Journalists and social media - gaps in accountability

(Baonghean.vn)- When social networks develop strongly, journalists are not trained and cultivated, which will lead to poor assessment and problem-solving skills, easy compromise, and rash judgment.

The coexistence of social media and journalism has been talked about a lot and is something that no one can deny. Journalism operates on the basis of ethics and law, these two issues are inseparable. That is something that no one can deny. Currently, social media is developing at a great speed, creating opportunities as well as extremely fierce challenges for the press.

Article 5, in the 10 Codes of Professional Ethics for Vietnamese Journalists, clearly states: Journalists must be disciplined and responsible when participating in social networks and media. At the seminar "Journalism and Social Networks" organized by the Vietnam Journalists Association to find out the code of conduct and work for journalists, Associate Professor, Dr. Dinh Thi Thuy Hang - Director of the Center for Journalism Training shared: In Vietnam, there are currently more than 35 million people spending an average of more than 5 hours a day on the Internet, social networks, especially Facebook.

At the monthly press conference of Nghe An province, maintaining the qualities of writers is always given attention and reminders. Photo: Document

Indeed, the Internet, including social networks, has changed the way of reporting from finding information, accessing sources, exploiting information to transmitting information. Currently, the public's reading trend is to find information on electronic newspapers and websites.

In fact, many newspapers have skipped the verification process to post information from social networks, causing information interference and serious impacts. This is really worrying, when we currently have more than 35 million Internet users, of which about 30 million people use social networking sites, the most popular of which is Facebook. Social networks are becoming a "force" that challenges modern journalism.

Legal propaganda activities via social networks, especially Facebook channel, of Nghe An Provincial Youth Union. Photo: Document

From here, the situation of violating journalistic ethics and deviating from traditional standards is increasingly alarming. The fact is that recently, a series of press agencies have been punished, and a number of journalists have violated professional ethical standards and have degenerated. Many journalists have violated the law, even been prosecuted by the investigation agency, temporarily detained, disciplined and had their cards revoked, further demonstrating that the issue of journalistic ethics has reached a "red alert" level, in which the most serious violation is the authenticity of the press.

Many journalists have “illusions” about their profession, taking advantage of their profession to “gang up”, threaten, and pressure businesses…. Once journalists are not trained and cultivated in a standard professional environment, their ability to assess and perceive problems is also poor, they are prone to compromise, make rash judgments, lack the quality of commitment… which can easily lead to mistakes from small to serious levels.

The development of technology is having a comprehensive impact on the way, means, and habits of accessing and searching for information of everyone. Therefore, the team of journalists needs to update their knowledge, technology, and modern journalism skills; For press agencies, it is a matter of changing the editorial management model, approaching appropriately and effectively. Especially the impact of businesses and interest groups on press activities. This is a major problem today for press activities as well as management and direction. Besides the narrowing of print newspapers, the development of electronic newspapers is inevitable.

However, from here many problems arise, especially in a complex context, when evil and hostile forces thoroughly exploit a number of negative phenomena arising in life, spreading into society distorted, fabricated information, and false arguments to distort the nature of society and of people, thereby causing misunderstanding, negative thinking, impacting and making people become vague and lose faith.

Even in the press system, besides some governing bodies that always strictly follow the posting of news and articles, there are many newspapers that are chasing after profit, many newspapers are losing themselves by depending too much on businesses. To have income, you have to attract advertising. To attract advertising, you have to have a certain number of viewers and the more viewers, the higher the advertising fee. Because of that, some newspapers do not hesitate to compete for shocking, sexual, cheesy information "the more updated, the more sensational the better"...

Recently, at the training conference on press management, Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Hoang Vinh Bao also noted: “In the current era of information explosion, the relationship between official press information and social networks is very necessary if we know how to exploit and promote information from social networks. Because this information will help press agencies in detecting, but when posting information, the press needs to verify whether it is correct or not before posting. From there, help people understand the nature of the problem.”

It can be affirmed that social networks are an extension of the press. Through social networks, the press can propagate the resolutions and policies of the Party and State to the people in the fastest way, while fighting against "peaceful evolution", refuting the wrong views and arguments of hostile forces, contributing to strengthening the people's trust in the Party and State.

Thus, in order for the press to effectively promote information from social networks, as well as to play its role in preventing fake news, we need to purify the press media environment in the coming time. In addition to the need for direction, urging and drastic handling by the authorities, there is close coordination between the governing body and directly the awareness and responsibility of journalists. Faced with many challenges of modern journalism, more than ever, in addition to a "hot heart", journalists must truly be writers with conscience, intelligence, political courage, and a "cool head" so as not to cross the sometimes fragile line between professional ethics and material temptation./.

Ho Ha

(Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda Department)