Providing more resources for journalism to thrive

The digital age is profoundly changing the way information is produced, distributed and received. Vietnamese revolutionary press, in this flow, cannot stand outside. The press is changing, but how to change, with what resources, is a difficult problem that many press agencies are facing every day.

This is not just a technical problem, but a problem of mechanism, of people, and of how we position the role of journalism in a society that is moving faster than ever.

Many press agencies are currently facing a dilemma: They must both undertake political and informational propaganda tasks - which are of public interest - and at the same time have to find ways to survive and develop in a fiercely competitive environment - where cross-border platforms with huge financial potential are dominating the game. The pressure of "having to do a good job, being assigned more tasks but not having more resources" as shared by Mr. Do Duc Hoang, Deputy General Director of Vietnam Television (VTV), is being put on the shoulders of journalists, who are trying to create content in conditions of limited finance, equipment and human resources. The problem of journalism economics is also becoming a bottleneck.

Mr. Phung Cong Suong, Editor-in-Chief of Tien Phong Newspaper, pointed out the dual challenge: “Resources are thin, while the cost of digital transformation is huge”. This causes the press to fall into a vicious cycle - lack of investment money, difficulty retaining talented people; lack of talented human resources makes it even more difficult to create high-quality products.

In addition, the difference between the legal framework for businesses and the press also creates a large gap in the ability to operate and the media race. Businesses are allowed to do what the law does not prohibit, while the press can only do what the law allows. Flexibility and creativity - vital factors in the digital media environment - are therefore often limited.

Faced with such pressures, amending the Press Law to supplement regulations on the specific organizational and financial model of the press in line with the reality of digital transformation and press economics is an inevitable requirement. In addition, there should be a special mechanism to financially support the press to improve the effectiveness of policy communication. It is necessary to identify essential political tasks and propaganda information to serve political tasks, from which the State ensures funding - possibly through the mechanism of ordering, assigning tasks, bidding, purchasing services or regular support, with a specific list of tasks using the budget.

This is not only financial support, but also a guarantee for a force to maintain the "ideological battlefield" in the era of information explosion. This has been repeatedly emphasized by Mr. Le Quoc Minh, Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper and Chairman of the Vietnam Journalists Association . According to Mr. Le Quoc Minh, in order to improve the effectiveness of propaganda and protect the Party's ideological foundation in the digital media environment, it is necessary to build a mechanism for the State to order press products on digital platforms for official press agencies.

Along with that, many opinions agree that if there is a public and transparent ordering mechanism with clear content and form criteria, it will not only ensure a stable source of revenue for press agencies, but also help improve the quality of content, avoiding the situation of chasing views, sensational news...

Another noteworthy perspective was given by Mr. Phung Cong Suong: “It is necessary to consider the press as a key cultural and media industry, to enjoy appropriate financial and tax policies”. This is both a recognition of the social role and opens up the possibility of accessing preferential investment policies, loans, tax reductions... like other strategic industries. These are prerequisites for the press to develop sustainably, professionally and competitively in the digital age. When it is properly recognized in the national economic and cultural picture, the press can maximize its potential and mission.

The 100th anniversary of Vietnam Revolutionary Press Day is not only an occasion to express gratitude and look back, but also an opportunity for us to reposition the role of the press in modern society. The press is facing a major turning point and we cannot let the press - the pioneer force in protecting the ideological foundation and preserving social trust - face challenges alone. Timely, synchronous and practical decisions will help the press overcome difficulties, develop strongly, and continue to be the vanguard force on the ideological and cultural front in the current context.

NGOC QUANG

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/tiep-them-nguon-luc-de-bao-chi-vuon-minh-post800172.html