Decision 348/QD-TTg 2023 digital transformation in journalism through 2025

DECISION

Approving the Strategy for digital transformation in journalism through 2025, with orientations toward 2030

PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the June 19, 2015 Law on Organization of the Government; and the November 22, 2019 Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Law on Organization of the Government and the Law on Organization of Local Administration;

Pursuant to the April 5, 2016 Press Law;

Pursuant to the November 19, 2015 Law on Cyberinformation Security;

Pursuant to the June 12, 2018 Law on Cyber Security;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 48/2022/ND-CP of July 26, 2022 defining the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the Ministry of Information and Communications;

At the proposal of the Minister of Information and Communications.

DECIDES:

Article 1. To approve the Strategy “for digital transformation in journalism through 2025, with orientations toward 2030” (below referred to as “the Strategy”) with the following principal contents:

I. OBJECTIVES

1. General objectives:

Digital transformation in journalism aims to develop professional, humane, and modern press agencies that fulfill the mission of communications serving the Party’s revolutionary cause and the country’s renewal cause; properly perform their role in guiding public opinions and firmly safeguarding the information sovereignty on cyberspace, effectively renew readers’ experience, create new revenue sources; and help promote the development of the digital content industry.

2. Specific objectives:

a/ Objectives to 2025

- 70% of press agencies will post their content on digital platforms (with priority given to domestic digital platforms).

- Half of press agencies will use concentrated data analytics and processing platforms and apply artificial intelligence to optimize their operation.

- 80% of press agencies will operate in the converged newsroom model suitable with the world’s scientific and technological development and produce content in line with digital journalism trends.

- Press agencies shall optimize revenue sources with 30% of them raising their revenues by at least 20%.

- All higher education institutions that are specialized in journalism or have journalism faculties will update their student training programs with professional knowledge and skills in digital journalism environment.

- All leaders, cadres, reporters and editors of press agencies will receive training and further training in knowledge and skills in digital transformation in journalism.

- All online press agencies will work out solutions to ensure safety and security for information systems at level 3 or higher.

- To create and develop the national digital platform for journalism.

b/ Objectives to 2030

- All press agencies will post their content on digital platforms (with priority given to domestic digital platforms).

- 90% of press agencies will use concentrated data analytics and processing platforms and apply artificial intelligence to optimize their operation.

- All press agencies will operate in the converged newsroom model suitable with the world’s scientific and technological development and produce content in line with digital journalism trends.

- Press agencies will optimize revenue sources with 50% of them raising their revenues by at least 20%.

II. TASKS AND SOLUTIONS

1. Raising the awareness and intensifying dissemination

a/ To raise the awareness of information and communications managers; leaders, reporters and editors of central and local press agencies about the important role and necessity to speed up the implementation of digital transformation in journalism in synchronicity with the national program on digital transformation.

b/ To intensify the dissemination, commend and honor organizations and individuals for their achievements and initiatives in the course of digital transformation in journalism to share experiences and for spreading and multiplication.

2. Reviewing and improving regulations

To review, formulate and propose amendments and supplements to legal documents concerning journalism and related legal documents so as to accelerate and support press agencies in digital transformation.

3. Developing digital journalism products

a/ To design and create new information product models on different platforms to increase reader engagement and distribute content in a faster, wider and accurate manner to meet readers’ needs.

b/ To develop high-quality digital journalism products, efficiently innovate readers’ experiences, develop product and service packages suitable with each type of readers.

c/ To apply scientific and technological achievements in promoting the automation process of content production.

4. Developing digital platforms

a/ To make data collection and processing tools, assess, forecast, monitor and supervise journalism quality; to create indices for evaluation of the maturity of digital transformation in journalism.

b/ To promote the creation and development of the national digital (online) radio platform and the national (online) digital television platform; and online journalism platform.

c/ To step up the development of digital platforms for press agencies to distribute journalistic content and share journalism data; to encourage press agencies with sufficient technological and financial potential to create their own platforms to meet the requirements of digital transformation.

d/ To support press agencies to accelerate the application of information technology in management and operation of professional activities through the use of online platforms for newsroom management in press agencies.

dd/ To study , develop and apply technologies in digital transformation in journalism through national-level key science and technology programs.

