How does mainstream media guide public opinion on social networks?

“Citizen journalism” is becoming increasingly popular, becoming a channel for providing and exchanging information quickly, contributing significantly to information and propaganda work. However, besides the positive aspects, “citizen journalism” is also a source of spreading and sharing fake news, untrue news, causing confusion in public opinion. Therefore, it is necessary to have the direction of the mainstream press in cyberspace.

The press has an important role and task of providing official information, contributing to orienting ideology and leading public opinion. In the photo: Journalists and reporters working at the Press Center of the 13th National Party Congress. Photo: TL

The development trend of "citizen journalism"

In recent years, along with the remarkable development of science and technology, especially information technology, global communications, social networks and other forms of media on the Internet in our country have developed strongly. With their strengths and high interactivity, wide coverage and convenience, social networking platforms have attracted a large number of users, thereby deeply affecting all aspects of life, making a certain contribution to economic , cultural and social development.

In addition to traditional news channels and media, “citizen journalism” is becoming more and more popular in modern society. Information is collected, provided, and shared by ordinary people in many rich and diverse forms such as short videos , images, livestreams (streaming on social networks)... with language and expressions suitable for the “hot trends” of the online community.

In Thai Nguyen, there are currently over 1.5 million mobile subscribers, of which over 1.1 million subscribers use 3G/4G services. This is an important tool for people to access the internet and social networks to exploit and learn about domestic and international information. Along with that, "citizen journalism" has also developed rapidly, every day, every hour, every minute there is information written about Thai Nguyen province, mostly posted and shared by Thai Nguyen people on social networking platforms.

One of the strengths of “citizen journalism” is the “open forum”, with public interaction, giving the public the opportunity to openly express their feelings, openly respond, and comment with opposing opinions like online conversations, continuously ongoing.

However, besides the positive aspects, the spread of bad and toxic information has recently tended to increase, mainly fabricated information, false information or information with part of the truth but reported with bad intentions, analyzed and oriented public opinion with false arguments on the network environment, including social networking platforms with large numbers of users such as Facebook, TikTok, Zalo, Youtube.

Some unverified information, false information that affects individuals and organizations; information that pries into and subjectively comments on the private lives of individuals and organizations; obscene video clips that violate ethical standards, culture, and customs; information that distorts history and sabotages the Party's guidelines and policies, and the State's policies and laws... are shared by "citizen journalism".

In particular, recently, Tiktok is a new social network that has initially attracted a large number of online communities to participate, using automatic distribution algorithms to create trends and spread content to attract views, not managing the activities of "Idols" leading to many people having trends, targeting the curiosity of viewers, even creating "trends" to profit from this content.

"Take the good, eliminate the bad"

With the inevitable development trend of “citizen journalism” as it is today, if the mainstream press does not self-regulate, “citizen journalists” may gain the upper hand, because their information is more vivid and truthful, closer to the public, and more responsive because it does not waste time on editing and censorship. Therefore, it requires the mainstream press to perform well its function as an essential means of information for social life, reflecting and guiding public opinion, especially promoting the role of social orientation in cyberspace.

The mainstream press needs to proactively build information channels on social networks, increase the production of new media products that are suitable for the tastes of the online community, participate in interactions, create a multi-dimensional information environment that contributes to shifting public opinion's focus to positive information, isolating negative information. Mainstream journalists also need to improve their professional qualifications, modern journalism skills, and actively transform digitally to produce high-quality press works that meet the criteria of accuracy, timeliness, dissemination, and readership. Thereby, creating an environment to disseminate mainstream, positive information content according to the motto "taking the beautiful, eliminating the ugly", "greening positive information", "taking construction to fight"...

In addition, the authorities need to effectively manage and control “citizen journalism”, while promoting the positive aspects, advantages and conveniences of “citizen journalism” to serve communication work, minimizing bad and toxic information and negative impacts on social life. At the same time, promote propaganda and dissemination so that people can grasp the legal regulations when providing and using information on the Internet; propagate and encourage each citizen to become a responsible “citizen journalist”.

From there, actively promote and introduce the image of Thai Nguyen land and people, promote historical relics, scenic spots, unique cultural features, key products and services of the locality. Management agencies need to apply techniques and technology to serve the work of reviewing, detecting, correcting, and promptly and strictly handling violations in press activities and information on the Internet.

Making the most of the advantages of social networks, promoting the effectiveness of mainstream journalism on social networks, creating positive habits so that "citizen journalism" has the right awareness, and self-creating healthy information will spread good values, contributing to building a safe and positive network environment in Vietnam in general and Thai Nguyen province in particular.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/xa-hoi/202506/bao-chi-chinh-thong-dinh-huong-du-luan-tren-mang-xa-hoi-ra-sao-3090962/