empty-handed”, but this “domestic” OTT TV platform must also equip itself with some advantages.
First of all, about the content. VTVGo owns a large amount of content broadcasted by VTV, on average, more than 500 episodes are produced each year, not to mention news programs, political speeches, documentaries, etc. The information content is controlled. evidence, ensuring the appropriateness, accuracy and safety for the audience. This amount of original content belongs to the category of “homegrown”, so VTVGo can post and release it earlier than other digital platforms.
In order to create more “appealing dishes” for content “party”, the purchase of television rights has been made in recent years. Programs licensed by VTV are not only broadcast on cable and satellite channels, but also on digital platforms such as VTVGo.
VTV often buys the rights to major sports events such as the World Cup, the Olympics, etc., while regular seasonal events do not invest, to save “land” for pay TV units to collect viewer fees.
Another advantage of VTVGo is the ability to support users to review VTV’s programs in a period of 3 months, maybe even longer. VTVGo’s development team is continuing to further optimize this feature, making it possible for people to find and watch the show with a better experience.
“In terms of technology, now there is no longer a distance between Vietnam and the world. VTVGo is also exploiting and promoting the most advanced technology effectively today. The feature of suggesting content for the audience can be mentioned. Fake, developed based on big data technology, VTVGo has carefully calculated the implementation of this feature so that users are not arbitrarily collected personal data. towards the goal of providing the best experience while ensuring the safety of the public,” Dung said.
The above “weapons” have been helping VTVGo become more confident in front of competitors who are cross-border platforms.
Mr. Phan Thanh Gian, OTT expert:
In order for VTVGo to be able to compete with cross-border platforms, in my opinion, there are 3 issues to keep in mind.
One is about content. VTVGo already has the strength of content of the National Television Station, especially content related to news, reportage, sports awards, VFC’s primetime feature films… Should add some content. other like Vietnamese movies in theaters…
The second is about technology. Technology was a problem a few years ago, but not anymore. Along with investment costs, VTV will have to focus on more technology teams, not on core technology but only technologies related to user experience, such as how to manage children, or equipped with features related to transmission lines and devices (Netflix’s system can check what device the user’s device is, how to use the line to give the most appropriate profile, so users do not experiencing unpleasant experiences such as shaking due to network congestion).
And the third is about marketing. VTV has nearly ten years of operation, the team has a lot of marketing experience, and is a state agency, so it also has many advantages. However, I think it will be necessary to invest more in online marketing based on unique content.
Department of Radio, Television and Electronic Information, Ministry of Information and Communications:
National Digital Television Platform VTVGo has 38 essential television channels of both central and local; meet many people’s needs in terms of technology content and trends; promote the role of the main press agency, contributing to widely promoting the cultural values, country and people of Vietnam to all domestic people and international friends.
In the coming time, the National Digital Television Platform VTVGo will continue to be invested, upgrade the technology system, optimize the personalization features of the user experience…
Along with the promotion of the Ministry of Information and Communications, the companion of local radio and television stations, major content production units across the country, the national digital television platform VTVGo will increasingly grow and better serve the essential information and entertainment needs of the Vietnamese people, step by step competing with international digital platforms.
