MC Bich Hong's statement caused outrage: A moment of rashness revealed a gap in perception

On April 19, MC Bich Hong (SCTV4) made controversial statements about military parades and marches.

The female MC later removed the post, posting an apology. SCTV immediately stopped all programs and images related to MC Bich Hong and ended their collaboration.

However, this incident does not stop at the scope of an individual's statement but there are many things worth discussing.

MC Bich Hong's sharing angered the online community. Photo: VNN

VietNamNet interviewed Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Hoai Son, Standing Member of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture andEducation, on this issue.

Some say that the MC Bich Hong incident is a sign that there is a problem with celebrities' perception of important national events. What do you think?

Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Hoai Son: Not just a "signal", this is truly a strong warning. The incident of the female MC, even if it was just a moment of recklessness, is enough to reveal a worrying gap in the awareness of a number of famous people.

When a celebrity, especially a TV presenter, expresses displeasure at a sacred event like the rehearsal for the 50th anniversary of national reunification, it is not simply a personal matter. It is also a deviation from civic consciousness, social responsibility and gratitude for history.

Important events are not only holidays but also the spiritual support of an entire nation. If public figures do not have enough depth to realize that, they not only lose their own image but also unintentionally hurt the pride of the community.

I think this is not the first time and certainly not the last time if we do not look straight at the problem: society increasingly gives celebrities great influence, but without a process of nurturing corresponding spiritual values.

Fame comes too quickly, roles are assumed too easily, but awareness of cultural and political obligations is overlooked.

According to you, what is the cause of this situation? Is it because the young generation is turning their backs on historical knowledge?

In my opinion, the causes come from many sides.

First of all, it is the lack of educational - cultural - historical foundation in the process of maturity and career development of a part of famous people.

Many people who enter the profession early are known to the public for their appearance, performing talent or influence on social networks but have never been properly equipped with historical knowledge, professional ethics or civic responsibility.

Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Hoai Son. Photo: Le Anh Dung

When cultural roots are not strong enough, when faced with important issues, they easily say emotional, even deviant words. Not necessarily on purpose, but because they do not have enough depth to understand what is sacred, what should be respected.

Second, it is the result of a society that overemphasizes glamour and forgets the depth of personality. In the digital age, fame can come after just one viral video , one impressive role...

But that fame, if not accompanied by an inner journey of training, will be like a fire that burns quickly but is easily extinguished.

It is the ease with which we honor celebrities, considering them idols just because of their appearance that makes many people mistakenly think that they are exempt from the responsibility of speaking or have the right to express their ego anytime, anywhere, even in spaces that require solemnity and sharing.

The third reason is the lack of guiding mechanisms, not only from the management agency but also from the media and entertainment units. For many years, we have rarely set specific standards, rarely built codes of conduct for MCs, artists, and KOLs.

Ultimately, it is the forgetting of sacred values ​​in a society that is too busy with modern life. When the city held a rehearsal to prepare for the most important celebration of the whole nation, many people only saw “traffic jams and inconveniences” instead of seeing pride and gratitude.

This shows the disparity in community awareness that celebrities are just a reflection of. The problem is not just an individual but a result of a long process of lack of investment in cultural and historical depth in the artistic environment, and lack of strong ethical barriers.

Immediately after the statement that caused a “storm on the internet”, SCTV announced that it would stop cooperating, and the MC also wrote an apology letter on his personal page. However, do you think there should be stronger sanctions?

SCTV's immediate termination of cooperation is a timely and firm response, demonstrating a clear stance of a media agency on the moral responsibility of the MC. The MC's apology also shows repentance and goodwill to correct mistakes.

However, stopping at the level of internal handling and public apology is not enough to prevent similar behaviors in the future.

In a rapidly changing society with the profound influence of social networks, it is necessary to create stricter sanctions, not to punish but to guide.

Because when a famous person makes a false statement, especially related to a political or historical event of great national significance, the consequences do not only stop at public emotions, but also affect social awareness, especially among young people.

First, it is time for us to have our own code of conduct for public figures, which clearly stipulates standards of speech, social responsibility, professional ethics and measures to handle violations. These rules are not intended to restrict personal freedom but to affirm that freedom of speech does not mean irresponsibility.

Second, professional associations and entities employing celebrities such as television stations, entertainment companies, and advertising brands need to reach consensus on building a mechanism to coordinate the handling of violations.

Third, in the long term, there needs to be mandatory training programs on civic culture, national history, and responsible communication skills for artists, KOLs, MCs, especially young people. Punishment is not enough without accompanying education.

Fourth, if necessary, cultural and media management agencies can consider a mechanism to monitor, warn or even temporarily suspend the media activities of celebrities who commit serious violations, similar to the way some countries have applied.

Lawyer Nguyen Doan Hung, Hanoi Bar Association, said that Decree 38/2021/ND-CP on administrative sanctions for violations in the fields of culture and advertising can apply fines to acts of speaking without standards that negatively affect society.

If MC Bich Hong is determined to have violated regulations on speech on social networks or in television activities, she may face penalties such as:

Fines from 5 to 10 million VND shall be imposed on individuals who produce, distribute, disseminate, or disseminate information products with violating content.

Revoke the right to use the operating license for a certain period of time.

Forced removal of infringing information.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/vu-mc-bich-hong-phat-ngon-gay-bao-la-loi-canh-tinh-manh-me-2393155.html