Thanh Hoa vegetable growers continue to ask VTV for compensation

After receiving an explanation from the government, farmers in the Vinh Thanh vegetable area (Thanh Hoa) accepted the apology on VTVweb, but said that the station had affected the output of clean vegetables, so they asked for compensation.

Speaking to VnExpress, Mr. Tran Van Khanh, Chairman of Vinh Thanh Commune People's Committee, said that on the afternoon of May 12, the commune leaders, along with mass organizations such as the Farmers' Association and the Fatherland Front, had a working session with local people to learn about their thoughts and aspirations after vegetables could not be sold.

Farmers in Vinh Thanh commune discuss the incident of the broom sweeping vegetables in the field. Photo: Chan Nhan.

At the meeting, most farmers initially insisted that VTV3 compensate for damages and officially apologize on the Morning Coffee program for broadcasting a staged program that misrepresented the reality of their vegetable growing areas.

When the program aired, many farmers in Vinh Thanh commune (Vinh Loc, Thanh Hoa) were angry because the setting of the report was Vinh Thanh vegetable area. They said that the group of reporters deliberately staged the program to damage the production, business activities and reputation of Vinh Thanh vegetable area.

On the evening of May 11, VTV's website announced that the Entertainment Program Production Department (VTV3) had sent a dispatch to the People's Committee of Vinh Loc District, Thanh Hoa and the People's Committee of Vinh Thanh Commune. "We found that reporter Pham Thi Phuong had researched the topic herself through personal observations without verification, violated working procedures, dishonestly reflected the incident and staged some scenes," the document said. Reporter Pham Thi Phuong has been suspended from work.

The station hopes to receive sympathy for "the lack of professionalism and ethics of reporters as well as the lack of thoroughness in censorship."

According to VNexpress