Faced with controversy, the CEO of a top Vietnamese satellite TV station cried uncle, capitulated, insulted his personnel on air, and cancelled a talk show hosted by a popular poet.
This is not the first time spineless SBTN’s Cuong Nguyen (Vietnamese name: Nguyễn Tự Cường) bent over and submitted to the will of a few. A little more than a year ago, when controversy arose over music of the late antiwar musician Trịnh Công Sơn (see here), Nguyen went on air, insulted the musician, and repudiated any affiliation with the concert – which his station early had promoted heavily.
This SBTN, by the way, is the same SBTN whose reduced-rate ads given to OC supervisor candidate Hoa Van Tran resulted in a complaint to the state Attorney General as a possible illegal campaign contribution. See here.
This most recent controversy involves the legacy of South Vietnam’s first president, who was brought down following a wave of popular protests led by Buddhist monks, something like the one in the photo to the right.
The station had broadcast an interview with an author who claimed the protesting monks were communists. A group of Buddhists clamored for a retraction, and Nguyen went on air to repudiate the interview, slash out at the interviewer, and cancel the program on the spot.
In recent years and especially in the U.S., the late President Ngo Dinh Diem has enjoyed a comeback of sort, where people pretty much forgave his dictatorial ways, his cronyism, and his favoritism of Catholicism. Instead, they remember him as a corruption-free individual (just him, not necessarily his underlings) who was fervently anti-communist.
Riding that wave of newly arisen support for President Diem, an author published a book attacking the Buddhist leaders who had brought down the man’s presidency.
Liên Thành is a former commander of the police force in Huế, the city in central Vietnam that was home to most Buddhist activists. Entitled “Biến Động Miền Trung” (Turmoil in Central Vietnam), the book has been extensively 
quoted and excerpted electronically, posted on various web sites (such as this one) and sent around the various right-wing listservs.
Essentially a long diatribe, the book’s main claim is that the Buddhist forces that brought down Diem and continued to oppose various policies of the Saigon government were, well, communist.
Always happy to see more accusations of commies, former South Vietnamese military initially came out in droves to support the book. The publisher is the association of former South Vietnamese Rangers. Many came to the book signing all dressed up and wearing a red beret, the symbol of the Rangers, proving how seriously they took the author and his accusations. The photo to the left is taken from a Viet Bao story, here.
On a special Tet broadcast on the same SBTN, Lien Thanh was invited to speak about the atrocities committed by communists during the Tet Offensive in Hue. After all, he’s now the expert on communists in the city. (Click on photo below to go to video on Blogspot.)
That was when Lien Thanh was the darling of conspiracy theorists who love the fact that he’d unearthed a whole organization of commies.
A few months into the lovefest, however, people began having second thought. The same (supposedly commie) Buddhist forces that once opposed President Diem are now opposing the communist government’s attempts to take over Buddhist temples and teachings in the country.
If those same Buddhists were communists then, what does it make them and their disciples now? All of a sudden, Lien Thanh’s red-baiting doesn’t seem as attractive as it used to be.
Into this quandary stepped Du Tử Lê. One of the most creative and frequently cited poets of the late 20th century, Du Tử Lê has had many of his poems set to music to become very popular songs (Khúc Thụy Du – Anh Bằng, Khi Cuộc Tình Đã Chết – Phạm Đình Chương, etc.)
Du Tử Lê has his own show on SBTN, so he invited Lien Thanh to participate. By then, however, he’s no longer the anti-communist knight in shining armor. He has become (gasp!) a controversial figure.
So Du Tử Lê had his interviews with Lien Thanh and broadcast them in several installations. All hell broke loose. The two camps, pro-Lien Thanh and anti-Lien Thanh, began loudly proclaiming the other one communist.
On Halloween Day, SBTN rolled over and played dead. Half of its midday news broadcast consists of a meeting between a group of Buddhists and its CEO Cuong Nguyen.
Interestingly, SBTN devoted much of its coverage to the delegation heaping abuse, not on Lien Thanh, but on the interviewer Du Tử Lê.
The clip cuts away just as one member of the delegation started talking about Lien Thanh. Even SBTN’s reporter Thanh Toan, who has been spending most of last year enjoying the good life in communist Vietnam, in his voice-over also craps on Du Tử Lê.
Probably afraid that a group of pro-Diem people would show up next, SBTN steered clear of any criticism of Lien Thanh’s claims.
