2 journalists had their cards revoked for 'forcing' violators to make advertisements

Ms. Vu Thi Thanh Hue and Ms. Le Thi Xuyen, who work at Cong Thuong Newspaper, have just had their press cards revoked for forcing construction violators to… buy advertisements.

On August 25, 2016, the Minister of Information and Communications signed a Decision to revoke the Press Cards of Ms. Vu Thi Thanh Hue and Ms. Le Thi Xuyen working at Cong Thuong Newspaper.

Press card (Illustration photo)

The decision clearly states that the Journalist Card No. IBT 01434, valid for 2016-2020 of Ms. Vu Thi Thanh Hue and Journalist Card No. IBT 01473, valid for 2016-2020 of Ms. Le Thi Xuyen issued at Cong Thuong Newspaper are revoked due to violations of regulations on journalistic activities according to Section c, Point 9.1, Clause 9, Section II of Circular No. 07/2007/TT-BVHTT dated March 20, 2007 of the Ministry of Culture and Information.

The content of the incident is as follows: Recently, the Press Department received a petition from a citizen in Vinh Bao (Hai Phong) reflecting on the work of Ms. Vu Thi Thanh Hue and Ms. Le Thi Xuyen, working at Cong Thuong Newspaper.

It is known that Ms. Vu Thi Thanh Hue is the Head of the representative office of the Industry and Trade Newspaper in Hai Phong City; Ms. Le Thi Xuyen is a resident reporter of the Industry and Trade Newspaper in Hai Phong City.

After Ms. Vu Thi Thanh Hue and Le Thi Xuyen investigated construction violations by a citizen in Vinh Bao (Hai Phong). During the investigation, Ms. Hue and Ms. Xuyen met and talked on the phone with the violator. The conversation was recorded by the violator.

At the working session with Cong Thuong Newspaper, after listening to the 3 recordings that the complainant provided to the Press Department, Ms. Vu Thi Thanh Hue and Ms. Le Thi Xuyen confirmed: This is the content that Ms. Hue and Ms. Xuyen discussed with the violator.

In this recording, when the violator requested to facilitate his construction, Ms. Hue and Ms. Xuyen asked him to sign an advertising and propaganda contract on the Industry and Trade Newspaper, "if you need to issue an invoice, then issue it, if you don't need it, then don't issue an invoice, no need to post anything, consider it as supporting the Newspaper". At the same time, Ms. Hue and Ms. Xuyen sent the violator a set of documents to sign the contract.

According to the recording, Ms. Hue and Ms. Xuyen suggested that the violator sign a contract for 30 million VND but could not post advertisements or issue invoices.

The above actions of Ms. Vu Thi Thanh Hue and Ms. Le Thi Xuyen violated the regulations on professional press activities. The Minister of Information and Communications has signed a decision to revoke the press cards of Ms. Vu Thi Thanh Hue and Ms. Le Thi Xuyen. Cong Thuong Newspaper is responsible for revoking the above 2 press cards and submitting them to the Ministry of Information and Communications (through the Press Department) before September 10, 2016.

According to Infonet