Most local TV viewers credit Diem Quynh with giving birth to the modern Vietnamese television MC.
When Vietnam Television (VTV) opened its doors to MTV-generation programming in the mid-1990s, Quynh took the lead as the north’s model cosmopolitan and internationally-savvy MC.
Since leaving the field two years ago, VTV has yet to find a replacement.
Pioneer
When her father was ambassador to China from 1989 to 1997, Quynh lived with her family in Beijing and earned her master’s degree in Chinese.
In the summer of 1996, she returned home and hosted the Vietnamese version of an MTV most-requestedvideos program on VTV3.
Vietnamese audiences were immediately hooked by her sense of humor, intellect and grace.
VTV3 Director Lai Van Sam, another great MC who has worked with Quynh since that first show on VTV, calls Quynh “a pioneer.”
“She has blown fresh air into Vietnamese television. We still see her style and manner imitated by most local MCs.”
Quynh says audiences shouldn’t worry about whether or not their hosts were “perfect talkers.”
“My fans think I rarely make mistakes, but in fact, I’m just trying to keep pace with the changing world. I’m not that perfect.”
But never one to go light on the savoir faire, Quynh is in fact a great talker, not only in Vietnamese and Chinese, but English and Russian as well.
She says that having a wide knowledge base and confidence are the most important qualities of a successful emcee.
New era
Quynh left the screen and stage at the peak of her career to assume a quieter but still important behind-the scenes job in 2006.
At the age of 36, Quynh is now head of the Program Production Department of Vietnamese Television’s channel VTV6, the first Vietnamese TV station to targets young audiences.
After a few weeks of pilots earlier this year, the channel is expected to be launched in the near future.
Asked how she can understand teenagers well enough to produce interesting programs for them, Quynh says, “I respect the youth’s creativity and always encourage them to work hard and never limit their abilities.”
“My daughter is now a teen. I try to listen to and observe the teenage world in the same way that I show my great love for my daughter. The lessons I have learned from the youth are just as important and challenging as those I encountered as an MC.
“Our programs will offer forums through which teenagers can focus on their beliefs, life ideas and even academics,” Quynh says.
The youngsters who work with Quynh say that her tremendous energy has impressed them so much that she never shows how difficult her job really is.
“People believe in me and that means I’m under the pressure of success. But I never forget the very first time I took the stage before millions of viewers,” Quynh says. “Challenges make me.”
Reported by Cat Khue |
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