Vietnam's Prime Minister recently issued a decision on the application of policies to provide media support to poor households and ethnic minority groups in mountainous, border and sea areas. Under Decision 467/QD-TTG, the State will provide audio-video equipment to poor and near-poor households. The equipment includes radio receivers, TV sets and digital TV receivers to poor and near-poor households throughout the country within a plan to 2020 approved by the Prime Minister. Elderly, village heads, religious officials in especially poor villages will get radio with AM, FM and SM bands on a pilot basis. Besides, subsidies will be provided to poor and near-poor households using telephone lines. The decision also states that free provision of a number of newspapers and magazines will be made for authorities and mass organizations belonging to ethnic minority groups in mountainous areas. Moreover, communications work on poverty mitigation, legal knowledge and specific contents suitable to the target groups will also be strengthened. (VOV Apr 30)
