The Central Propaganda Department, the Ministry of Information and Communications, and the Vietnam Journalists Association have just reported on press work in 2024 and directions, tasks, and solutions for 2025. According to the report, there are currently 884 press agencies nationwide, including 812 newspapers, magazines, and 74 radio and television stations. In 2024, print and electronic newspapers will have an estimated revenue of VND 8,080 billion, down about 6.1% compared to 2023, of which advertising will decrease by about 5.6%. Radio and television will have a revenue of VND 9,140 billion. Statistics show that the number of personnel working in the press sector has not changed much, about 41,000 people, of which the radio and television sector has about 16,500 people. As of December 2024, about 21,000 people have been granted press cards. Affirming the leading and guiding role Regarding the press's activities in 2024, basically, press agencies seriously implemented the leadership, direction and information orientation of the Party and State; closely followed the goal of maintaining political stability, creating social consensus and people's trust in the Party and the regime, together towards a new era, an era of national development. Press agencies continued to promote information and propaganda on the implementation and concretization of the Resolution of the 13th National Congress into life; propagate the results of the 13th Party Central Committee Conferences, National Assembly Sessions, resolutions, conclusions, directives and decisions of the Central Committee, the Politburo, the Secretariat, the National Assembly, the Government; propagate boldly and extensively important political and diplomatic events, major holidays of the country... In 2024, the press continued to proactively promote propaganda on Party building and rectification work; prevent and combat corruption and negativity; Protect the Party's ideological foundation and fight against erroneous and hostile views; spread and praise good people and good deeds... affirm the leading and guiding role to fulfill the revolutionary journalism mission well, creating social consensus.

The press affirms its leading and guiding role to successfully carry out the revolutionary mission and create social consensus. Photo: Tran Thuong

In particular, the press information highlighted the direction of the Politburo, identifying the summary of Resolution 18 and the arrangement and completion of the organization of the political system to be streamlined and operate effectively and efficiently as a particularly important task, a revolution in streamlining the organization of the political system, requiring a high level of consensus in awareness and action throughout the Party and the entire political system. After 1 year of implementing Directive No. 07 of the Prime Minister on strengthening policy communication, the number of news and articles on policy communication increased from 11% to 20% (total news and articles in the press annually is 40 million; television 50 thousand hours; radio 20 thousand hours). The budget for policy communication of localities increased by about 10%, of which some provinces' budget for policy communication increased by 50%. The press has done a good job in informing and propagating about storm No. 3, the strongest storm in 30 years in the East Sea and in the past 70 years on land that directly hit our country. However, the work of responding to and overcoming the consequences of storms and floods has received early and drastic direction from the leaders of the Party, State, Government, Prime Minister, and the synchronous participation of the entire political system and the community, forces, including the information and propaganda system... thereby partly minimizing the damage. The report also pointed out some limitations of the press in 2024. Specifically, there are signs that the heads of press agencies have loosened management and control of information content. There are still some journalists, reporters, and collaborators who take advantage of having unverified, one-sided internal information about the shortcomings and mistakes of agencies, businesses, and localities to exert pressure, even threaten, and then propose to sign media and advertising contracts, participate in the social activity fund of the press agency, or make illegal profits. These are substandard activities, showing signs of violating professional ethics and violating the law. From the beginning of 2024 to now, about 14 journalists have been prosecuted by the prosecution agency, including the head of the magazine agency. The report also pointed out that the depth and specialization of magazines belonging to associations and institutes, especially electronic magazines, have not received due attention and access; many electronic magazines still show a tendency to reflect and simply inform about events, leading to information that is not consistent with the principles, purposes, and nature of the magazine's activities. Resolving economic difficulties in the press sector In 2024, the Ministry of Information and Communications has made efforts to carry out processes, procedures, and reports so that on November 7, the Government submitted to the National Assembly Standing Committee a proposal to add a number of draft laws and draft resolutions to the 2025 Law and Ordinance Development Program, including the draft Press Law (amended). Thereby, fundamentally resolving the shortcomings and problems that have existed in the past and promoting the press to develop strongly, in the right direction, and to do a good job of state management.

