Draft Press Law: To be granted a press card, one must attend a professional training course

The draft Law on Press (amended) stipulates that those applying for a press card for the first time must attend a training course on journalism skills and professional ethics organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Vietnam Journalists Association.

To be considered for the first press card, one must take a training course in journalism skills and professional ethics organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in coordination with the Vietnam Journalists Association . The program and requirements for the training course in journalism skills and professional ethics are prescribed by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

This is one of the notable new points in the draft Law on Press (amended) that Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung, authorized by the Prime Minister, presented to the National Assembly this morning, October 23.

Add new press agency model

According to Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung, the draft Law stipulates framework issues, principled issues under the authority of the National Assembly, and frequently changing practical issues assigned to the Government, ministries, branches and localities to ensure flexibility and suitability with reality. Accordingly, the draft Law assigns the Government and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to specify a total of 27 articles.

Compared to the 2016 Press Law, the draft revised Press Law retains the content of 6 articles, amends 41 articles, removes 6 articles and adds 4 new articles. The draft law has many important new points of a breakthrough nature.

The draft law adds a provision on the position of the press: “The press in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is revolutionary press…” to affirm the historical and revolutionary nature of the press, aiming at the goal of building and protecting the Fatherland, building a professional, humane, and modern press as set forth by the 13th Party Congress.

The draft law also stipulates principles on operating models, press economics, and expanding the press's operating space to develop the press in the context of streamlining the political system's organizational apparatus to meet information and propaganda requirements in the new era.

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung presents the draft Law on Press (amended). (Photo: Tuan Anh/VNA)

Specifically, the draft adds regulations on the model of a key multimedia media agency; press, radio and television agencies. Accordingly, a key multimedia media agency is a press agency with many types of press, affiliated press agencies, with a specific financial mechanism according to Government regulations; established in accordance with the press system development and management strategy approved by the Prime Minister. Press, radio and television agencies are press agencies under provincial and municipal Party Committees, with many types of press and press products.

Tightly control magazine operations

The draft law clearly classifies types of journalism, including electronic magazines and printed magazines, and adds the concept of magazine to prevent the "newspaperization" of magazines.

The draft law adds a provision assigning the Government to specify in detail the conditions for granting press licenses to strictly manage the activities of magazines belonging to social organizations and socio-professional organizations, avoiding the establishment of widespread magazines and ineffective operations. The Government stipulates the standards and conditions for appointing leaders of press agencies. Those working at scientific magazines are not granted press cards.

The draft also adds regulations on activities and principles for managing press activities in cyberspace. Accordingly, press agencies’ activities in cyberspace must comply with the law on press, cyber security, the objectives and purposes of press agencies, and be consistent with international treaties to which Vietnam is a member.

In addition, the draft adds regulations on the State's investment in national digital press platforms; press agencies are allowed to cooperate in content production; regulations on new revenue sources for press agencies; regulations on the export and import of press...

The draft also adds provisions on revoking the operating licenses of press agencies; regulations on a number of prohibited acts related to foreign information activities, specifically: information that negatively affects the position, reputation, and image of Vietnam; harms foreign relations and international cooperation between Vietnam and other countries and partners.

The draft Law on Press (amended) will be discussed by National Assembly deputies in groups this afternoon./.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/du-thao-luat-bao-chi-muon-cap-the-nha-bao-phai-hoc-lop-boi-duong-nghiep-vu-post1072070.vnp