Announcement: National External Information Service Awards 2019

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (second, right) and head of the Party Central Committee's Information and Education Commission Vo Van Thuong (second, left) present the first prize of the National External Information Service Awards 2018 (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) - Pursuant to regulations on the National External Information Service Awards 2019, hereinafter referred to as the “Awards”, the Council for National External Information Service Awards in 2019 calls for submissions from media and publishing agencies, Vietnamese and foreigners. 

I. AWARDING CRITERIA:

1. Content:

The entries must be timely, unbiased, faithful, standardized, and scientific, influential nationally and internationally, and appreciated by the public. Submitted works must contribute to Vietnam’s external information service in at least one of the following four ways:

- Give accurate, timely, and vivid information of the external and internal activities of the Party and State leaders that have external impacts, the stance and guidelines of the Party and State on international issues, andsolutions to sovereignty issues.

- Provide a faithful and unbiased reflection of the country’s achievements in innovation, international integration, and development, especially in the fields of economics, trade, investment, tourism, achievements in national defence, and affirming Vietnam’s role, position, and prestige in the international community.

- Promote images of the country and the people, especially the history and culture of Vietnam, images of regions and localities across the country, images of the overseas Vietnamese community, affirming Vietnam’s achievements in ensuring human rights, achievements in demarcation and landmark planting, and protection of Vietnam's national sovereignty at sea.

- Protect the Party's ideological foundation, and combat distorting or hostile viewpoints, fabricated information, and false accusations about the situation in Vietnam from hostile and opportunist forces.

2. Entry Regulations 

2.1. Submissions can be in Vietnamese or a foreign language, and must have been broadcast via mass media and published in Vietnam or in a foreign country from January 1 to December 31, 2019.

2.2. Works which have already been honoured in other contests are eligible for the National External Information Service Awards 2019, but must clearly state the award and information about the specific award, the organiser, and contest date. 

2.3. Submissions must be free from copyright dispute since the release date. 

2.4. Works ineligible for the Awards include: a series of stories which are independent works of individual authors at different dates of publishing without a single name for the series, works pending assessment of competent agencies, and photos manipulated using photo editing software.

2.5. Forms and genres:

Include: news, interview, personal narrative, commentary, treatise, reportage, investigative reports, chronicles, radio broadcast, television broadcast, multi-media products, photos, and books. 

Authors or a group of authors must submit their entries to the Awards in accordance with the following regulations:

- Printed newspaper: 

One or a series of story items (no more than five) must be by the same author or group of authors about the same events or topics.

If the entry was published in different languages, only one version is eligible for submission. Entrants must clarify the reason for selecting the language of the submitted entry. 

- Online newspaper:

One or a series of story items (no more than five) must carry the characteristics of an online newspaper, including multimedia items, by the same author or group of authors about the same event or topic. Online news entries must be created initially and exclusively for online newspapers. Entries republished from print newspapers are not eligible.

If the entry was published in different languages, only one version is eligible for submission. Entrants must clarify the reason for selecting the language of the submitted entry.

- News Websites:  

One or a series of story items (no more than five), including multimedia items by the same author or group of authors about the same event or topic. Online news entries must be created exclusively for news websites. Entries republished from print newspapers are not eligible. 

If the entry was published in different languages, only one version is eligible for submission. Entrants must clarify the reason for selecting the language of the submitted entry.

- Radio Broadcast: 

One or a series of stories (no more than five) about the same events or topics. The duration of a story is no more than 60 minutes. Entries must have clear sound quality for characters’ voices, noise, and music. Background sound and music used in the entry must be copyrighted. 

- Television Broadcast: 

One or a series of stories (no more than five) must be about the same event or topic. The duration of each programme is no more than 120 minutes. The entries must carry the characteristics of television broadcast. The footage and soundtrack of entries must be attractive and meet quality standards. Footage, background sound and music used in the entry must be copyrighted.

- Press Photo:

A single photograph, set of photos, or photo essay.