And then, bending backward, the CEO admitted that his approach to any controversy is actually to go along with whatever the people sitting in front of him say – whom he calls “the community.” He agreed with the group, threw the old poet under the bus, and announced that he would cancel the show even if nobody has asked for it.
I can do almost anything I want giun kim, you on the other hand can only do whatever your boss tell you. He tell you to seat, you seat. He tell to blog, you blog. You’re such a good dog!
SBTN cai luong program is all videos from commie Vietnam. SBTN news includes so many voiced-over videos from commie Red China.
SBTN ban bien tap lam on di cho ro huong di cua minh.
The reality is China is a major player in world economics and politics, and Mao had his influence. Whether you like him or not is a personal matter.
Like VNmese government never changed much from one form to another throughout the later centuries, just one bunch of thugs replacing another. In the end, what do the people get, a pile of shite on top of the existing shite…it’s all shite.
It was never a personal matter that one thinks mao has no influence on the prosperous China of late.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mao_Tse_Tung
Without state control, can an economic environment exist? No – house in order first then economic development…the prosperity of late is as result of good central planning in the past…of course no one can be super human at everything, but the political climate allowed fluid socio-economic progress.
When someone accomplishes a feat, a reader must acknowledge.
“Like VNmese government never changed much from one form to another throughout the later centuries, just one bunch of thugs replacing another.”
It’s so painful but I tend to agree with this statement with some minor reservations. Growing up and educated in the South VN, I would not call South VN government thugs.
Dingo:
Yes, the old State Control buzz word, it is the socialist main staple.
I still think it has nothing to do with mao. His legacy had every thing to do with the great famine, millions deaths, intellectual cleansing, central control economic experiment failed one after another…decades after decades of failed policy until it was changed in the 76, long after he was gone.
Mao’s time came at the right moment in history when the imperialistic government system was falling everywhere in Asia. Just like HCM, they did succeed bring about the social changes when poor farmers starved…but had no idea how to run the economy after that.
I would not give the rooster the credit for the sun rising.
May be your statement does have some merits, it is the personal matter when one sees history from different angle with one’s personal state of mind.
“I would not give the rooster the credit for the sun rising”
Ha Ha Ha! Good one Bo May!
Any rooster can make my stomach happy ..but communist dictator is worthless to me!
And the dumb f*ck heads CHXHCN in viet nam kept on practicing mao teaching, likes a sacred religion, until they drove the whole country to the ground.
Central control my arse, central control so that they can put the money in their own pocket, after they realized mao’s words do not mean sh*t.
The education based on fundamental respect to God instead of communist regime must be planted in young hearts.
Two things can overcome fear;
The true love for God ………and the family.
“The true love for God…”
Jung Kim’s solution may work for religious societies and but may not be applicable for non-religious societies like China, Vietnam, Korea, Japan. Historical facts have shown that the French’s and President Diem’s promotion of God did not attract Viet people.
“The true love for God…”
It works for Italian Mafia .Before gangters go to kill ,they always pray God .
If you can not find the strength from God,
One has to find a good fearless leader against communist regime …who has more wisdom than his counter part but also willing to give his life for such cause.
chout, you have a poor perception…… no one would believe mafia was showing true love of God by killing people for the selfish reasons. Rather, they were playing the role of self made God.
Tien, leaders are ordinary people with extra ordinary committment for just cause and if he is aligned with God’s will, my friend….things can change!
Catholic President Diem and Catholic President Thieu with all-out support from Vatican had failed. Viet people did not buy in to God. Jung Kim has to find non-God solution to get support from Viet people.
Catholicization of Diem’ s government
President Ngo Dinh Diem’s government was regarded as being biased towards Catholics in public service and military promotions, as well as the allocation of land, business favors and tax concessions. Diem also once told a high-ranking officer, forgetting that he was a Buddhist, “Put your Catholic officers in sensitive places. They can be trusted.” Many officers in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam converted to Catholicism in the belief that their military prospects depended on it. Additionally, the distribution of firearms to village self-defense militias intended to repel Vietcong guerrillas saw weapons only given to Catholics. Some Catholic priests ran their own private armies, and in some areas forced conversions, looting, shelling and demolition of pagodas occurred.[58] Some villages converted en masse in order to receive aid or avoid being forcibly resettled by Diem’s regime.
