Legendary radio presenter Tran Phuong.

Tran Phuong, whose real name was Nguyen Ba The, was born in 1935 in Long Xuyen city, An Giang province. He joined the revolution at the age of 15 and became an intelligence officer in the armed forces of the southwestern region.

In 1954, he moved to the north. Three years later, in 1957, he auditioned for and was selected as a broadcaster by the Voice of Vietnam, who was impressed by his deep, warm, expressive voice and impeccable pronunciation.

The high point of his 37-year broadcasting career was delivering, on April 30, 1975, a commentary on Vietnam's reunification. 

“The seven-minute commentary had the emotional title: ‘The entire nation embraces glorious Ho Chi Minh City.’ Tran Lam, VOV’s President at the time, suggested that the commentary be read by a southern voice, and assigned me to do it. The commentary followed the news of reunification. I was so moved that, while reading it, I had to stop the recording, step outside for a moment, and then return to finish it,” Phuong said.

Having fought on the battlefield for two years, Tran Phuong was an inspiring figure to people in the south.

“For southerners, the commentaries read by Tran Phuong were invigorating and lifted up our spirits. His commentaries were like an army regiment rising up, which terrified the enemy,” said a listener.

Tran Phuong once said a skilled broadcaster needed to have political integrity in his/her voice. Political integrity means patriotism. A broadcaster’s love for the nation must be sincere and profound for their voice to have power. A broadcaster is both an artist and a warrior, he said. 

“A national broadcaster who is emotionally shallow cannot present stories effectively. A guerrilla girl in Tra Vinh province once wrote to me, saying that she listened to me every night and felt that the day of reunification was near.”

Beyond political integrity, Tran Phuong believed that a broadcaster also needed cultural knowledge, life experience, and a beautiful soul. He considered these qualities essential to understanding and conveying the nuances of a text.

VOV colleagues visit Tran Phuong in 2022.

One of his colleagues recalled, “When I was still working with Tran Phuong, I really admired him. He inspired other colleagues. Whenever Tran Phuong entered the studio, we felt completely assured of the quality. His southern accent was captivating. It really resonated with people.”

“Tran Phuong could deliver excellently news, commentaries, and literary texts. The writing was elevated by his voice and delivery,” said another colleagues.

Tran Phuong’s talent led him to work as an expert for nearly five years at Moscow Radio in the former Soviet Union. In 1993, he became the first southern broadcaster to be awarded the title Emeritus Artist. The following year, in 1994, he moved to work for the Can Tho Radio and Television Station, continuing his broadcasting career into his eighties.

Tran Phuong also provided voice-over for numerous documentaries, including the renowned “Victory on Route 9 – Southern Laos”. He passionately shared his knowledge and experience with younger broadcasters, mentoring them in every aspect of broadcasting. 

“I grew up with radio programs presented by Tran Phuong. Before television became popular, my mother and I would listen to his Late Night Storytelling program every day. Meeting him and hearing his stories and insights about broadcasting, I saw how dedicated he was and how he always kept the flame of his profession alive,” said Nguyen Thi Nguyen, a listener and later a student of Tran Phuong. 

Meritorious Artist Tran Phuong left behind a remarkable career that few broadcasters could achieve. Most importantly, he will forever live in the hearts of listeners across the nation.