VTV3

VTV3 is a state-owned Vietnamese television channel owned by the Vietnam Television, launched officially on 31 March 1996. As the country's first ever sports and entertainment dedicated channel, it broadcasts sporting events and entertainment-oriented programs including music, game shows, leisure & lifestyles, nationally produced, as well as American and Asian series.

== History == VTV3 first broadcast for testing in June 1994 during the 1994 World Cup, it aired alongside VTV1 and VTV2 on channel 9 VHF in Hanoi from 14:00 to 19:30 as a general Sports – Entertainment – Cultural channel. From April 1995, the channel broadcast on channel 6 in Hanoi with the content Sports - Culture – Entertainment – Economic Information. That same year, the channel aired its first US series, ''Charlie's Angels. TV series from Western countries were, at the time, negotiated by Alicom Ltd., a French company. At 10:00 a.m., 31 March 1996, on channel 6 in Hanoi and surrounding areas, VTV3 officially launched as a Sports – Entertainment – Economic Information channel. It is also relayed nationwide via satellite in July of the same year. Since the launch of the channel, VTV began to broadcast the Premier League, made this channel becomes the first ever channel to broadcast the tournament in Vietnam, starting from the 1996–97 season. From 1 January 1997, VTV3 separated its frequency to channel 22 UHF in Hanoi, 21 UHF in Danang and channel 28 UHF in Ho Chi Minh City with nighttime programs. This also made VTV3 to become the second channel to air live the current affairs news program alongside VTV1 at 19:00. The channel began to be relayed nationwide via satellite with an independent frequency on 31 March 1998. December 31, 1999: Together with VTV1, VTV2, and VTV4, it broadcast a special program to welcome the new century with a record of shortest length at that time in Vietnam to welcome the year 2000. Beginning from 31 December 2001, VTV3 increased the broadcasting times following: From 31 December 2001 to 1 September 2006: 05:30 to 24:00. From 1 September 2006 to 18 March 2020 and from 1 May 2020 to present: 24/7. Between 2013 – 2014, the production department of VTV3 was split into two separate departments: the sports-producing crew was split into a separate department alongside the VTV1 sports room. The remaining VTV3 entertainment team was renamed Department for Entertainment Productions. From 2014, most sports events on VTV3 were transferred to channel VTV2, then to channel VTV6, then to channel VTV5. Currently, a number of sports events taking place during the day are being broadcast on channels VTV2 and VTV5. VTV3 is only live at night time. From September 21, 2015, most of the sports programs on VTV3 were transferred to channel VTV6, leaving only events taking place at night. Morning sports bulletin is the Sports beats. In 2020, Sports 360° – The Beat – the morning sports bulletin – was transferred to VTV6 and then after VTV5, leaving the VTV3 channel to broadcast entertainment-oriented programs, and transmitting sports programs during special occasions only. The bulletin was later relaunched in 2021 as Sports Beat, and beginning to broadcast on both VTV3 and VTV6 from 12 April 2021. Between 19 March and 30 April 2020, as a safety precaution due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam, Vietnam Television temporarily suspended the overnight timeslot on VTV3, along with most VTV channels, and limited the broadcast time to 19/7. From February 14, 2022, until now, most sports programs have officially returned to VTV3 in the morning and afternoon time frames, thereby bringing sports content back on VTV3 after about 7 years of stopping broadcasting. From October 10, 2022, the bulletin Sports Beat'' is only broadcast at 6 a.m. daily and the sports bulletin is updated at 5 p.m. daily on VTV3.