Summary of 6 years of implementing the 2016 Press Law: Need to amend and supplement to suit reality

Comrades Tran Trong Dung - Vice President of Vietnam Journalists Association ; Do Thi Thu Hang - Member of the Standing Committee, Head of the Professional Department of Vietnam Journalists Association; Nguyen Manh Tuan - Deputy Head of the Inspection Department of Vietnam Journalists Association co-chaired the conference.

Attending the conference were comrade Nguyen Duc Loi - Permanent Vice President of Vietnam Journalists Association and delegates from provinces and cities in the Central and Central Highlands regions.

Speaking at the opening of the conference, comrade Tran Trong Dung - Vice President of the Vietnam Journalists Association said: After 6 years of implementation, the 2016 Press Law, with 10 articles regulating professional ethics and rules for using social networks by Vietnamese journalists, has created an important legal corridor for the Vietnamese revolutionary press to continue to develop sustainably.

Comrade Tran Trong Dung - Vice President of Vietnam Journalists Association delivered the opening speech at the conference. Photo: Ngan Hanh

However, in reality, there are still many problems that need to be comprehensively revised to meet the requirements of press development in the coming period, such as: Subjects for establishing press agencies; tasks and responsibilities of press management agencies; the distinction between newspapers and magazines; activities of representative offices and resident reporters; operational activities of reporters; regulations on handling violations and revoking licenses; press association activities...

Comrade Nguyen Manh Tuan - Deputy Head of the Inspection Committee of the Vietnam Journalists Association reported on the summary of 6 years of implementing the 2016 Press Law. Photo: Ngan Hanh

The Press Law 2016 was passed by the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on April 5, 2016, in which Article 8 assigned the Vietnam Journalists Association to “Issuing and organizing the implementation of the Regulations on professional ethics of journalists”. Pursuant to Article 8 of the Press Law 2016, the Vietnam Journalists Association has developed the Regulations on professional ethics of Vietnamese journalists in accordance with the 2013 Constitution and the Press Law 2016, responding to the new situation of social life and press life.

Conference scene. Photo: Ngan Hanh

In addition, in response to the urgent requirements of protecting the legal practice rights of members, to monitor, prevent and strictly handle members' violations of the Association's Charter and the 10 Articles of professional ethics for Vietnamese journalists, on March 30, 2017, the President of the Vietnam Journalists Association signed and issued Decision No. 533/QD-HNBVN to establish the Council for handling violations of professional ethics for Vietnamese journalists. To date, nationwide, 260/301 association organizations have Councils for handling violations of professional ethics for journalists.

Based on the actual situation with rapid developments in the use of social networks that lack professional standards by members and reporters, the Vietnam Journalists Association continues to develop and organize the implementation of the Rules for the Use of Social Networks, including 4 provisions encouraging the use of social networks for journalistic work and 7 provisions prohibiting the use of social networks for improper and inappropriate purposes...

Journalist, Lawyer Doan Minh Long - Member of the Executive Committee of the Inspection Committee of the Vietnam Journalists Association; Chairman of the Khanh Hoa Provincial Journalists Association spoke at the conference. Photo: Ngan Hanh

At the conference, local representatives discussed a number of issues: responsibilities and roles of state management agencies in implementing the Constitution, the 2016 Press Law and 10 articles regulating professional ethics and rules for using social networks by journalists; management and development of press types in the area; awareness and responsibility of journalists when participating in social networks; a number of necessary contents that need to be amended in the 2016 Press Law to develop digital journalism...

Speaking at the conference, Mr. Nguyen Duc Loi - Permanent Vice President of the Vietnam Journalists Association said that the current working methods and organization of press publications have changed a lot, so many contents in the Press Law 2016 have not kept up with the current situation. Therefore, amending the Press Law 2016 at this time is necessary. In addition, he also suggested that journalists need to be meticulous in preserving the purity of the Vietnamese language and maintaining the professional ethics of journalists.

Comrade Nguyen Duc Loi - Permanent Vice President of Vietnam Journalists Association discussed at the conference. Photo: Ngan Hanh

Concluding the conference, comrade Tran Trong Dung - Vice President of the Vietnam Journalists Association acknowledged the enthusiastic recommendations of the delegates; at the same time, affirmed that in the coming time, he will proactively coordinate with relevant agencies to realize the above recommendations and proposals.

Source: https://baonghean.vn/tong-ket-6-nam-thuc-hien-luat-bao-chi-2016-can-sua-doi-bo-sung-de-phu-hop-voi-thuc-tien-post277790.html