Promoting the role of foreign information management in key press agencies

Dr. VU DUY HUNG
Academy of Journalism and Communication

1. Introduction

The key press agencies are the core press units, which play the role of guiding public opinion and foreign information. According to Decision No. 362/QD-TTg dated April 3, 2019, of the Prime Minister “approving the National Press Development and Management Plan until 2025”, the goal is to build a number of key multimedia press agencies as the core, which play the role of guiding public opinion and foreign information; in which, there are 6 multimedia communication agencies identified as key press agencies, including Vietnam Television, Voice of Vietnam, Vietnam News Agency, Nhan Dan Newspaper, People’s Army Newspaper and People’s Police Newspaper(1).

The management of foreign information in key press agencies is the influence of managing entities within these agencies in the process of receiving inbound foreign information, producing, supervising, disseminating, receiving and processing feedback information; inspecting and evaluating the implementation process of information dissemination in order to transmit domestic information to international friends and the overseas Vietnamese community, as well as bringing information on the world situation into Vietnam, contributing to enhancing the country’s position and reputation on the international stage. Therefore, researching and understanding the role as well as the solutions to promote the role of foreign information management in key press agencies is of great significance.

2. The role of foreign information management in key press agencies

The role in economic and social life

The management of foreign information in public service agencies has a strong impact on economic and social life. This management helps monitor and promote foreign information activities in particular and press information in general in disseminating, propagating, and unifying the awareness and actions of the whole society in implementing the economic, political, national defense and security, cultural, social, diplomatic policies of the Party and the State. Thereby, it contributes to ensuring that the Party’s policies and guidelines, as well as the State’s policies and laws are implemented in practice. At the same time, the management also helps key press agencies provide accurate information on advances in science and technology from around the world, helping the people in the country selectively absorb the experiences and cultural quintessence of the world’s people, contributing to the struggle with the world’s people for peace, cooperation, and development.

The management of foreign information ensures that the key press agencies carry out press activities in accordance with the Press Law and foreign policy, thereby contributing to helping these agencies properly implement their principles, purposes, functions, and tasks, while stabilizing and developing themselves(2).

The management of foreign information in key press agencies, in accordance with the general principles and operational objectives of journalism, helps promote the role of press information in reflecting and monitoring, social critique, guiding public opinion to support and praise good people and good deeds in law compliance, denouncing and criticizing negative manifestations and acts of law violations in society, creating trust in the law and in justice among all strata of the people. At the same time, it helps proactively prevent actions that reveal or leak state secrets, harm politics, national security, social order and safety, or damage the legitimate rights and interests of agencies, organizations, and individuals.

The role in diplomacy affairs

On the one hand, the management of foreign information in key press agencies helps to orient public opinion, repel bad and toxic information and culture, spread positive information, and raise the people’s awareness of the Party’s and the State’s policies, guidelines, and general laws in foreign affairs. On the other hand, the management of foreign information in key press agencies also actively supports diplomatic activities by managing the dissemination of Vietnam’s messages and diplomatic policies to countries around the world and the region as well as providing information to serve and support individuals and organizations involved in foreign affairs(3).

In terms of national interests, effective implementation of foreign information management in key press agencies will help these agencies produce and disseminate high-quality foreign information. Accurate and timely foreign information enables people in other countries to better understand Vietnam, its land and people, and the material and spiritual heritage values of the Vietnamese nation. Such understanding contributes to building and nurturing the feelings of people of other countries towards the country and people of Vietnam, thereby contributing to enhancing Vietnam’s position in the international arena. These efforts also contribute to ensuring the correct implementation of the open foreign policy, multilateralization, and international economic integration of the Party and the State of Vietnam.

Furthermore, effective foreign information management in key press agencies also helps to orient public opinion, promptly respond to false information, distorting the Party’s guidelines, policies, and laws of the State, plots to sabotage the cause of renovation, independence, unity, stability, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country. It helps repel bad and toxic information and culture. Conversely, it helps spread positive information, raise the people’s vigilance against false information, thereby contributing to protecting national sovereignty, national defense and security(4).

