Staff at An Giang and Can Tho Radio and Television Stations have publicly petitioned provincial authorities after going months without pay or allowances, Dan Tri is reporting. This is a rare move that underscores the financial distress facing Vietnam’s local state-run media.
In An Giang, employees say they have not received salaries, freelance payments, or business expenses since June 2023. As of March 2025, they had only received half of their February salary. The station’s leadership confirmed the delays, citing collapsing advertising revenue due to shifts to social media platforms.
In Can Tho, staff reported up to 20 months of unpaid allowances, despite continued operations. They initially agreed to a partial forfeiture of 15 percent of their 2024 payments to help the station, but were later told an additional 50 percent would be withheld. Management insists only royalties are delayed, not base salaries.
Both stations say revenue shortages stem from the state’s push for financial “self-sufficiency” in public media, implemented without sufficient support or adaptation. At the same time, digital competitors have absorbed most advertising revenue. The Can Tho station also owes nearly VND 35 billion (US$1.4 million) in land-use taxes and VND 9.2 billion (US$359,797) to a broadcast service provider, according to a similar article from Tuoi Tre.
The crisis is not isolated. Staff at Soc Trang’s broadcaster have reportedly gone 15 months without payment, with the outlet accumulating VND 15 billion in debt.
These cases reveal deep institutional strain in Vietnam’s local media, where financial autonomy policies have clashed with shrinking revenues. That journalists have publicly petitioned for help—a rare move in Vietnam—signals severe erosion of morale and trust. Without urgent structural reform or new funding models, more local outlets may face insolvency, undermining the state’s ability to maintain public media services outside major cities.
See also: Vietnam News Media Industry Overview