Circular No. 03/2019/TT-BTTTT dated May 6, 2019 of the Ministry of Information and Communications on providing the publishing and broadcasting of external information in the press

CIRCULAR

Providing the publishing and broadcasting of external information in the press

Pursuant to the April 5, 2016 Press Law;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 72/2013/ND-CP of July 15, 2013, on management, provision and use of Internet services and information in the cyberspace and the Government’s Decree No. 27/2018/ND-CP of March 1, 2018, amending and supplementing a number of articles of Decree No. 72/2013/ND-CP;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 72/2015/ND-CP of September 7, 2015, on management of external information activities;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 09/2017/ND-CP of February 9, 2017, detailing the making of statements and provision of information to the press by state administrative agencies;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 17/2017/ND-CP of February 17, 2017, defining the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the Ministry of Information and Communications;

At the proposal of the Director of the Authority of Foreign Information Service,

The Minister of Information and Communications promulgates the Circular prescribing the publishing and broadcasting of external information in the press.

Chapter I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1.Scope of regulation

This Circular prescribes the contents of external information in the press; the publishing and broadcasting of external information in the press; rights and responsibilities of press agencies and responsibilities of related organizations and individuals in publishing and broadcasting of external information in the press.

Article 2.Subjects of application

This Circular applies to press agencies and press management agencies; provincial-level Departments of Information and Communications; and agencies, organizations and individuals engaged in publishing and broadcasting of external information in the press.

Article 3.Interpretation of terms

In this Circular, the terms below are construed as follows:

1. External service press means external service print press, electronic press and radio and television channels approved by the Prime Minister in master plans on external service press.

2. External information-publishing and -broadcasting press means print press, electronic press and radio and television channels other than the external service press prescribed in Clause 1 of this Article.

Article 4.Contents of external information in the press

External information in the press include official information on Vietnam, information promoting the image of Vietnam, information on the world situation into Vietnam, and explaining and clarifying information prescribed in Clause 1 of Articles 7, 8, 9 and 10 of the Government’s Decree No. 72/2015/ND-CP of September 7, 2015, on management of external information activities.

Article 5.Principles of publishing and broadcasting external information in the press

1. To publish and broadcast information in conformity with the Party’s strategies and guidelines and the State’s policies and laws as well as interests of the country and Vietnamese people.

2. Not to publish or broadcast information that adversely affects the position and image of Vietnam; causes harms to external relations and international cooperation between Vietnam and other countries; provokes violence or propagandizes wars of aggressions or sows hatred among nations and peoples.

Chapter II

REQUIREMENTS ON PUBLISHING AND BROADCASTING EXTERNAL INFORMATION IN THE PRESS

Article 6.For the external service press

1. With regard to information on important issues of Vietnam and the world: The publishing and broadcasting shall be conducted after receiving information on the Vietnamese State’s viewpoints from competent agencies as follows:

a/ Publishing or broadcasting position: Front page, for print press; home page, for electronic press; and current affairs programs, for external service radio and television channels;

b/ Publishing or broadcasting time: The information must be published within 2 hours, for electronic press; 5 hours, for electronic press requiring translation; 24 hours, for print press, or broadcast on the next newscast, for external service radio and television channels.

2. With regard to explaining or clarifying information: To be published or broadcast as soon as possible at noticeable positions.

3. For other external information prescribed in Article 4 of this Circular: To be published or broadcast in the day.

4. The to-be-used languages are Vietnamese and foreign languages:

a/ To increase the number of news items, articles and programs produced in foreign languages (other than those translated from Vietnamese) for publishing and broadcasting in the press;

b/ To proactively increase the number of foreign languages in which external information is expressed, targeting subjects of external information in different countries, attaching importance to languages of the key areas of external information service in each period.

Article 7.For the external information-publishing and -broadcasting press

When publishing and broadcasting external information, it is encouraged to:

1. Publish and broadcast such information in time and at noticeable positions.

2.  Publish and broadcast information about the Vietnamese State’s viewpoints on domestic and international affairs as soon as possible or at the request of state competent agencies.

3. Publish and broadcast news items, articles and programs containing external information which are expressed in foreign languages or have foreign-language subtitles in order to promote the effect of external information.