The role in development of key press agencies

Firstly, good management of foreign information in key press agencies helps ensure the key role and position of the press agencies as the leading prestigious national press agencies; ensuring that these agencies are “source” information providers, highly reliable, pioneering in propagating the Party’s and the State’s guidelines, policies and strategies, and trusted by readers nationwide.

Secondly, the management of foreign information in key press agencies helps monitor and promote overall press activities in general and foreign information activities in particular, ensuring that national foreign policies are widely, comprehensively, and effectively disseminated. At the same time, in the process of foreign information management, the managing entity reviews, innovates, and consolidates the apparatus, procedures for receiving, processing, and disseminating foreign information within key press agencies to improve the quality of foreign information, thereby supporting the development and increasing the operational effectiveness of these agencies.

Thirdly, during the process of managing foreign information, the managing entity also supervises and evaluates the quality of foreign information work, thereby enhancing the professional skills of individuals involved in the process of producing and disseminating foreign information: from reporters to editorial leadership, editors, translators, technicians to publishing staff, and radio and television personnel, and so on.

Individuals participating in the process of producing and disseminating foreign information are also regularly receive training to improve their journalism skills, helping to improve their professional qualifications as well as their skills in implementing foreign information. When the professional qualifications of the staff of key press agencies are improved, the key press agencies will also gradually develop more decisively (5).

In recent years, the management of foreign information in key press agencies has achieved remarkable results, especially in fulfilling the very important task of foreign information work, which is to protect the Party’s ideological foundation, fight against wrong and hostile views, build and promote the image of a peaceful and stable Vietnam, and attract support and sympathy from the international community.(6)

However, the management of foreign information in key press agencies also has some limitations, such as: the provision of information, especially on complex and sensitive events that arise, is not timely; some units are still confused in process of classifying foreign information. These limitations stem from the awareness and sense of responsibility of the leadership and foreign information management personnel in some key press agencies not being sufficiently high; policies and mechanisms not yet matching the actual demands of the work; limited financial resources; underinvestment in technical infrastructure and technology, which affects the quality and progress of completing works; and the fact that the contingent of reporters and editors in some key press agencies is still relatively young, inexperienced, and lacks sharp, politically capable, professionally skilled journalists who are also proficient in journalism and foreign languages (7).

3. Some solutions to enhance the role of foreign information management in key press agencies

To enhance the role of foreign information management in key press agencies, it is necessary to synchronously implement solutions to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the management of foreign information management entities in these agencies as follows:

Firstly, it is necessary to raise awareness and sense of responsibility for the team of leaders and managers of foreign information in the key press agencies. The heads of these agencies must be more aware than anyone else of the heavy responsibility of foreign information management in these agencies, especially the impact of this management on the implementation of the position and role of key press agencies in all three aspects: economic, social; diplomacy; and the development of the key press agencies themselves.

Secondly, it is necessary to innovate and improve institutions, mechanisms, and policies related to press management in general and foreign information management in key press agencies in particular.

Thirdly, increase investment in developing modern facilities and equipment, and promote the application of scientific and technological advances for press agencies in general and key press agencies in particular. The key press agencies need to boost investment in research and development of tools and technical solutions to increase wave coverage and information coverage. Information technology should be used to set up hotlines so that when press agencies detect sudden and sensitive incidents, they can promptly ask for direct instructions from superiors, ensuring accurate information that guides public opinion. Build a shared database connecting press agencies nationwide and a number of data transmission networks in key areas and cities, serving the exchange of information, in order to serve the management of foreign information.

