Minister of Information and Communications: The press planning project has been carefully prepared.

“In the coming time, the Prime Minister and the Government Party Committee will consider and issue the Press Planning Project. When issued, there will be a plan to thoroughly implement this.”

Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Bac Son shared about the Press Planning Project at the regular Government press conference on the afternoon of April 25.

Responding to reporters' questions about the Press Planning Project, Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Bac Son said that this is a task carried out under Article 17 of the Press Law. Accordingly, the State management agency will issue strategies, plans, and schemes to implement the task of State management of the press. The implementation of this task is a very important task of the Government.

The press planning project will be announced in the next few days (Illustration photo)

This policy was implemented 9 years ago, before the Ministry of Information and Communications was established. Then we stopped for a while. Recently, the Prime Minister decided to implement the press planning. This is a very sensitive, complicated planning, related to and affecting many organizations and individuals, especially press agencies nationwide.

The press has grown steadily, both in quantity and quality. Few countries have as many press agencies as Vietnam, with 838 press agencies, including print, television, radio, and electronic newspapers. We have all types of press, for all ages. Other countries may not have as many television stations as Vietnam. Currently, we have more than 300 radio and television channels to serve the people. It can be said that this is a huge resource. In addition to print, television, radio, and electronic newspapers, social media also provides a great deal of information to the people.

“The role of the press has been very important throughout the process of building and defending the country, in the cause of building and defending the Fatherland under the leadership of the Party in recent times. Our press was born before the founding of the country, on June 21, 1925, contributing to mobilizing the revolution and the masses to establish the Party, mobilizing the masses to build a developed society as it is today. The Party and the State always highly appreciate the role of the press” – Minister Nguyen Bac Son said.

However, according to Minister Nguyen Bac Son, in the development process, it is inevitable that there will be overlaps in the objectives and purposes, as we pointed out in the project. The process of developing the project is very long and implemented through many levels, under the close direction of the Prime Minister. The Government assigned the Ministry of Information and Communications to develop this draft. In July 2013, the Ministry of Information and Communications submitted it to the Government. On November 25, the Government Party Committee met and commented on the draft, determining that this is a document according to the decision, that is, an individual document.

Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Bac Son talks to the press. Photo: VnMedia

Therefore, the Prime Minister directed to collect opinions from ministries, branches, governing agencies, provinces and cities, and even sent documents to collect opinions on the plans. The Prime Minister issued Notice No. 437 dated December 5 concluding the meeting to collect opinions on the national press planning project until 2020. However, this is a specific legal document, so the Prime Minister did not direct to collect opinions from all press agencies. The Politburo's conclusion also did not require the Government to collect opinions from all subjects.

After the Prime Minister gave his opinion in Conclusion No. 437, based on the Prime Minister's conclusion, the Government Party Committee reported to the Politburo. The Government submitted it to the Politburo twice. Realizing that the national press planning is a big, very sensitive, urgent issue that has impacts and influences on many fields, agencies, localities and subjects, the Politburo requested the Government Party Committee to submit it to the 10th Central Committee meeting.

The Central Committee has received over 100 comments on this issue, basically agreeing with the contents, objectives, requirements, viewpoints and orientations in the press planning process. The Central Executive Committee assigned the Politburo to direct the Government Party Personnel Committee to absorb the Central Committee's opinions, complete the project and submit it to the Politburo for consideration, decision and implementation. All of our Party cells have been informed of the results and contents of the 10th Central Committee meeting, including the 9th content on the project to plan the development of the Vietnamese press until 2025. Thus, all Party cells and all subjects have been informed of the contents, viewpoints and orientations of press planning work.

“Currently, the Ministry of Information and Communications has been assigned by the Government Party Committee to review and complete. In the coming time, the Prime Minister and the Government Party Committee will review and promulgate. We believe that in the coming time, it will be promulgated, and when promulgated, there will be a plan to thoroughly implement this."

Thus, the implementation process over the past time has been very thorough under the close direction of the Government, and has been consulted by the Politburo and the Central Executive Committee. This plan is being reviewed by the Government Party Committee for the last time before the Prime Minister signs it for promulgation" - Minister Nguyen Bac Son emphasized.

According to Infonet