Nghe An Newspaper was awarded a Certificate of Merit at the Conference to summarize national press work in 2023 and deploy tasks in 2024.

Attending and chairing the conference were comrades: Nguyen Trong Nghia - Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Head of the Central Propaganda Department; Tran Luu Quang - Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Prime Minister; Nguyen Manh Hung - Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda Department, Minister of Information and Communications; Le Quoc Minh - Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda Department, Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper, President of the Vietnam Journalists Association; Tran Thanh Lam - Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda Department.

The conference was attended by more than 700 delegates representing leaders of central departments, ministries, branches, and organizations; standing leaders of provincial and municipal Party Committees; leaders of press management agencies, press management agencies, journalists' associations, central and local press agencies, etc.

On the side of Nghe An province, there were comrades: Pham Ngoc Canh - Deputy Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda Department; Tran Minh Ngoc - Director of the Provincial Radio and Television Station, Chairman of Nghe An Journalists Association; Ngo Duc Kien - Editor-in-Chief of Nghe An Newspaper attending the conference.

ACTIVITIES OF PRESS AGENCIES ARE INCREASINGLY EFFECTIVE

According to the 2023 Press Work Summary Report, information and propaganda work in the press on the implementation of political tasks, economic, social, cultural, defense, security issues, etc. received attention, focus, and depth, creating positive spillover effects.

Information on foreign affairs activities of senior Party and State leaders and information on foreign affairs events have become highlights in the overall propaganda picture. Propaganda work to protect the Party's ideological foundation and fight against and refute erroneous and hostile viewpoints has clearly changed from thinking to content, form and methods of propaganda. Propaganda on preventing and combating corruption, negativity, and fighting against signs of degradation in political ideology, ethics and lifestyle continues to be strongly implemented, increasingly going into depth and substance, bringing high efficiency.

The press has also actively promoted the building and development of Vietnamese culture and people on par with economic development propaganda in accordance with the direction and guidance of the General Secretary at the 2021 National Cultural Conference.

The work of directing, orienting information and propaganda in the press has increasingly promoted positive results, with many clear changes in 2023, in which, focusing on taking persuasiveness as a measure of the effectiveness of directing and orienting information. The work of emulation and reward is increasingly substantial, creating new momentum and motivation.

The rectification and handling of violations in press activities are being carried out resolutely, along with a focus on building mechanisms and policies, creating conditions to support the press to develop healthily and in the right direction...

In addition to the achieved results, journalism work in 2023 still faces many difficulties and challenges, revealing a number of limitations and inadequacies in the development of social media in terms of content, ability to lead and orient information, to methods of approaching the public, mastering technology and attracting revenue sources.

There are still press agencies that have not met the requirements and tasks of information and propaganda in the current situation. A number of journalists have shown signs of degradation in political ideology, ethics, lifestyle, "self-evolution", "self-transformation", taking advantage of and abusing their profession, giving themselves "power" to threaten and harass organizations and individuals, violating the law, violating professional ethics... causing outrage in public opinion.

The situation of reporters and collaborators being prosecuted, detained, prosecuted, and tried for violating the law and taking advantage of their professional activities for personal gain has not decreased, seriously affecting the image, reputation, and public trust in the press. Attention has been paid to the work of inspection, examination, supervision, and handling of violations in press activities, but they have not been dealt with fundamentally and thoroughly...

In 2023, the Ministry of Information and Communications fined 10 cases, with a total amount of 733.75 million VND; fined 3 magazine editors-in-chief for performing acts of journalists and reporters operating in a manner inconsistent with the principles and purposes stated in the press license and requesting information not consistent with the principles and purposes stated in the press license; reminded and disciplined 8 magazine agencies.

Conducting work, inspection, examination and rectification of 19 organizations establishing general electronic information sites and social networks, thereby, sanctioning 10 cases, with a total fine of 323 million VND; Revoking 16 operating licenses of general electronic information sites and social networks of press agencies; Transferring 54 cases to the Departments of Information and Communications for consideration and handling according to their authority.