Sets of photos about the same matter or photo essays may be submitted with no more than ten photos, published in the same newspaper issue or at the same time (for online newspapers). Photos manipulated using photo editing software are not eligible.

- Landscape Photo: 

A single photograph or set of photos.

Sets of photos about the same matter may be submitted with no more than ten photos, published in the same newspaper issue or at the same time (for online newspapers). Photo collages or photos manipulated using photo editing software are not eligible.

- Book: A single book or set of books published in Vietnamese or foreign languages related to external information service. If published and released in Vietnam, the submission must meet legal regulations of Vietnam.

3. Submission Document Guidelines 

3.1. Author of Entry

The author must be an individual author or group of authors who are Vietnamese or foreigners. Each individual author or group of authors is allowed to submit a maximum of seven works or sets of works. 

Members of the final round’s jury board are not allowed to submit their entries.
 
3.2. Entry 

Each entry must include a general introduction of the entry in Vietnamese which should present the form, genre, main content, context of the story, and outstanding features of the entry’s findings, influence, and attraction.

For entries in print, online newspaper, and news website: entry must be submitted in the original printed copies or copies from a printed newspaper or online newspaper, attached with links to the online newspaper and news website (for entries from online newspaper and news websites). If the entry includes several pieces, these must be pasted on A4 with page numbers and have an attached photocopy. 

For radio broadcasts: entries must be copied on compact disc (CD) (each CD must contain only one entry), or USB drive (authors are encouraged to submit their entries via USB), with the name of the agency, author, entry title, genre, duration and time of broadcast written on the cover, and a transcript of the entry, certified by the publication.  

For television broadcasts: entries must be copied on DVD or USB drive, attached with links to the broadcasts, with the name of the agency, author, entry, genre, duration and time of broadcast written on the cover, and a detailed running-order sheet, certified by the production agency. 

For press photos: in addition to photos already published in a newspaper or magazine, submissions must include enlarged photos on photographic paper sized 18cm x 24cm (single photo) and 12cm x 18cm (set of photos or photo essays).

For landscape photos: in addition to photos already published on newspaper or magazine, submission must include enlarged photos on photographic paper sized 18cm x 24cm (single photo) and 12cm x 18cm (set of photos).

For books: Entries must be the original copy.  If the entry is a translated book, it must be submitted with a proof of agreement between the author, the translator, and the publishing house regarding awards entry and prize acceptance in case of winning.

Note: Ineligible works are those that fail to meet the above requirements. The organizing board will not return contest entries.

II. PRIZES

The National External Information Service Awards 2018 offers annual prizes in the following categories: (1) print newspaper (in Vietnamese and foreign languages); (2) online news (e-newspapers in Vietnamese and foreign language, and news websites); (3) radio broadcast; (4) television broadcasts; (5) photo (press photo, landscape photo); and (6) book. Each category consists of first, second, third and consolation prizes.

The number of prizes is decided by the organizing board. 

1. The first, second, and third prize consists of
-  National External Information Service Award 2018 trophy
-  A certificate from the organizing board
-  Cash prize

2.  The consolation prize consists of
-  A certificate from the organizing board
-  Cash prize 

III. STANDING AGENCY OF CONTEST

Vietnam Television is the standing agency of the National External Information Service Awards 2019.

The contest is open to eligible entries from media agencies, publishing agencies, ministries, sectors, localities, representative agencies of Vietnam abroad, Vietnam’s friendship organisations, and Vietnamese and foreign authors. Entries must be submitted prior to March 31, 2020. 

Please send entries to: The Secretarial Division, The Administration Office, Vietnam Television

Address: 43 Nguyen Chi Thanh Street, Ba Dinh district, Hanoi 
Tel: +84 2438315426 or +84 973 952 105; +84 936 351 989
Email: giaithuongdoingoai2019@gmail.com

Please write “Submission for National External Information Service Awards 2019” in email subject or postal envelope./.