The Vietnam Football Fans’ Association has sent an open letter with the
signatures of one million members to Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung to express
their discontent against the monopoly of K Plus (K+) cable TV channel in
broadcasting international football events in Vietnam.

The Association’s Chair, senior actor Duc Trung, said before
sending the letter to the Prime Minister, the Association sent a petition to
National Assembly deputy Duong Truong Quoc to ask him to question the cabinet
about the case of K+ at the year-end National Assembly session but the answer
from the Ministry of Information and Communication was not satisfactory.

In some online forums, some people called for others to
protest K+ by signing the open letter. A facebook account with around 19,000 “antifans”
of K+ has been set up.

The idea to collect 1 million signatures was raised several
months ago but it was realized only when football fans throughout the country
flocked to Hanoi
to cheer the ASEAN Football Cup (AFF Cup).

Cao Van Liet, General Director of VSTV, the owner of K+ said
that it has permitted a digital TV channel and an Internet Protocol TV channel
of FPT to broadcast the English Premier League. However, the audience have to
pay fees to watch these matches.

Liet told Tien Phong Newspaper that Vietnam has to learn
from developed countries: paid TV services have several segments of market.
Clients who pay more will be provided with more attractive entertainment
channels. Paid TV services can’t develop with free services.

Artist Duc Trung said that K+ must have a business policy
appropriate for the country’s situation.

K+, a joint venture between Vietnam Television and France’s
Canal Plus, holds the exclusive right to broadcast some international football
events.

To watch matches of famous football events in Spain, Italy
and the UK, clients have to buy a signal receiver worth VND1.5 million and pay
monthly fees of over VND250,000.

Duc Trung said with VND4 million ($200) of monthly
retirement pension, the fees claimed by K+ is too high even for him so low
income earners can’t afford the service.

In a country where football is the most popular sport and
with a per capita income of over $1000/year, how many people can afford to pay
$150/year to watch football at the weekend?

Trung also said that VTV, the national television station,
holds a majority share of K+ but it doesn’t serve the interests of the people.

This is the first time a paid TV service provider was
protested strongly in Vietnam.

Artist Duc Trung said he would never use K+ service.

Actor Viet Anh stated “Using K+ service is offending the
poor” and “K+ is picking customers’ pockets”.

On some online forums, members wrote that they can afford to
use K+ service but they don’t or that it is better to spend that money on charity
.

“We don’t want to use the word ‘boycott’ but we want to le
them know that they would lose customers if they continue to press users,”
Trung emphasized.

The audience’s trust on TV service providers has been
undermined. Several years ago, when VTC held the exclusive right for
broadcasting the EPL in Vietnam, the audience had to buy VTC’s signal
receivers. Now they have to buy K+ equipment.
they worry that they will have to buy a new signal receivers for another
channel.

Will football be for the rich only?

TVN