Important new breakthroughs in the revised Press Law

(Dan Tri) - The Government believes that the revised Press Law project has a number of important, innovative issues. Among them, the press will be given the opportunity to have additional sources of income and expand its development space.

On the morning of October 23, the National Assembly heard a presentation on the draft Press Law (amended) and discussed this content in the afternoon group that same day.

The draft revised Press Law consists of 4 chapters and 51 articles (2 chapters and 10 articles less than the 2016 Press Law), and is expected to be considered and approved by the National Assembly at the 10th session.

The press is linked to content production and operates in cyberspace.

With innovative thinking, the amended law stipulates framework issues of principle under the authority of the National Assembly, while the rest is left to the Government , ministries, branches and localities to stipulate practical issues that frequently change to ensure flexibility.

According to the Government's submission, the revised Press Law project stipulates principles on press operation models and economics , expanding the press's operating space to develop the press in the context of streamlining the organizational apparatus to meet information needs in the new era.

Dan Tri Newspaper prepares for the 2024 National Press Festival (Photo: Hai Long).

In particular, the draft law supplements the regulation that a key multimedia media agency is a press agency with many types of press and affiliated press agencies; has a specific financial mechanism according to Government regulations; is established in accordance with the Press System Development and Management Strategy approved by the Prime Minister.

Newspapers, radio and television agencies are press agencies under provincial and municipal party committees, with many types of press and press products.

Regulations on the activities of press agencies in cyberspace are also added in this draft. The draft law stipulates that the content channels of press agencies in cyberspace are press products. Press agencies notify the State press management agency when opening content channels in cyberspace and connect online with the State management agency's depository system.

In addition to publishing and broadcasting press content, press agencies are also allowed to integrate online service activities in the press. This content is expected to be assigned to the Government for detailed regulations.

Also according to the draft amended law, press agencies are allowed to cooperate in producing content, except for content on political news, security, national defense, and foreign affairs. This provision is added to encourage press agencies to exploit the value of cooperation activities to serve press development, while ensuring orientation in political news information.

The Government will provide detailed regulations on linkages in press activities, clarify the responsibilities and rights of the parties participating in linkages, and promote linkages that bring value to press development.

The draft law also supplements full regulations on the methods by which the State assigns tasks, places orders, bids, and supports transportation costs, publishing, transmission, and broadcasting costs for the press to serve political, security, defense, and cultural tasks, etc.

Regarding the regulations on press cards, the draft law removes the regulations on the validity period of press cards, and stipulates that the validity period of press cards is 5 years from the date of issue and is stated on the card. After that period, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will consider issuing a new press card.

Create conditions for press agencies to have additional sources of income and increase financial resources.

To strengthen management, the draft law adds a provision assigning the Government to specify in detail the conditions for granting press licenses to social organizations and socio-professional organizations. This provision aims to strictly manage the activities of magazines belonging to social organizations and socio-professional organizations, avoiding the establishment of widespread magazines that operate ineffectively.

Illustration: Manh Quan.

The bill also adds provisions to revoke the operating licenses of press agencies in cases of non-operation, failure to ensure operating conditions, or repeated violations. The Government will specify the cases of license revocation.

Examining the draft revised Press Law, the Committee on Culture and Society agreed to add regulations on "key multimedia media agencies".

However, there are opinions that in addition to the 6 press agencies identified under Decision 362 of 2019 of the Prime Minister on approving the national press development and management plan until 2025, it is necessary to consider adding key multimedia press agencies in some localities or some units that have built prestige and have a certain position in press activities.

Regarding the content related to "press economy", the review agency supports regulations to create conditions for press agencies to have more revenue and increase financial resources to ensure and improve the quality of operations as in the draft law.

However, the Committee on Culture and Society proposed to continue researching, supplementing and clarifying the concept of "press economy" and regulations related to public investment, autonomy mechanism, and regulations on revenue from business activities of press agencies.

Regarding press activities in cyberspace, the inspection agency proposed to supplement regulations to promote press activities in cyberspace, and at the same time study regulations on principles on the mechanism for implementing agreements and responsibilities of press agencies and relevant agencies and organizations in ensuring copyright and related rights for press works in cyberspace and press works using artificial intelligence (AI).

The draft revised Press Law proposes to stipulate five new sources of revenue for the press, including:

1. Revenue from selling rights to view and listen to journalistic works.

2. Revenue from permission to exploit and use journalistic works.

3. Income from links in press activities.

4. Revenue from providing public career services assigned, ordered, and bid by competent State agencies.

5. Collect from people who need to publish scientific research articles to have funds to review, complete and improve the quality of the articles.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/thoi-su/nhung-diem-moi-quan-trong-mang-tinh-dot-pha-trong-luat-bao-chi-sua-doi-20251022230043639.htm