Decision No. 52/2008/QĐ-BTTTT on the issuance of the Regulation on determining sources of information in the press

Pursuant to …;

ON THE ISSUANCE OF REGULATIONS ON DETERMINING NEWS SOURCES IN THE PRESS

MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS

Pursuant to the Press Law dated December 28, 1989; the Law Amending and Supplementing Certain Provisions of the Press Law dated June 12, 1999;
Pursuant to Decree No. 51/2002/NĐ-CP dated April 16, 2002 of the Government detailing the implementation of the Press Law, the Law Amending and Supplementing Certain Provisions of the Press Law;
BASED ON THE GOVERNMENT DECREE NO. 187/2007/NĐ-CP OF DECEMBER 25, 2007 ON THE FUNCTIONS, TASKS, POWERS, AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS;
Pursuant to Decision No. 77/2007/QĐ-TTg dated May 28, 2007 of the Prime Minister promulgating the Regulations on Public Speaking and Providing Information to the Press;
At the proposal of the Director of the Press Department,

Pursuant to …;

Article 1. The attached Decision "Regulations on Determining News Sources in the Press" is hereby issued.

Article 2. The Standard Measurement Quality Control Department shall be responsible for organizing and guiding the implementation of the Regulations adopted herein.

Article 3. The Heads of the Office, the Directors of the Press Department, the Radio and Television Management Department, the heads of press agencies, journalists, and related organizations and individuals shall be responsible for implementing this Decision.

REGULATIONS

DETERMINING NEWS SOURCES IN THE PRESS
(Issued together with Decision No. 52/2008/QĐ-BTTTT dated December 2, 2008 of the Minister of Information and Communications)

Article 1. Within their respective authority and duties, organizations and individuals have the right and obligation to provide information to the press and are legally responsible for the content of the information provided to the press according to Article 7 of the Press Law; the Law Amending and Supplementing Certain Provisions of the Press Law, Decision No. 77/2007/QĐ-TTg dated May 28, 2007 of the Prime Minister promulgating the Regulations on Public Speaking and Providing Information to the Press.

Article 2. Press agencies and authors of articles must cite the news sources used for publication in the press. When citing news sources, they must clearly indicate the source for the individual, agency, or organization providing the information or clearly state that it is from the reporter's private source or the press agency's private source and bear legal responsibility for the origin and authenticity of the news source.

Article 3. For cases under investigation or yet to be adjudicated, and negative incidents or those suspected of violating the law but without a conclusion from the competent state agency, the press has the right to report based on their own documentation but must cite the news source in accordance with Clause 2 of these Regulations and bear legal responsibility for the content published.

Press agencies must ensure the integrity and accuracy of the information provided; they may not publish information about relatives and relationships of individuals involved in cases or negative incidents unless there is evidence indicating that such relatives or relationships are involved in the case or incident or without a conclusion from the competent state agency, which would adversely affect the privacy of citizens.

Article 4. Press agencies exploiting documents and materials of organizations, personal letters related to cases under investigation or yet to be adjudicated, negative incidents or those suspected of violating the law awaiting conclusions from the competent state agency, as stipulated in Clause 6, Article 5 of Decree No. 51/2002/NĐ-CP dated April 26, 2002 of the Government detailing the implementation of the Press Law, the Law Amending and Supplementing Certain Provisions of the Press Law, must clearly state the origin of the documents and materials and personal letters and bear legal responsibility for the content of the information published.

Article 5. When using news items for publication in the press, press agencies must clearly record the real name or pen name of the author or group of authors. In cases where the author uses a pen name, the press agency must know the real name and address of the author.

Article 6. For information about mysterious events or new scientific issues that have not been concluded, it can only be published in specialized research journals and must include a citation of the source material.

Article 7. The head of a press agency is responsible before the head of the supervising agency and the law for the accuracy of the information published in the press.

Article 8. If press agencies, journalists, authors of articles, and related organizations and individuals fail to comply with the regulations on providing information and determining news sources in the press as prescribed in these Regulations, they will be subject to disciplinary action, administrative penalties, or criminal prosecution depending on the nature and severity of the violation, as stipulated by law.