Fourthly, improve the financial capacity of key press agencies through several approaches. Firstly, key press agencies can improve their financial resources by optimizing costs, reducing waste, and improving operational efficiency. Cost-efficient methods such as using efficient technology or optimizing the content production process helps save financial resources. Secondly, key press agencies should seek to diversify their revenue streams by focusing on areas such as online advertising, television events, and sponsorship from businesses and organizations. Thirdly, key press agencies should focus on investing in producing quality content to attract readers and advertisers. Quality content not only retains consumers of content, but also adds value to advertising, helping to attract advertising partners and loyal consumers. Fourthly, key press agencies can cooperate with other media organizations, businesses, and non-profit organizations to share costs and increase financial resources.

Fifthly, improve the capacity of the team of foreign information management staff as well as the capacity of the team of reporters and editors at key press agencies.

For the staff of foreign information management, the capacity of foreign information management personnel as well as reporters and editors in key press agencies should be enhanced. For the foreign information management staff, leadership, administration, and press management capacity should be improved along with professional skills in the field of communication and foreign press information management. Foreign information managers must receive continuous training and development in leadership and press management with full capacities such as: organizing, developing, and implementing comprehensive plans for the activities of the key press agency; making and executing decisions related to foreign information operations; assigning and managing personnel in the production of foreign press content; inspecting, supervising, and evaluating staff.

At the same time, leaders and managers of foreign information need to have expertise in journalism and communications in general and foreign press in particular to be able to orient and organize the professional work of key press agencies, and to be a “filter” in assessing, checking, monitoring and evaluating foreign information to ensure that key press agencies properly perform their functions and tasks regarding foreign information.

For reporters and editors, it is necessary to organize training courses, fostering courses, and organize regular seminars to update knowledge and skills in the field of communication and foreign journalism. Continuous training helps this team grasp new trends and develop new skills. In addition, the team of editors and reporters must be regularly trained and fostered in expertise, political theory, and journalism ethics; regularly improve foreign language and information technology skills, and know how to use tools, equipment, and machinery proficiently. At the same time, international training resources and joint studies in international journalism should be utilized to help reporters and editors gain more experience in international fieldwork (8).

4. Conclusion

Foreign information management in key press agencies plays an important role in the country’s socio-economic life, actively supports diplomatic activities, and contributes to promoting the development of key press agencies, ensuring that these agencies always maintain their pioneering position, leading and orienting public opinion in reporting foreign information activities. To promote the important role of foreign information management in key press agencies, in the coming time, it is necessary to synchronously implement solutions from raising awareness and responsibility of management staff, perfecting institutions, mechanisms, and management policies, increasing investment in developing facilities, increasing financial resources as well as improving the capacity of foreign information management staff and reporters and editors.

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Received: November 11, 2023; Revised: December 23, 2023; Approved for publication: January 14, 2024.

l Endnotes:

(1) Prime Minister: Decision No.362/QD-TTg dated April 3, 2019, approving the National Press Development and Management Plan to 2025.

(2) Nguyen Duc Loi, Luu Van An: Press information with leadership and management work, News Publishing House, Hanoi, 2017.

(3) Pham Gia Khiem: “Foreign information work contributes significantly to the successful implementation of the 10th National Party Congress Resolution”, Foreign Information Magazine, 2010, pp.7-14.

(4) Hong Vinh: “Foreign information actively contributes to promoting international integration”, Foreign Information Magazine, 2006, No. 28.

(5) Nguyen Minh Thang: State management of electronic press in Vietnam today, PhD thesis, Academy of Social Sciences, 2019.

(6) Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics: Protecting the Party’s ideological foundation, fighting against wrong and hostile views - some theoretical and practical issues, Political Theory Publishing House, Hanoi, 2020.

(7) Nguyen Thi Thuong Huyen: The production process of foreign press products in Vietnam today, PhD thesis, Academy of Journalism and Communication, 2018.

(8) Luu Van An: Solutions to promote the role of press information in leadership and management in Vietnam in the new period, https://mof.gov.vn/, 2017, accessed August 6, 2023.