4. Local radio and television stations shall:

a/ Re-broadcast external information already broadcast on the national radio and television on the basis of agreement among these press agencies on their information publishing and broadcasting demands;

b/ Provide information on their localities for publishing and broadcasting in the external service press with a view to promoting the image of their localities to the world.

Chapter III

RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF RELATED UNITS

Article 8.Rights and responsibilities of the external service press

1. Rights of the external service press:

a/ To be given with priority by the State in receiving orders for publishing or broadcasting external information in the press;

b/ To enjoy favorable conditions created by the State for publishing or broadcasting external information in the press of Vietnam and foreign mass media.

2. Responsibilities of the external service press:

a/ To establish specialized pages and columns (for print press and electronic press) and groups of programs and specialized programs (for radio and television channels) on external information;

b/ To have reporters and editors specialized in external information;

c/ To coordinate and share news items, articles and radio and television programs produced with state funds with other press agencies, organizations and the mass media at home and abroad;

d/ To proactively publish and broadcast news items, articles and radio and television programs promoting the image of Vietnam in the mass media of foreign countries and the press of overseas Vietnamese;`

dd/ To encourage the selection of news items, articles and radio and television programs containing external information for publishing on social networks, ensuring intellectual property and adhering to the principles of management, provision and use of information in the cyberspace in accordance with law;

e/ To conduct final review and propose commendation and reward and report the result of publishing and broadcasting external information in the press to the Ministry of Information and Communications before November 30 every year or when requested (according to the form provided in the Appendix to this Circular).

Article 9.Rights and responsibilities of the external information-publishing or -broadcasting press

1. Rights of the external information-publishing or -broadcasting press

a/ To receive the State’s orders for publishing and broadcasting external information in the press;

b/ To enjoy favorable conditions created by the State for publishing and broadcasting external information in the domestic press.

2. Responsibilities of the external information-publishing or -broadcasting press:

a/ To provide positive information about Vietnamese country and people in all aspects;

b/ To be encouraged to open specialized pages, columns and programs in order to increase the effect of external information and protection of sea, island and sovereignty and national territory;

c/ To appoint reporters and editors to monitor external information;

d/ To conduct final review, propose commendation and reward and report the result of publishing and broadcasting of external information in the press when requested.

Article 10.Responsibilities of press-managing agencies

1. To direct and urge press agencies to publish and broadcast external information in the press according to this Circular.

2. To provide financial support (if any) to the external information-publishing or –broadcasting press.

Article 11.Responsibilities of provincial-level Information and Communications Departments

1. To direct and examine the publishing and broadcasting of external information in the local press.

2. To summarize and report the implementation of this Circular to the Ministry of Information and Communications when requested.

Article 12.Responsibilities of units under the Ministry of Information and Communications

1. The Authority of Foreign Information Service shall:

a/ Monitor the implementation of this Circular; assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with other units of the Ministry of Information and Communications in, inspecting the implementation of this Circular; summarize and report results to the Minister of Information and Communications;

b/ Evaluate the effect of the publishing and broadcasting of external information by press agencies;

c/ To provide information and organize professional training and re-training on external information;

d/ To coordinate with related agencies in formulating mechanisms and policies on provision of support for development of the external service press.

2. The Authority of Press shall coordinate with other units in monitoring the implementation of this Circular by print and electronic press agencies.

3. The Authority of Broadcasting and Electronic Information shall coordinate with other units in monitoring the implementation of this Circular by radio and television stations.

Chapter IV

IMPLEMENTATION PROVISIONS

Article 13.Implementation responsibilities

The Chief of the Office, the Director of the Authority of Foreign Information Service, heads of related agencies and units under the Ministry of Information and Communications; directors of provincial-level Information and Communications Department, leaders of press agencies and related agencies, organizations and individuals shall implement this Circular.

Article 14.Effect

1. This Circular takes effect on June 21, 2019.

2. Any problems which arise in the course of implementation of this Circular should be reported to the Ministry of Information and Communications for consideration and settlement.

Minister of Information and Communications

NGUYEN MANH HUNG