The image of journalists delivering news in the rain and wind, going to flooded areas, wading through mud really moves people's hearts.
In the wave of information about storm No. 3 and its circulation, fake news appeared more and more, like an unpredictable matrix, making people feel insecure and anxious. However, there are also many opinions that, in the current trend of public information reception, the appearance of fake news is inevitable. The problem is, the press must take the lead, get involved strongly, maintain the flow of official information, and demonstrate its leading role on the information front. Do you agree with this point of view?
- Experience from the COVID-19 pandemic as well as many events in the world and Vietnam in the past few years shows that the situation of spreading fake news for financial gain, causing confusion in society, discrediting organizations or individuals, and even eroding public trust in the press is a reality that every country has to face, and that situation is only increasing, becoming more dangerous and more difficult to distinguish between real and fake thanks to the development of technology, especially generative artificial intelligence (GenAI).
As we have analyzed at many conferences and seminars, to deal with this situation, important pillars are needed:
One is the determination of authorities and legislators to create strict legal frameworks to deal harshly with those who produce and spread fake news;
Second is the cooperation of technology platforms to proactively prevent, label and warn about content suspected of being fake news;
Third is the awareness of social network users to proactively protect themselves and their families, not to share content of unknown origin, and to participate in detecting false information; and equally important is the fourth pillar.
Fourth, the initiative of press agencies in spreading accurate information contributes to increasing the rate of official information on the Internet and social networks.
The strong, determined participation of the press along with the humanitarian spirit has helped accurate information to be published promptly.
How do you view the involvement of the press in communicating about storm number 3 and the post-storm circulation in recent times?
- During the period before, during and after the 13th National Party Congress, we have witnessed the effectiveness when press agencies proactively promoted information, together with the entire political system to organize effective propaganda. During the recent storm No. 3 (Yagi) and the post-storm circulation in the northern provinces, although there was still a lot of false, dishonest and distorted information, it must be affirmed that the strong participation, determination in professionalism and the humane spirit of the press helped accurate information to be published promptly, not only helping people at home and abroad grasp what was happening but also arousing patriotism, sharing the difficulties and pain of our compatriots.
We are especially grateful and touched to see that agencies in areas affected by storms and floods still ensure a smooth flow of information, even though their own localities and families are facing many difficulties. The image of journalists delivering news in the rain and wind, going to flooded areas, wading through mud really touches people's hearts, affirming that the press is always at the forefront of all difficulties of society. Responding to the call of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front as well as the leaders of the Party and State, many press agencies have actively mobilized funding from philanthropists as well as contributions from their own cadres, reporters, editors and employees. Some live TV programs in recent days continue to strengthen the community and share the loss with localities affected by storms and floods, truly creating deep emotions for viewers.
Press information is different in that it is professional and multidimensional.
To be at the forefront and attract the public, press information must be unique and attractive. Is that uniqueness the information that is fast, accurate, and vivid with many diverse forms of expression such as videos, short videos, web stories, graphics, podcasts, etc., sir? For example, at Nhan Dan Newspaper, in recent times, the Newspaper has continuously and promptly published a series of infographics such as forecasting water levels on rivers, warnings of areas prone to flash floods and landslides, etc.?
- Now that information is so overwhelming, “a lot” is no longer the advantage of the press. Users only need a smartphone with an Internet connection to provide all kinds of information, instantly and from anywhere. The press cannot compete with social networks in terms of speed. But the difference in press information is that it is professional and multi-dimensional, especially in the current period when the press is following the trend of not only reflecting but also providing explanations and solutions - things that most ordinary users do not have the ability to access information and sources to create. The press also needs to be fast, needs to have a lot of information, but the accuracy and attractive presentation are what make the difference in the current digital era.
I see that the way many press agencies work today has become much more creative, and importantly, the gap between the central press and local press has been significantly narrowed. There are local Party press agencies, although small, that have quickly produced video clips instructing on landslide prevention and how to survive in emergencies. Nhan Dan Newspaper has been implementing digital transformation drastically for over 3 years and we have proactively invested in modern tools to apply to content production stages, so creating infographics, video clips or e-magazine articles quickly is quite easy. We have also built quite effective processes between the network of resident reporters in the provinces and cities with the specialized departments at the editorial office as well as all publications, television channels, and electronic newspapers in the information ecosystem of Nhan Dan Newspaper, thanks to which the direction, operation, and coordination of information lines are quite convenient, promoting the initiative of each link through the whole process.
Journalism is not about traffic, it is about making our society a better place.
Reporting on events like Storm No. 3 is essentially a media story about natural disasters and catastrophes that has been mentioned a lot by the international press. Accordingly, to communicate about natural disasters and catastrophes effectively, in addition to recording the actual situation, the team of reporters and editors also needs to have in-depth articles, gathering opinions and recommendations from experts and functional agencies on prevention, response, rescue, and overcoming the consequences of storms and floods... Is that also the model of solution journalism that you have mentioned a lot in your articles and talks? Is the role of solution journalism demonstrated right in situations of disasters and catastrophes like this, sir?
- As mentioned above, if we only stop at reflecting information, the public has many ways to approach it, and it is not certain that we need the press in this connected era. Not to mention that users tend to worry, even panic when reading too much negative information every day in the press and social networks, even leading to a disconnection in a part of society. So in the current information age, too much can be counterproductive, so there is a view in the world press that "Less is More" - doing less with quality is better than doing more.
The world press is now also following the trend of constructive journalism and solution journalism, instead of following the slogan "where there is blood, there is news" to produce sensational information as before. Many press agencies around the world have experimented and found that although negative information also has the effect of warning society and holding those in power accountable, it also has a harmful effect on readers, such as causing fear, anxiety, anger, skepticism, and even apathy. Studies show that constructive journalism improves the mood of news consumers, motivates them to do things that benefit society, and encourages them to interact more with press agencies.
For many years, the Vietnam Journalists Association has encouraged press agencies to follow the trend of solution journalism and constructive journalism, and has also made important changes. However, many newspapers still have the old mindset, struggling with the fear of declining traffic accompanied by declining advertising revenue, or still measuring the effectiveness of an article by the number of "views" - an incorrect concept for online newspapers, when the number of views depends on algorithms and things that catch the "trend" on social networks.
However, from the experiences and actual figures in the recent flood information, I hope that the leaders and the entire team of journalists of the press agencies see that kind and humane journalism is what society needs, and positive content is just as effective, sometimes even more so, than shocking information. And the more important thing when following this path is not the competition in terms of traffic, but the fact that it will help our society become better, people think more positively, love life more and want to contribute more to that life.
Thank you!
