Ben Tre Radio and Television Station faces financial difficulties

Since the beginning of 2025, Thanh Nien reporters have continuously received complaints from reporters, editors... working at Ben Tre Radio and Television Station about delayed salaries and non-payment of royalties. This prolonged situation has seriously affected the lives of 110 officers, civil servants and employees working at Ben Tre Radio and Television Station.

Many people are even more worried that Ben Tre Radio and Television Station will merge with Dong Khoi Newspaper, then merge with newspapers and television stations of Vinh Long and Tra Vinh provinces (after merging Ben Tre, Tra Vinh and Vinh Long).

Ben Tre Radio and Television Station is located at Tran Quoc Tuan Street, An Hoi Ward, Ben Tre City. PHOTO: BAC BINH

Financial imbalance

On May 18, speaking with Thanh Nien reporter, Mr. Nguyen Huu Tho, Director of Ben Tre Radio and Television Station, confirmed that the unit's financial situation has been seriously unbalanced since the beginning of the year.

Although the Board of Directors has made efforts to mobilize all legal financial resources to maintain salary and royalty payments, the salary fund has now been "depleted". Since the beginning of 2025, the unit has been unable to pay royalties. By the end of March, it was officially unable to pay salaries to staff.

According to Mr. Tho, by the end of 2024, Ben Tre Radio and Television Station will have a negative fund of about 5 billion VND. This number is expected to increase to 13 billion VND by the end of May if there is no timely support.

The direct cause of Ben Tre Radio and Television Station's financial situation falling into "bankruptcy" is that since February 2025, the unit has been unable to sign a propaganda contract with the Department of Information and Communications (now the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Ben Tre) due to many objective reasons.

"The leadership of Ben Tre Radio and Television Station is in the process of working with the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to complete the signing of the propaganda contract. Immediately after the agreement, it is expected to advance about 3 billion VND to pay salaries and royalties to the staff," Mr. Tho added.

In a temporary "rescue" effort, the Board of Directors of Ben Tre Radio and Television Station established an internal "mutual support fund" to advance salaries for staff and reporters.

Specifically, at the end of March 2025, the members of the Board of Directors voluntarily contributed a total of VND 440 million to the mutual support fund. Of which, Mr. Nguyen Huu Tho contributed VND 140 million; 2 deputy directors, Mr. Le Van Phet contributed VND 260 million and Mr. Cao Ngoc Duong contributed VND 40 million. This amount was used to advance each employee VND 4 million while waiting for the propaganda contract to be disbursed.

Ben Tre Radio and Television Station was established in 1977 and is one of the earliest local press agencies in the Mekong Delta region. Over the past 48 years, the station has made many contributions in informing, propagating, and reflecting the political , economic, cultural, and social realities of the locality to people inside and outside the province.

Source TNO

Source: https://baotayninh.vn/dai-pt-th-ben-tre-gap-kho-khan-ve-tai-chinh-a190264.html