5. Developing and improving the quality of human resources

a/ To formulate and promulgate standard journalism and information training programs for different levels of higher education to meet the requirements of digital transformation; to update training disciplines in journalism and information on the list of training disciplines of higher education under regulations.

b/ To organize further training on basic and necessary skills for digital transformation in journalism for information and communications managers and leaders of press agencies.

c/ To organize training, improve knowledge and skills in information technology, cyber safety and security, data collection, analysis and processing to serve renovation of production, content distribution, and monitoring and evaluation of information quality.

6. To enhance international cooperation and learn experiences from nations with strong development of digital journalism.

III. FUNDS FOR IMPLEMENTATION

1. The State budget complies with regulations on budget decentralization. To intensify the incorporation of the approved related schemes, programs and plans.

2. To mobilize other lawful funding sources.

IV. ORGANIZATION OF IMPLEMENTATION

1. The Ministry of Information and Communications shall:

a/ Assume the prime responsibility for formulating specific plans and programs to organize the implementation of the Strategy.

b/ Within its competence, assume the prime responsibility for formulating, amending and promulgating or submit to competent authorities for promulgation legal documents concerning the promotion of digital transformation in journalism; coordinate with ministries and agencies in formulating, improving and promulgating relevant legal documents.

c/ Assume the prime responsibility for promoting the creation and development of national digital platforms for journalism.

d/ Assume the prime responsibility for promoting the development of digital platforms to support press agencies in digital transformation and developing digital journalism products; implement solutions to support press agencies in speeding up digital transformation.

dd/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate in, creating indices for evaluation of the maturity of digital transformation in journalism; survey and recognize the models of digital transformation in journalism, optimize revenue sources and increase revenues.

e/ Assume the prime responsibility for, or coordinate in, organizing training and re-training to raise the quality of press agencies’ human resources, thus meeting the requirements of digital transformation in journalism.

g/ Inspect, supervise and evaluate and annually sum up results and report thereof to the Prime Minister; organize the 2025 preliminary review and 2030 final review; propose the Prime Minister the modification and supplements to the Strategy’s contents in case of necessity.

2. The Ministry of Finance shall arrange current expenditures based on the current budget decentralization in accordance with the Law on the State Budget and guiding documents to implement the Strategy, and suitable to the balancing capacity of the State budget for each period.

3. The Ministry of Education and Training shall:

a/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Information and Communications in, formulating and promulgating standard journalism and information training programs for different levels of higher education to meet the requirements of digital transformation

b/ Update training disciplines in journalism and information on the list of training disciplines of higher education under regulations.

4. The Ministry of Science and Technology shall study, develop and apply technologies in digital transformation in journalism through national-level key science and technology programs.

5. Ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-attached agencies shall:

a/ Formulate plans of ministries and branches to implement the Strategy associated with programs on information technology application, development of e-government and digital government; arrange funds and create conditions for affiliated press agencies to implement digital transformation.

b/ Organize periodic inspection, supervision and evaluation and send the report thereof to the Ministry of Information and Communications before December 15 every year.

6. Provincial-level People's Committees shall:

a/ Formulate programs and plans to implement the Strategy associated with local digital transformation programs; arrange funds and create conditions for local press agencies to implement digital transformation.

b/ Organize periodic inspection, supervision and evaluation and send the report thereof to the Ministry of Information and Communications before December 15 every year.

7. Press managing agencies shall:

a/ Approve affiliated press agencies’ digital transformation plans and direct the implementation of such plans. Raise press managing agencies’ responsibility to create conditions in terms of physical foundations and finance for press agencies to implement digital transformation.

b/ Raise the awareness and knowledge of leaders of press agencies, and editors and reporters about digital transformation.

Article 2. This Decision takes effect on the date of its signing.

Article 3. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-attached agencies, chairpersons of provincial-level People's Committees, and press agencies shall implement this Decision.

For the Prime Minister

Deputy Prime Minister

TRAN HONG HA