The revenue of press agencies from advertising and distribution continues to decline sharply. The strong development of 4.0 technology has created great competitive pressure for the press. Illustration photo: ST

The Ministry of Information and Communications advised the Government to issue Decree No. 147 on the management, provision and use of Internet services and online information. In particular, cross-border social networks and platforms must reach an agreement with press agencies on whether to allow the use of their articles, share links and share article content.
Revenues from advertising and distribution of press agencies continue to decline sharply. The strong development of 4.0 technology has created huge competitive pressure for the press. The circulation of printed newspapers and magazines has decreased sharply as readers switch to reading news online for free or via social networks. 80% of the online advertising market share focuses on cross-border platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, TikTok (about more than 1 billion USD), the remaining 20% ​​are e-newspapers, domestic online advertising businesses such as 24h, VnExpress/Eclick, Dan Tri, VCCorp/Admcro, Adtima,... In addition, news sites and social networking sites also attract advertising revenue, causing advertising for press agencies to increasingly narrow.
In order to remove difficulties in press economics for press agencies, on June 14, the Ministry of Information and Communications issued Circular No. 05 guiding the development, appraisal and promulgation of economic and technical norms for public services using the State budget in the press sector under the state management of the Ministry of Information and Communications. Thereby, creating more favorable conditions for press units to implement the state policy on autonomy of public service units and enhancing conditions for receiving orders and assigning tasks from competent state agencies. Regarding the direction and management of the press, the Central Propaganda Department, the Ministry of Information and Communications, and the Journalists Association continue to closely coordinate and proactively direct and manage press activities. Ensuring unified and timely direction and provision of information, especially on important, sensitive and complicated issues, ensuring that the press maintains its role in guiding and dominating information in society. The work of directing, guiding and managing information is implemented in an innovative, proactive and timely manner through many forms: Documents, direct exchanges, using the Zalo social platform, Viber application... According to the assessment, in 2024, press management agencies have also increased reminders and timely corrections for signs of politically insensitive information, manifestations of not following the principles and purposes; resolutely handling cases of false information, not implementing the principles and purposes. In particular, timely issued reminders, requesting the competent authority to dismiss the head of the press agency, resolutely not reappoint the head of the press agency with many violations in press activities. Continue to promote the use of information technology in information management and direction; Maintain the implementation of the "large-scale management" method, in which measuring and evaluating press activities are used to grasp and recognize information trends and detect manifestations that require timely adjustment. The Vietnam Journalists Association at all levels continues to direct and organize the emulation movement "Building a cultural environment in press agencies"; deploy many practical and effective activities that have a widespread influence on press life; many press agencies have developed a set of Rules on standards of "ethics and lifestyle of party members, cadres, civil servants, public employees, and journalists".
Strengthening inspection and handling of violations in press activities
According to the report, in 2024, the work of inspection, examination, rectification and handling of violations in press activities will continue to be focused on and strengthened, especially for violations related to improper implementation of principles, purposes and false information. The Ministry of Information and Communications has issued 44 decisions on administrative sanctions with a total fine of more than 1.5 billion VND. Of which, there are 25 decisions on administrative sanctions in the field of press with a total fine of more than 900 million VND. The Information and Communications Inspectorate of provinces and cities has sanctioned 181 cases of administrative violations with a total fine of more than 2 billion VND. With the situation of "newspaperization" of magazines, "newspaperization" of electronic information pages, "newspaperization" of social networks, in 2024, the Ministry of Information and Communications has issued 9 decisions on administrative sanctions with a total fine of 516.5 million VND. Two editors-in-chief were punished for delegating authority to subordinates to send journalists and reporters to conduct press activities that were not in accordance with the principles and purposes stated in the press activity license.

Vietnamnet.vn

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