Inspectors of the Department of Information and Communications of provinces and centrally-run cities have imposed administrative penalties on 133 agencies, organizations and individuals for violations in press activities, providing and using social networking services, and establishing general electronic information websites, with a total fine of VND 1,858,350,000.

The conference also spent a lot of time listening to delegates discuss, exchange and share issues of concern in current press and communication work; identifying trends and challenges, thereby determining fundamental and comprehensive tasks and solutions for 2024 and in the coming period.

The conference unanimously agreed that 2024 is of great significance in successfully carrying out the tasks of the entire 13th Party Congress term. This requires press management and leadership agencies; press management agencies and press agencies to further promote the results in 2023; thoroughly overcome existing shortcomings and limitations in order to "build a professional, humane and modern press and media" as in the spirit of the Resolution of the 13th Party Congress.

MORE CONCERN ABOUT THE ECONOMICS OF JOURNALISM

Speaking at the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang acknowledged and highly appreciated the results and achievements that press agencies and journalists nationwide achieved in 2023 and the first half of the 13th National Party Congress. These results and achievements have continued to affirm the role, persistent efforts, dedication and responsibility of the Vietnamese revolutionary press.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang also expressed concern about the poor digital transformation of more than 63% of press agencies. He requested that press agency leaders be more determined to meet the requirements of the press in the new era.

The Deputy Prime Minister also requested that press agencies need to increase their competitiveness with other media, such as social networks, YouTube, TikTok, etc., thereby increasing advertising revenue to serve the agency's operations.

The Deputy Prime Minister hopes that journalists must be decent people, constantly learning, improving their courage, ethics, and responsibility; and that governing agencies must be more responsible, more thoughtful, and increase inspection and supervision.

Regarding the financial issues of press agencies, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang suggested that ministries, branches and agencies balance the State budget and autonomous resources; have mechanisms and policies to encourage active competition from agencies as well as journalists and reporters with each other.

Regarding the Ministry of Information and Communications, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang suggested paying attention to the financial work of press agencies, both as a driving force and to ensure that press agencies operate according to their duties.

PLANNING TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF JOURNALISM

Speaking at the conference, comrade Nguyen Trong Nghia - Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Head of the Central Propaganda Department requested the agencies directing, guiding, and managing the press, all levels of journalist associations, especially press agencies and journalists to make more efforts to promote the results and achievements that have been achieved; determined to overcome limitations and shortcomings, resolve and handle well the challenges in press activities to achieve the requirements of "professionalism, humanity and modernity".

Focus on promoting the improvement of the legal system on the press, in which the most important goal is to amend and supplement the 2016 Press Law and complete the National Press Development and Management Plan until 2025, creating conditions for the press to develop healthily and in the right direction.

Continue to strengthen discipline and order in complying with instructions and information orientation, in correcting and handling violations of the law and professional ethics; promote the effectiveness and more substantial activities of the Council for handling violations of professional ethics of journalists to create deterrence and strictly handle members who violate.

Head of the Central Propaganda Department Nguyen Trong Nghia emphasized that in 2024, it is necessary to set a high goal of thoroughly and fundamentally handling violations by press agencies and journalists, creating positive and clear changes, and regaining public trust in the press...

Comrade Nguyen Trong Nghia noted that press agencies need to continue to promote the dissemination of good people, good deeds, advanced models, good practices, and new models. Increase the number of articles and programs, contributing to providing readers and audiences with valuable knowledge of humanity; constantly foster, consolidate, and promote the good values, ethics, and traditional culture of the nation.



In the context of strong development of science and technology, new media platforms, and social media, more than ever, the press must create a positive, mainstream, and strongly spreading information flow, leading and orienting public opinion towards good things in society; making an important contribution to building an advanced Vietnamese culture with strong national identity; building a system of national values, a system of cultural values, a system of family values, and standards for Vietnamese people in the new era.

The Conference Organizing Committee awarded Certificates of Merit from the Central Propaganda Department to 33 collectives with outstanding achievements in journalism work in 2023. Nghe An Newspaper was honored to receive a Certificate of Merit from the Central Propaganda Department for its outstanding achievements in information and propaganda work to carry out political tasks in 2023.