Vietnamese radio fans celebrate SBS 50 anniversary

SBS Australia

11-06-2025

Ms Tam Hanh presses play on the cassette player, as SBS Vietnamese program plays. For more than 30 years, Ms Tam Hanh has recorded episodes of the SBS Vietnamese radio program. "Sometimes, I'm afraid that listening once isn't enough—that I might not fully understand everything the first time. Or there are so many valuable things, that I see our Vietnamese broadcasters, who know English, collecting and sharing with those who don't understand English." She says it gave her a connection to her homeland after coming to Australia in 1985, and a way to preserve the contributions of the Vietnamese community in Australia for the next generation. "I want to record them and share them with as many people as possible." SBS expanded its programming to include the Vietnamese language in 1977. To this day, it serves as an important resource for many, fostering a connection to language and culture. In the years following the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, its estimated two million people fled to countries including the United States, Canada, France and Australia. This significantly grew Australia's Vietnamese community. This is Nicky Chung, the CEO of the Australian Vietnamese Women's Association. "When we first arrived, there was a lot of isolation for new refugees and migrants. And I'm really grateful for the fact that my parents were able to stay connected with what was happening in Vietnam, in the world. When I spoke with my parents about our experience with SBS, it was very much about being able to have a very trusted media source." Khanh Tho arrived in Australia in the late 1980s after spending more than 10 years attempting to escape Vietnam. She was repeatedly stopped by authorities and even threatened by pirates, while fleeing by boat to seek refuge in Thailand. "We all said 'we are alive, thank God, we survived now'. We just have to believe it is a miracle and that we got the hand of God to help us, otherwise we can't be here." She says the SBS Vietnamese program played a big role in helping her and her family navigate life in Australia. "SBS just gives me the feeling that Australia is my second home, and it's place to belong to." Khanh Tho now works as a Vietnamese language teacher.
She says the SBS Vietnamese program is a linguistic and cultural resource for her students.