Four main issues were discussed at the National Press Conference.

Rectify and repel signs of degradation among some writers

(Baonghean.vn) - That was one of the directions of comrade Vo Van Thuong - Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Head of the Central Propaganda Department at the National Conference summarizing activities in 2017 and deploying tasks in 2018 organized by the Vietnam Journalists Association in Cua Lo town, Nghe An, on the morning of April 17.

Delegates attending the Conference. Photo by Duc Anh

Attending the conference were Comrade Vo Van Thuong - Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Head of the Party Central Committee's Propaganda and Education Commission. Comrades of the Party Central Committee: Truong Minh Tuan - Minister of Information and Communications; Thuan Huu - Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda and Education Commission, Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper, Chairman of the Vietnam Journalists Association; Tran Binh Minh - General Director of Vietnam Television; Nguyen The Ky - General Director of the Voice of Vietnam; Nguyen Duc Loi - General Director of Vietnam News Agency.

On the side of Nghe An province, there were comrades: Nguyen Dac Vinh - Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation; Nguyen Xuan Duong - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Le Minh Thong - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee.

Also attending the conference were representatives of central ministries, branches, departments, agencies of Nghe An province and more than 500 journalists representing central and local press agencies.

Speaking at the opening of the Conference, comrade Thuan Huu - Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda Department, Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper, President of the Vietnam Journalists Association affirmed: In 2017, with the attention, direction and facilitation of Party committees and authorities at all levels, the efforts and consensus of the Association at all levels and all members, the Vietnam Journalists Association has achieved remarkable achievements in all fields.

Promoting the achieved results, in 2018, the Association at all levels continued to successfully implement the Resolution of the 10th Congress of the Vietnam Journalists Association with the key task of well implementing the 2016 Press Law, 10 articles of the Regulations on professional ethics of Vietnamese journalists, proactively innovating the content and methods of operation, building the Association's organization and the team of journalists to meet the requirements of the tasks in the new period.

Comrade Thuan Huu - 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 delivered the opening speech at the Conference. Photo by Duc Anh

To achieve the above goals, the President of the Vietnam Journalists Association requests that press agencies, based on their work practices, with a sense of responsibility, frankness and constructiveness, focus on discussing and clarifying a number of issues:

Firstly, to realistically and objectively evaluate the results achieved in 2017 and the first half of the term of implementing the Resolution of the 10th Congress of the Vietnam Journalists Association, look directly at the shortcomings and limitations, clearly identify the causes, focusing on subjective causes, in order to propose key tasks and breakthrough solutions to create a strong shift in press activities and the activities of the Vietnam Journalists Association.

Second, identify the difficulties and challenges from the current practice of press activities and Association activities, especially the local Journalists Association in implementing the Resolution of the 6th Central Conference (12th term) on innovation and reorganization of the political system's apparatus.

Third, discuss and propose solutions to continue to innovate and improve the effectiveness and efficiency in leadership and direction; coordination between the Central and local levels in building, consolidating and perfecting the apparatus to increase the attractiveness, quality and efficiency of the Journalists Association's operations.

Fourthly, at this conference with the participation of representatives of central and local ministries, departments and branches, the President of the Vietnam Journalists Association requested and hoped to receive comments and contributions, especially in the coordination mechanism to effectively implement political tasks.

The President of the Vietnam Journalists Association affirmed that the discussion content and the opinions contributed by the delegates have practical significance, contributing to promoting press activities in the direction of democracy, professionalism, modernity and humanity, further enhancing the role, position, quality and effectiveness of the activities of the Vietnam Journalists Association.

Comrade Nguyen Dac Vinh - Secretary of Nghe An Provincial Party Committee delivered a welcome speech at the conference. Photo by Duc Anh

Speaking at the conference, comrade Nguyen Dac Vinh - Secretary of Nghe An Provincial Party Committee emphasized: Nghe An has become one of the localities with vibrant press activities, with nearly 700 cadres, reporters, technicians and staff working in 48 central and local press agencies.

In the cause of innovation, together with the national press system, Nghe An press has contributed to improving people's spiritual life, directly propagating resolutions, policies and guidelines of the Party and laws of the State to the people.

