Hanoi (VNA) - More than 200 leaders of news agencies, journalistassociations, journalism training institutes, as well as scientists andjournalists from across the country gathered in Hanoi on December 29 at aconference entitled “Journalism after 30 years of doi moi (renewal process) -theoretical and practical issues.”

Theconference was sponsored by the Vietnam Journalists Association (VJA), theParty Central Committee’s Commission for Publicity and Education and theMinistry of Information and Communications.

Thegathering acted as a platform for participants to review accomplishments andshortcomings of Vietnamese journalism and communications over the past 30 years(1986-2016), the period of Vietnam’s doi moi process, and propose initiativesto strengthen Vietnamese journalism’s roles and improve the quality of mediacoverage.

VJAPresident Thuan Huu, a member of the Party Central Committee, said that 30years is a meaningful period during which the reform process initiated and ledby the Party has gained historic accomplishments acknowledged by the domesticand international public.

Journalismplayed a leading role in disseminating and promoting the reform policies of theParty, he said. Journalism has also renewed itself to catch up with thedevelopment of the country, meeting increasing demand of the revolutionarycause and gaining many meaningful achievements, he added.

DeputyHead of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Publicity and Education, PhamVan Linh, said journalism management and orientation in 2016 underwentencouraging changes. Many news agencies contributed to the fight againstcorruption, protecting the country’s sovereignty and rejecting incorrect anddistorted information by hostile forces.

“However,in the context of unpredicted developments in world affairs and new politicaltasks, journalism has shown shortcomings. Besides new opportunities, journalismhas to overcome challenges,” Huu said.

HoQuang Loi, VJA vice president, said that a lot of journalism information lacksorientation and focusses on negative issues. Information that harms Vietnamesecustoms is still allowed to be published in newspapers.

ManyTV programmes air "tactless" content, causing anger among the public,he said.  

Discussingjournalist ethics, experienced journalist Phan Quang, former VJA president,said “The 1995 journalism ethics code of Vietnam mentions uprightness ofjournalists. However, now there are more and more reporters who sit at home,type on computers and plagiarise others’ work.”

“Thejournalism ethics code of Vietnam was issued a long time ago but has yet to beput into practice,” Quang asked.

Thisyear, the Journalism Ethics Code has been adjusted and the revised version willtake effect next year.

JournalistPhan Quang spoke highly of the new code, saying that Clause No10 in which pressworkers must pledge to adhere to the code, is their responsibility and up totheir conscience.

NguyenThe Ky, a member of Party Central Committee and General Director of the Voiceof Vietnam, said that journalism has developed into various forms. Newsagencies have focused on renewing and improving news quality.

However,language in the mass media is used improperly in many cases, withcarelessly-written words and sentences. Shocking headlines are made to lurereaders, but fail to reflect the facts.

“Vietnameselanguage use on media will affect negatively and widely on the public,especially the youth,” he said, suggesting relevant agencies complete laws onVietnamese and language use.

Eachnews agency should have a unit tasked with overseeing language use, he said.

Theconference welcomed nearly 90 thematic reports from journalists andresearchers, focusing on three topics: general view of theoretical andspecialist skill issues of journalism; practical issues including those relatedto journalism management, trends of modern journalism and adaptation ofVietnamese journalism; and journalist ethics.-VNA