Local media must work toward joining modern news industry

Truong Minh Tuan, Deputy Minister of Information and Communications, speaks with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper about the need for Vietnamese media outlets to renew themselves and avoid lagging behind.

* How does the Ministry of Information and Communications react to the different reflections, both positive and negative, on the recent release of the proposal on mass-media development?

The recent release of the national plan for mass media from now till 2025 is not a surprise as the plan has been carefully studied and prepared for many years and gone through consultations with relevant agencies. During the drafting process, the compiling committee welcomed all comments or suggestions from the general public and media agencies.

The only idea I want to emphasise here is that any comment or feedback should directly address the issues written on the plan, not some prejudiced ideas from the writers. It is like in the reporting job. They must go to the scene to collect the facts and reflect them in the story.

* But quite a few newspapers in HCM City have expressed anxiety about the plan's impacts on their newspapers, particularly human resources. Will you please further elaborate on that?

There are three points I want to mention here. Firstly, we should acknowledge progressive ideas included in the master plan. A thread reflected throughout the plan is that it will create favourable conditions for the mass media to develop, with special considerations given to each media agency or organisation.

Secondly, I can guarantee that the Ministry of Information and Communications will not impose administrative sanctions on any media agency without careful consideration.

And thirdly, a very careful and thorough road map has been charted out for the implementation of the plan. Of course, lessons will be drawn during the implementation with close and direct consultations between the concerned media agency/organisation and the Ministry of Information and Communications. As I have mentioned, the document compiling committee welcomes any comments or suggestions from individuals or collectives to make it better.

The key objective of the proposal is to make our media products, particularly newspapers, to better serve the readers in the context of the rapid and strong development of the electronic media.

* In your opinion, what are the priorities for the Vietnamese media at present?

We are living in an explosion of information technology and increasing demand for latest information inside and outside the country. That's why it is high time for media organisations to renew their operation and performance to meet the public's demand.

It is also time for media workers to hold high their responsibility towards their readers or viewers through their stories, not to chase after negative phenomena in society just to attract readers or viewers. Let's all try to become good media workers in the fast changing world, particularly in the current IT explosion era.-VNA