In addition, the press has also promptly discovered, encouraged and promoted typical examples, new factors, good people and good deeds in all fields; promoted internal strength, attracted investment, unleashed all potentials; discovered and fought against negative phenomena, corruption, and social evils; contributed with the Party Committee, army and people of the province to successfully achieve socio-economic development tasks, maintain national defense and security, and political stability, worthy of the love and trust of the people in the province.

2018 is a pivotal year in implementing the Resolution of the 12th Party Congress; the first year of implementing Conclusion No. 23, dated November 23, 2017 of the Party Central Committee Secretariat on strengthening direction, management, promoting the role of the press and publishing in preventing and repelling the degradation of political ideology, ethics, lifestyle, "self-evolution" and "self-transformation" within the Party; implementing the resolutions of the 5th and 6th Central Conferences (12th tenure) and the resolutions of the National Assembly, the Government's action program.

In the above context, Provincial Party Secretary Nguyen Dac Vinh affirmed: The Vietnam Journalists Association organizing the National Conference at all levels in Nghe An is an important occasion, a valuable opportunity for the province to meet, learn, and exchange experiences in management work, promoting the role of the press; at the same time, it is also an opportunity for Nghe An province to show the hospitality of the people of Nghe An, the homeland of beloved Uncle Ho.

Comrade Ho Quang Loi - Permanent Vice President of Vietnam Journalists Association spoke at the Conference. Photo by Duc Anh

At the Conference, reviewing the activities, Permanent Vice President of the Vietnam Journalists Association Ho Quang Loi affirmed that 2017 marked the highest number of members joining the Association ever with 3,189 members. During the year, 12 new branches were established, 366 members were removed from the list, and 3 cases were expelled.

To date, the Vietnam Journalists Association has 287 Association-level units directly under the Central Association, including 63 Provincial, Municipal and City Journalists Associations, 18 inter-associations and 206 sub-associations with 22,801 members.

According to the assessment of the Vietnam Journalists Association, over the past year, press agencies have seriously implemented the Party and State's information direction and orientation, providing timely, honest, and comprehensive information on political, economic, social, security, defense, and foreign affairs life.

However, press activities still have limitations that need to be overcome such as: The qualifications, capacity, and sense of responsibility of a number of cadres, members, and journalists, especially the study, understanding, and implementation of the Press Law and the 10 regulations on professional ethics for Vietnamese journalists at some levels of the association and press agencies have not really received attention, and there is a delay in establishing a Council to handle violations of professional ethics for Vietnamese journalists.

At some levels of the association and press agencies, there are still violations of the law and professional ethics of journalists, who must be disciplined, have their press cards and membership cards revoked, and be expelled from the Vietnam Journalists Association; some agencies and units in charge have not really paid attention to, created favorable conditions, and helped the Journalists Associations at all levels to operate.

Comrade Vo Van Thuong gave a speech at the Conference. Photo: Duc Anh

Speaking at the conference, comrade Vo Van Thuong highly appreciated the effective contributions of the press and the Vietnam Journalists Association. In particular, the Vietnam Journalists Association has put into use an application to monitor the removal and editing of articles on electronic newspapers, contributing to effective press management, gradually preventing the situation of "posting in the morning, meeting at noon, removing in the afternoon" in recent times...

The Head of the Central Propaganda Department pointed out that besides the advantages and achievements, he frankly admitted that press activities and the Journalists Association still have shortcomings and defects that need to be promptly overcome in the coming time...

At the conference, central and local press agencies contributed many enthusiastic and responsible opinions to promote the role and responsibility of the press to contribute to the development of the homeland and country.

The National Conference Program to summarize the Association's work, emulation and reward work in 2017, and deploy tasks in 2018 took place from April 15-17, 2018 in Cua Lo town, Nghe An with training activities on professional work, office work; Standing Committee Meeting, Party Delegation Conference, Standing Committee Conference, 8th Conference of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Journalists Association, 10th Term; visit Kim Lien Relic Site, Nam Dan...