(CLO) On the afternoon of February 7, implementing the 2025 Work Program, to prepare for the review of the Draft Law on Press (amended), the Standing Committee of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Education, led by Vice Chairman of the Committee Trieu The Hung, worked with the Central Committee of the Vietnam Journalists Association on the implementation of policies and laws on the press.
At the meeting, Comrade Trieu The Hung - Vice Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Education said that in 2023, the Committee on Culture and Education conducted a survey on the implementation of policies and laws on the press. On that basis, the Committee promptly informed the National Assembly, the Government, and state management agencies on the press of the shortcomings and inadequacies in practice and made proposals and recommendations; including recommendations to amend the 2016 Press Law.
Implementing the recommendations of the Committee on Culture and Education, the Government has directed relevant ministries, branches and agencies to develop a draft Law on the Press (amended) and submit it to the National Assembly for inclusion in the Law and Ordinance Development Program for 2025. Accordingly, the draft Law on the Press (amended) is expected to be submitted to the National Assembly for comments at the 9th session (May 2025) and approved at the 10th session (October 2025) in the near future.
Working scene
In a frank and constructive spirit, representatives of units under the Vietnam Journalists Association have made many practical contributions and recommendations to the draft revised Press Law. All opinions affirmed the urgency of amending the 2016 Press Law. In reality, the development of science, technology, and the practice of press activities have changed a lot, from press types, media, platforms, to readers' access to information, the regulations in the current Law are no longer suitable; many regulations need to be adjusted and supplemented such as: digital press, press economy, press - media complex, etc.
In particular, the issue of legal institutions related to press economics is prominent. The 2016 Press Law has many progressive points, but the related content is only mentioned in general principles; other related documents have been issued but are still stuck mainly due to coordination and different understandings of the documents... The innovation and strengthening of financial mechanisms for press agencies, including tax policies, has also received very specific comments.
Regarding the principles and purposes of press agencies, delegates also said that there should be specific regulations, clear distinctions and regulations on the percentage of information according to the functions and tasks of the governing agency and the percentage of information about major political events and activities of the State...
In addition, regarding online journalism activities, opinions also said that in order for journalism to develop well in the context of strong digital transformation, it is necessary to perfect the press law and related laws. Accordingly, it is necessary to clarify the form and conditions of press activities in cyberspace; there are specific regulations on the application of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in journalism activities...
One of the issues that has been of interest and proposed to be clarified in the revised Press Law is the Press-Media Consortium model. The 2016 Press Law has a mechanism for press agencies to establish large press and media consortia. However, the Press Law has not yet provided specific regulations and conditions for the establishment and appropriate management and operation mechanisms to develop this model... Therefore, it is necessary to amend and supplement regulations on the press-media consortium model.
Also at the meeting, delegates were concerned about the merger of the Journalists Association and the Literature and Arts Association in some localities such as Ha Giang and Lang Son... This merger is completely mechanical, not ensuring the "Consolidation and construction of a unified and tight organizational system of the Vietnam Journalists Association according to the Association's Charter" in the spirit of Directive 43 of the Secretariat...
After listening to the contributions from key leaders of the units under the Central Committee of the Association, Comrade Nguyen Duc Loi - Permanent Vice President of the Vietnam Journalists Association said that through the opinions of the units, we can see a full picture of the press activities, as well as the current activities of the Vietnam Journalists Association. He further emphasized that the management of resident reporters in localities needs to be adjusted to be more reasonable because currently each newspaper and magazine has resident reporters in localities but does not have representative offices or resident offices in the localities. In each locality, there are different management tasks, so it is necessary to clearly define the model of representative offices and resident offices for unified and effective implementation.
Delegates take souvenir photos
In addition, comrade Nguyen Duc Loi also proposed to clarify and define the concepts and differences between newspapers, magazines and electronic magazines to have tighter management solutions. Regarding the merger of the Journalists Association and the Literature and Arts Association, the Vietnam Journalists Association has sent two official dispatches to the People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities suggesting that they should not merge. These are two different fields with different functions and tasks, and cannot be merged...
Concluding the meeting, Vice Chairman of the Committee for Culture and Education Trieu The Hung highly appreciated the comments of the Vietnam Journalists Association. He said that these were "dedicated, responsible, practical comments with high reference value for the drafting agency and the agency reviewing the draft Law on Press (amended). The Committee will continue to research and review during the process of building the Review Report to ensure objectivity and multi-dimensionality, aiming for a quality draft Law on Press (amended) to submit to the National Assembly".
Vice Chairman Trieu The Hung hopes and requests that the Vietnam Journalists Association continue to accompany, proactively research, and contribute opinions to the draft Press Law (amended), so that when the Law is enacted and put into practice, it will have a positive impact on press activities. "Issues arising in the practice of implementing the Press Law must be summarized and evaluated; with new policies, it is necessary to conduct impact assessment research, the ultimate goal is to create a favorable corridor for the press to develop in the new context" - Comrade Trieu The Hung emphasized.
Ha Van - Son Hai
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/kien-nghi-tam-huyet-tao-hanh-lang-thuan-loi-cho-bao-chi-phat-trien-trong-boi-canh-moi-post333508.html
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