Startled by the 'vulgar statements' of dignitaries when answering the press

Recently, there have been a number of statements in the press that readers find hard to sympathize with because of their “vulgarity” and disregard for public opinion and their readers. It is not redundant to mention these statements, because their frequency of appearance has increased.

Recently, Tien Phong newspaper published an article in which a reporter called to schedule a meeting with Mr. Tran Anh Tu (Deputy General Director of Hanoi Railway Company Limited) regarding the first rapid bus project in Hanoi from Yen Nghia to Kim Ma.

Accordingly, when reporters asked about the effectiveness of the project, Mr. Tu said: "It's not your business if it's not effective. You journalists don't have expertise. Are you a press agency or an appraisal agency?"

Regarding the question of the risk of traffic jams on the BRT route, Mr. Tu said: “Traffic jams are not your business. You are a news agency, not an appraisal agency, not a professional or specialized agency. You are talking nonsense.”

According to press reports, Hanoi has re-examined these statements.

The project is prolonged, people complain about waste and "vulgar" statements from dignitaries. Photo: Dan Tri

Previously, on June 13, Mot The Gioi Electronic Newspaper quoted the words of the Director of the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade, Le Hong Thang, when the reporter of this newspaper called the number 090395888X. The person who answered the phone, claiming to be Mr. Thang, said the following: "You said that the Director of the Department of Industry and Trade said something wrong to the Chairman? I will make things right. What I say is my business, not for the press to comment on such words, okay?"

According to the One World newspaper, the reporter of this newspaper suggested that this man should not use the word "you" to refer to himself, but he continued: "But if you talk about the Director of the Department of Industry and Trade in the press, you will say worse than that. I'm telling you this so you know."

Not long before, Nguoi Dua Tin newspaper published the content of a conversation between a reporter and Dr. Dinh Ngoc Hien, Principal of Thanh Tay University, about the newspaper wanting to find out information about the concrete mixing station located on the campus. In the conversation (recorded), Dr. Dinh Ngoc Hien said: “I’m telling you, listen. Many newspapers have come here, I warn you not to poke around, understand? We work according to the law, there are no inspectors coming, construction comes and they behead us, why do you have to poke around, understand? And I am a war invalid. I’m telling you, listen, many newspapers have come here to poke around, before Tet, after Tet, don’t talk bad, understand? Do you believe me, I told that guy… (Mr. Hien called the name of a high-ranking leader) to point to your Editor-in-Chief, then he will report to me. Okay…”

In addition, in a conversation with a reporter from Nguoi Dua Tin newspaper, Mr. Hien also used disrespectful words towards journalists: "I'll tell you straight, if you want to survive, stay away, take the street life style, Urban newspaper, this newspaper, that newspaper, four kinds of newspapers here!! If you want to come in, I'll also play with you straight. You little brats, go away!"

The writer of this article has heard such harsh words on the phone at least twice. Some of the statements were misspoken, and the person who said them had to apologize to the reporter. Some of the statements showed contempt for the law and public opinion.

Typically, the “Editor-in-Chief” of a magazine threatened to “dismantle” the superior management agency and “kill” those who sent the official dispatch requesting a license to publish the magazine of which he was “Editor-in-Chief”. While talking on the phone with Infonet reporter, the “Editor-in-Chief” (please allow me to put it in quotation marks because of the confusion when he was appointed Editor-in-Chief) used words that only people on the street swearing at each other would use.

Although they are not leaders or hold positions in the government, the above-mentioned people are considered “high-ranking” in society, in their fields and agencies. Normally, people will think that they will be cultured, dignified, and standard-speaking people…

From that, it can be seen that the story of speaking and responding to the press has become an alarming story with the "culture" and "awareness" of some "high-ranking" people. Do they think that they are talking privately to individual journalists or that public opinion is nothing to them?

Public relations experts say that conversations that are identified by name, position, profession, and agency mean that this is not a private conversation between an individual and an individual. The same goes for reporters and journalists. A conversation that is identified by full agency and discusses issues of public concern is a conversation between the newspaper's readers and the respondents. Therefore, the responses of those in positions of authority must be considered and carefully considered. At the same time, it is necessary to strictly handle those "in positions of authority" who tarnish the image of officials because of vulgar and uncultured statements.

According to infonet