(NB&CL) At the 8th Session, the 15th National Assembly is reviewing and amending the Advertising Law, with many important new points. In particular, the draft Law proposes to increase the advertising area in printed newspapers to not exceed 30% of the total area of a newspaper publication, or 40% of the total area of a magazine publication, except for newspapers and magazines specializing in advertising and must have signs to distinguish advertising from other content - this adjustment is welcomed by delegates and leaders of press agencies, but comments also say that it does not fundamentally solve the difficulties of press agencies in implementing financial autonomy.
Print advertising is in free fall.
Newspaper revenue, especially from advertising, has plummeted, while revenue from new forms and models is just emerging and has not yet compensated for the loss from print newspapers. Many experts believe that the economic issues of Vietnamese newspapers and media have never been as hot, complicated and difficult as in recent years, especially in the context of the digital economy , and pose urgent problems that need to be resolved...
At the 8th Session of the 15th National Assembly, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung said that the draft Law amending regulations on advertising activities in printed newspapers. Accordingly, the advertising area in printed newspapers must not exceed 30% of the total area of a newspaper publication, or 40% of the total area of a magazine publication, except for newspapers and magazines specializing in advertising, and must have signs to distinguish advertising from other content. These figures in the 2012 Advertising Law are 15% and 20% respectively.
Commenting on this issue, journalist Phung Cong Suong - Editor-in-Chief of Tien Phong Newspaper said that increasing advertising space in printed newspapers is appropriate, but has not really had a positive impact in solving difficulties in press activities.
Journalist Phung Cong Suong shared that, through journalism practice, in recent years, advertising on printed publications has been on a “non-stop” decline, with some newspapers decreasing by 70-80%, some even decreasing by 90%. Many newspapers used to have dozens of advertising pages, but now only have a few pages. In one week, there were consecutive issues with no advertising pages. “Increasing the advertising space ratio on printed publications may be symbolic rather than substantial, because advertising on printed newspapers is at risk of disappearing,” said Mr. Suong.
Editor-in-Chief Nguyen Cong Suong said that the drafting agencies should study and adjust in the direction of specific regulations on the ratio of area and advertising position for each type of newspaper and magazine publication.
In addition, according to Mr. Suong, press agencies are facing some difficulties and problems in the regulations on financial autonomy mechanism of public service units in Decree 60/2021/ND-CP; the mechanism for assigning tasks, ordering or bidding for production and provision of public services using the State budget in Decree 32/2019/ND-CP and tax policies for press agencies need to continue to be improved to promote the development of the press economy.
Currently, the annual regular expenditure on the press is less than 0.5% of the total regular expenditure of the State budget. The expenditure on press investment is also low, accounting for only about 0.25% of the total investment expenditure of the State budget. In particular, some large press agencies have little or no support or orders from the budget.
Creating a clearer corridor for advertising in electronic publications
Editor-in-Chief Phung Cong Suong said that Tien Phong has been an autonomous newspaper for a long time, one of the important pillars is revenue from advertising and distribution. However, in recent years, the revenue structure of printed newspapers, especially distribution, only accounts for 10 - 16%. "Printed publications generate revenue but have no profit or even loss," Mr. Suong emphasized.
To develop revenue sources, journalist Phung Cong Suong said that Tien Phong Newspaper promotes advertising on electronic publications, enhances event upgrading activities and seeks new revenue sources, focusing on event organization forms such as promoting the Miss Vietnam contest, expanding the National Championship and Tien Phong Newspaper Long Distance, and in economic activities, there is the program "Vietnam Card Day". In addition, the Newspaper increases the organization of seminars and talks, opens new spaces, strengthens coordination with media partners, develops Tien Phong Media Company...
Sharing the same view, Thanh Nien Newspaper Editor-in-Chief Nguyen Ngoc Toan said that, in the face of the explosive growth of online advertising, the advertising market share in print newspapers has decreased sharply. He also said that the policy of increasing advertising space in newspapers and magazines to help press agencies increase revenue and better implement the financial autonomy mechanism is a positive policy, but adjusting the advertising space ratio in print newspapers has not fundamentally solved the difficulties of press agencies in implementing financial autonomy.
It is necessary to recognize that press products are not simply commodities but are characterized by political and cultural factors. While businesses can offer products to meet market demand, press agencies cannot just bring any product to market because, along with information, press products also carry out political, educational, and social orientation functions.
And unlike many other presses, the Vietnamese press is identified as “Revolutionary Press” with the mission of “serving the People”, being the internal force for the strong development of the country. In reality, generating revenue for press agencies, what we still call “press economics”, is not an easy task for many press agencies. In order to develop steadily, in addition to the ordering mechanism from the State, there also needs to be more open and transparent policies and legal corridors to help the press diversify its revenue sources. Especially issues related to diversification in advertising communications on electronic newspapers and social networks.
“Currently, cross-border social networking platforms have huge traffic and very low advertising costs - press agencies are not competitive enough. Therefore, there needs to be more flexible regulations on online newspapers to improve and develop revenue sources for press agencies, especially completely autonomous press agencies such as Thanh Nien Newspaper,” said Editor-in-Chief Nguyen Ngoc Toan.
Hoa Giang
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/dieu-chinh-ti-le-dien-tich-quang-cao-tren-bao-in-la-phu-hop-nhung-chua-mang-tinh-chat-can-co-post321255.html
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