Reporters go 'counting floors': Why?

The case of two reporters of a magazine being prosecuted and temporarily detained by the Investigation Agency of Thanh Hoa Province Police to investigate the act of extorting money from the Vice Chairman of Nghi Son Town People's Committee, as well as many previous cases, has increasingly increased public suspicion about the decline in ethics of a number of writers in the name of journalists.

As a long-time journalist trainer, Associate Professor Dr. Ha Huy Phuong - senior lecturer at the Academy of Journalism and Communication emphasized that this is not a new story, but it is a pressing issue in society, directly affecting the reputation and professional honor of journalists, press agencies and, more importantly, revolutionary journalism.

According to Associate Professor Dr. Ha Huy Phuong, the cause of this problem is both objective and subjective. Regarding the objective cause, it is the impact of the negative side of the market mechanism, money has become a factor that governs the professional activities of journalists.

In addition, globalization and the media explosion have created a mixed media environment, a fertile "land" for some press agencies, media, reporters, and collaborators to take advantage of and make money by all means, including being willing to violate the law and professional ethics to achieve economic goals.

The subjective cause lies in the recruitment of human resources of some press agencies. “It has never been easier to recruit human resources for journalism than it is now. Anyone, regardless of their major, can be recruited by a press agency and used as a short-term probationary reporter or sign a long-term contract. With the method of assigning a quota of news and articles and also doing advertising, propaganda, and PR contracts, it invisibly pushes reporters and collaborators who are not properly trained, lack political will and professional ethics into the "race" of earning revenue for the editorial office and for themselves, leading to violations of the law and professional ethics" - a lecturer at the Academy of Journalism and Propaganda expressed his opinion.

The "leniency" is also seen in the fact that many editorial offices loosen management, are willing to print and issue "Reporter Cards" and letters of introduction for temporary reporters and collaborators to practice their profession. These people often "hide" under the legal status of press agencies to threaten and "bully" businesses and localities. It is not even possible to exclude that there are editorial offices behind the scenes to "back up" them, and at the same time connect with "same" editorial offices.

In that context, the implementation of the national press development and management plan until 2025 is expected by public opinion to contribute to limiting and preventing violations of the law and professional ethics by a group of journalists. It will have the effect of preventing from the beginning, dissolving, and terminating the operations of press agencies that do not have the conditions to conduct journalism properly.

From the perspective of professional activities of journalists, Associate Professor, Dr. Ha Huy Phuong believes that if press agencies pay attention to the recruitment, use, and training of journalists in a systematic and professional manner, meeting the requirements of the "multi-talented journalist" model, there will certainly be a team of high-quality journalists. Then we will be less concerned about violations of the law and professional ethics by journalists.

According to Mr. Phuong, from the perspective of state management, there should be specific and direct policies for journalists based on the standardization of professional titles, thereby having a suitable remuneration regime so that journalists do not have to worry, be concerned, or confuse between practicing their profession and taking advantage of their profession to make a living. If this issue is resolved well, it will certainly reduce the problem of journalists violating professional ethics.

Along with that, according to Mr. Phuong, the state management agency of the press and law enforcement agencies need to strictly handle cases of journalists violating the law and professional ethics.

In particular, the journalism lecturer emphasized the need to eliminate electronic information sites disguised as newspapers that condone "fake journalists" who take advantage of their profession to blackmail businesses, industries, and localities, affecting the reputation and honor of journalists and the country's journalism./.