The Catholic Church was the largest landowner in the country, and its holdings were exempt from reform and given extra property acquisition rights, while restrictions against Buddhism remained in force. Catholics were also de facto exempt from the corvée labor that the government obliged all citizens to perform; U.S. aid was disproportionately distributed to Catholic majority villages. In 1959, Diem dedicated his country to the Virgin Mary.
The white and gold Vatican flag was regularly flown at all major public events in South Vietnam by the government
The newly constructed Hue and Dalat universities were placed under Catholic authority to foster a Catholic-influenced academic environment. In May 1963, in the central city of Huế, where Diem’s elder brother Ngo Dinh Thuc was the archbishop, Buddhists were prohibited from displaying Buddhist flags during Vesak celebrations. A few days earlier, Catholics were allowed to fly religious flags at a celebration in honour of Thuc. This led to a protest against the government, which was suppressed by Diem’s forces, killing nine civilians.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholicism_in_Vietnam
Tien, I am not talking about religious establishment fighting communist regime…….. it’s the leader who has been fortified with Armour of God and His wisdom!
The religion is just a study.. much lacking closer personal relationship with God.
“it’s the leader who has been fortified with Armor of God and His wisdom!”
Then that leader must be the Pope, isn’t it?
All Popes supported the French, President Diem, and President Thieu, and they all failed…
After being failed by GOD related leaders, IMHO, the Viet people now become suspicious of and would not follow any leader who is GOD related.
Armor of God is another term for Jihad
Jung Kim is now one of us, come to us Jung Kim, we welcome you with open arms.
Buddist monks got mad when they did not see the buddist flag displaying .Don’t mess with Vietnamese buddist monks ,they will get mad .
OH, BTW, THIS LEVEL OF BS IS NOT PRONE TO VIETS (ONLY THE DEGREE)..COWARDICE AND INCOMPETENCE AT THE HIGHER LEVEL…JAPPO, KOR-GOOK, FLIP-SH*T, AND OTHERS.
THE WHITE SYSTEM LOVES YES MEN AND WOMEN, AND THIS IS WHAT GETS THE SYSTEM DOWN. SO, BACK TO THE SAME BLAME GAME, NON-WHITES ARE THE CAUSE OF EVERYTHING.
NOTHING LIKE KARMA WHEN THEY ENCOUNTER PERSONAL PROBLEMS AND HAVE TO RELY ONE OF THEIR KIND FOR ASSISTANCE. THEN WE SIT BACK AND WATCH THESE AHOLES PAY WITH THEIR LIFE…HAHAHA.
Lesson learned from VN war: The fearless religious leaders who dared to fight against evil communists were somehow unable to gain trust and support from the general population.
Chuot,
You rat are just a red commie ! trying to slash an old wound.
SBTN is a tay sai cho Cong Sang Ha Noi, with their attempt to bring back old ghosts of Ngo Dinh Diem & Ho Chi Minh.
Tien, Pope represents established Catholic Church.
I am more concerned with your brother Muslims.
Catholics or Muslims, they all are religious people. Muslims serve only their own God and only their own people. So do Catholics. Isn’t it true that Catholic people listen to and follow the Vatican? Thus, religious people don’t serve all people as a whole, do they? They serve people selectively, don’t they? That’s why non-religious Viet people don’t trust the Vatican priests, Catholic President Diem, or Catholic President Thieu.
Tien, “Not all Muslims are terrorists but all terrorists were Muslims”….do we need a sensitivity training on our Muslim friends?
Of course, not all Catholic Viets follow Vatican blindly but all of those Viets who put Vatican’s interest above their country’s interest are Catholics.
@Jung Kim
I appreciate that you want to help Viet people. But, with your religious mentality and attitude, it would be very hard for you to gain trust from Viet people, thus, impossible for you to help them. I give you a hint, the Viet people had their own Golden Rule, “Ky? so*? ba^’t du.c, va^.t thi u* nha^n?” 500 years before Jesus was born. If you understand that rule of morality, you might be able to win their heart and then help them.
Tien, you don’t have whole concept of understanding and I am not here to preach to Muslims.
This is jut in, Hey Bolsavik, you can get a few miles on this for your web site running…
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091107/ap_on_re_as/as_vietnam_us_unlikely_odyssey
“viet kid came back to VN as a navy commander”
Commander Hung Ba Le should use the Tomahawks on two parties, the Chinese warship and the commie Viet government!
Nuke their *ss to the friggin stone age!
You have been learnt nothing after 35 years. If you like the current VN goverment, go back over there and live. Period.