Freedom of speech and press has always been a global issue, which is notonly a concern of every nation’s leaders but also a fundamentalrequirement of human rights.
The freedom is also a spiritual need during the existence and development of each nation in an era of information.
According to Associate Prof. Dr. Nguyen Hong Vinh, Chairman of theCentral Council for Theory and Criticism of Literature and Arts, all theConstitutions of Vietnam have contained stipulations on the freedom ofspeech and press and affirmed this as one of the most fundamental rightsof human beings and all citizens.
He added that eachconstitution stipulates this issue on the basis of the previous versionwhile further developing the content to suit the specific conditions ofthe country in that period.
Over the past time, theVietnamese press has grown rapidly in terms of quantity, types,publications, the number of reporters and readers, technical andphysical facilities, technology and financial capacity, thus making anincreasingly stronger impact on society.
Most ministries,branches, agencies and organisations from the central to grassrootslevels, social classes, professional associations and major religionshave their own newspapers.
According to Vinh, as of February2013, the country had a total of 812 printed newspapers with 1,084publications, and 67 central and local radio and television stationswith 172 channels.
The pay TV system has made big strideswith a variety of transmission possibilities such as cable, satellite,digital terrestrial and most recently, internet protocol television(IPTV), which is presently being piloted.
Regardingelectronic information, the country has 74 online newspapers andmagazines, 336 social networks and 1,174 information websites.
The Vietnam Journalists Association has more than 19,000 members, ofwhom nearly 17,000 have been granted professional licences and areworking in hundreds of press agencies from central to grassroots levels.The association has always encouraged and created favourable conditionsfor journalists to work freely and creatively in accordance with thelaw.
Dr. Vinh remarked that the press has truly served asthe voice of the Party, State, political, social and professionalorganisations, as well as an important forum and tool to protect theinterests and rights of people from all walks of life.
Everyone has the right to express their aspirations, opinions andrecommendations on all aspects of social life via the mass media,including the press.
He affirmed that since the CommunistParty of Vietnam initiated and led the renewal cause and internationalintegration, the State has attached importance to information freedom,publicity and transparency and created favourable conditions for theoperation of the mass media.
One of the activities that havewon domestic and international acclaim over the past two decades is thelive broadcast on national TV and radio of question and answer sessionsbetween National Assembly deputies and cabinet members, including thePrime Minister.
To meet the people’s demands for greaterinformation publicity and transparency, the Prime Minister has recentlyissued detailed regulations on the provision of information to the pressby ministries, ministerial-level agencies, Government-affiliatedagencies and People’s Committees of centrally-run provinces or cities.
The researcher noted that the press, playing the role ofreflecting and participating in social criticism, has become anincreasingly important source of consultation for competent agencies inperfecting guidelines and decisions of the Party as well as policies andlaws of the State, making them more relevant to realities.
In additional to publicising and celebrating new achievements, goodpeople and good deeds, the press has also played an effective role inthe fight against corruption, bureaucracy, social vices, thus winningthe sympathy and support of the people.
He concluded thatreality has shown that genuine freedom of expression and press exist inVietnam, on the basis of journalists’ strict compliance with the lawwhile upholding their social responsibilities and duties as citizens tocontribute to national construction and defence.-VNA
The freedom is also a spiritual need during the existence and development of each nation in an era of information.
According to Associate Prof. Dr. Nguyen Hong Vinh, Chairman of theCentral Council for Theory and Criticism of Literature and Arts, all theConstitutions of Vietnam have contained stipulations on the freedom ofspeech and press and affirmed this as one of the most fundamental rightsof human beings and all citizens.
He added that eachconstitution stipulates this issue on the basis of the previous versionwhile further developing the content to suit the specific conditions ofthe country in that period.
Over the past time, theVietnamese press has grown rapidly in terms of quantity, types,publications, the number of reporters and readers, technical andphysical facilities, technology and financial capacity, thus making anincreasingly stronger impact on society.
Most ministries,branches, agencies and organisations from the central to grassrootslevels, social classes, professional associations and major religionshave their own newspapers.
According to Vinh, as of February2013, the country had a total of 812 printed newspapers with 1,084publications, and 67 central and local radio and television stationswith 172 channels.
The pay TV system has made big strideswith a variety of transmission possibilities such as cable, satellite,digital terrestrial and most recently, internet protocol television(IPTV), which is presently being piloted.
Regardingelectronic information, the country has 74 online newspapers andmagazines, 336 social networks and 1,174 information websites.
The Vietnam Journalists Association has more than 19,000 members, ofwhom nearly 17,000 have been granted professional licences and areworking in hundreds of press agencies from central to grassroots levels.The association has always encouraged and created favourable conditionsfor journalists to work freely and creatively in accordance with thelaw.
Dr. Vinh remarked that the press has truly served asthe voice of the Party, State, political, social and professionalorganisations, as well as an important forum and tool to protect theinterests and rights of people from all walks of life.
Everyone has the right to express their aspirations, opinions andrecommendations on all aspects of social life via the mass media,including the press.
He affirmed that since the CommunistParty of Vietnam initiated and led the renewal cause and internationalintegration, the State has attached importance to information freedom,publicity and transparency and created favourable conditions for theoperation of the mass media.
One of the activities that havewon domestic and international acclaim over the past two decades is thelive broadcast on national TV and radio of question and answer sessionsbetween National Assembly deputies and cabinet members, including thePrime Minister.
To meet the people’s demands for greaterinformation publicity and transparency, the Prime Minister has recentlyissued detailed regulations on the provision of information to the pressby ministries, ministerial-level agencies, Government-affiliatedagencies and People’s Committees of centrally-run provinces or cities.
The researcher noted that the press, playing the role ofreflecting and participating in social criticism, has become anincreasingly important source of consultation for competent agencies inperfecting guidelines and decisions of the Party as well as policies andlaws of the State, making them more relevant to realities.
In additional to publicising and celebrating new achievements, goodpeople and good deeds, the press has also played an effective role inthe fight against corruption, bureaucracy, social vices, thus winningthe sympathy and support of the people.
He concluded thatreality has shown that genuine freedom of expression and press exist inVietnam, on the basis of journalists’ strict compliance with the lawwhile upholding their social responsibilities and duties as citizens tocontribute to national construction and defence.-VNA
