Draft Law on Press (amended): Building a press and media complex to play a role in guiding public opinion

The draft Law on Press (amended) proposes to add the concept of magazine to clearly distinguish between types of press.

Along with that, the press type besides print, electronic, radio, and television, has an additional content channel of the press agency on cyberspace. The draft also sets out strict principles for press activities on cyberspace.

Vietnam News Agency's booth at the opening ceremony of the 2022 National Press Festival on the morning of April 13, 2022. Photo: An Dang/VNA

In the context of strong and rapid development of science and technology, amending the Press Law to build a suitable legal corridor is inevitable, helping to ensure a transparent and effective operating environment for the press; at the same time promoting the overall development of the country. This is the common opinion of those working in the press and media in Ho Chi Minh City about the draft Press Law (amended).

Master Le Anh Tu, Lecturer of the Faculty of Public Relations - Communication, University of Economics and Finance, Ho Chi Minh City (UEF), said that people today cannot distinguish between the concepts of mainstream press, magazines, electronic news sites and social networks. Therefore, adding the concept of Magazine to clearly distinguish between types of press is necessary, to identify and protect the specialization of magazines and ensure the diversity of the press.

In particular, in the context of difficult control of information on social networks as it is now, it is necessary to increase investment in facilities, improve equipment and technology so that official press agencies have enough capacity to compete with media agencies in the market; at the same time, focus on post-control and specific regulations to more effectively control information sources on social networking platforms.

Regarding this draft, Master Le Anh Tu proposed to include provisions to create conditions for press agencies to proactively develop the press ecosystem, exploit their own data resources, and create their own development resources.

"Press agencies should also set out regulations in the direction of expanding other business activities according to the law to have revenue sources to develop press activities, in accordance with the determination of press agencies as conditional business enterprises," said Master Le Anh Tu.

Regarding press activities in cyberspace, according to journalist Ngoc Bich, Ho Chi Minh City People's Voice, digital technology has impacted most fields and has a strong and profound influence on the press field. Press agencies are facing many challenges in the process of digital transformation and multi-platform development. In response to the requirement of comprehensive innovation in press activities in the digital age, this draft Law has included many new regulations, notably the contents related to press activities in cyberspace. Accordingly, the types of press are print newspapers, electronic newspapers, radio newspapers, and content channels of press agencies in cyberspace.

This draft has set out strict principles for press activities in cyberspace and the responsibilities of press agencies when conducting press activities in cyberspace. Journalist Ngoc Bich said that information posted by press agencies on cyberspace must be posted and broadcast on the official system of the press agency, and the content must be edited to be suitable for cyberspace.

In addition, the addition of the press and media group model is necessary because this is the operating model of a press agency with many types of press, with affiliated press agencies and affiliated enterprises, meeting the conditions prescribed by the Government. When that model is established, the press agency operating under the Press and Media Group model is allowed to have a number of affiliated press agencies; has financial, labor and salary mechanisms like an enterprise; is allowed to have affiliated enterprises or contribute capital to the enterprise.

Journalist Ngoc Bich proposed criteria for selecting press agencies that are qualified to operate under the model of a multimedia core press and communication group. In particular, a multimedia core media agency must truly be a press and communication group that operates in many forms and services, plays a core role in orienting public opinion, and has a specific operating mechanism.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/du-thao-luat-bao-chi-sua-doi-xay-dung-to-hop-bao-chi-truyen-thong-dong-vai-tro-dinh-huong-du-luan-xa-hoi-703639.html