The country has 18 fewer press agencies compared to 2018.

On the morning of December 28, in Hai Phong City, the Central Propaganda Department chaired and coordinated with the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Vietnam Journalists Association to organize a national press conference to summarize the work of 2019 and deploy tasks for 2020.

Attending the conference were comrade Vo Van Thuong - Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Head of the Central Propaganda Department and comrades: Vu Duc Dam - Party Central Committee member, Deputy Prime Minister; Thuan Huu - Party Central Committee member, Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper, President of the Vietnam Journalists Association; and more than 600 delegates representing leaders of many agencies of the Party, State, press management and direction agencies, governing agencies and press agencies. Photo: Thanh Duy

On the side of Nghe An province, there was comrade Kha Van Tam - Member of the Provincial Party Executive Committee, Deputy Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda Department; and press agencies of the province. Nghe An Newspaper had the participation of comrade Ngo Duc Kien - Deputy Editor-in-Chief.

The conference listened to a report evaluating press work in 2019, directions, tasks and solutions for 2020, affirming that: 2019 is a year with many important milestones in press direction, management and activities.

The press has reflected clearly, honestly and promptly important developments in the country's political, economic and social life; actively propagated and promoted the image of the country, its people and Vietnam's innovation achievements to international friends; propagated sovereignty over seas and islands; proactively participated in the struggle to protect the Party's ideological foundation and refuted the wrong views of hostile forces.

Comrade Le Manh Hung - Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda Department presented a report evaluating press work in 2019, directions, tasks and solutions for 2020.

However, according to assessments, press activities still have some shortcomings and limitations, including false information, careless information, lack of political sensitivity, and providing too much information related to negative issues, the dark side of society, sensationalism, and clickbait still occurring.

Some representative offices, resident reporters, and collaborators of local press agencies operate beyond their assigned functions and tasks; violate the Press Law and professional ethics...

In 2019, state management agencies inspected, examined and administratively sanctioned 29 press agencies with a total fine of more than 675 million VND. The main acts of sanction were acts of providing false information with serious consequences.

The conference had 600 delegates attending, including representatives from many management agencies and press agencies. Photo: Thanh Duy

With a democratic, serious and responsible spirit, the Conference spent a lot of time listening to delegates' presentations, discussions and exchanges on issues of concern in press work as well as press and media life, especially during the period of Planning for the development and management of the national press until 2025 and the review of 3 years of implementing the Press Law 2016.

Implementing the press planning, in the first 11 months of 2019, the country reduced 18 press agencies compared to 2018. As of November 30, 2019, there were 850 press agencies, including 179 newspapers, 648 magazines, 23 independent electronic press agencies; 72 agencies have licenses to operate radio and television with 2 national stations, 64 local stations, and 5 television channels.

The conference took place in Hai Phong City. Photo: Thanh Duy

Nationwide, there are currently over 41,000 people working at press agencies in all four types, of which 20,407 have been granted press cards.

Thanh Duy