Decision No. 53/2003/QD-BVHTT On the issuance of the Regulation on publishing news bulletins

Pursuant to …;

Regarding the issuance of the Regulation on Publishing News Bulletins

THE MINISTER OF CULTURE AND INFORMATION

Pursuant to Decree No. 63/2003/NĐ-CP dated June 11, 2003 of the Government on the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Culture and Information.

At the proposal of the Director of the Press and Publication Department under the Ministry of Culture and Information.

Pursuant to …;

Article 1. This Decision promulgates the Regulation on Publishing News Bulletins.

Article 2. The Director of the Press and Publication Department, the Inspector General of the Ministry of Culture and Information, the Directors of Provincial Departments of Culture and Information under the Central Government, and all organizations and individuals shall be responsible for implementing this Regulation.

Article 3. This Decision takes effect fifteen days from the date of publication in the Official Gazette. Previous provisions contrary to this Decision are hereby abolished.

REGULATIONS

Publishing News Bulletins
(Issued together with Decision No. 53/2003/QĐ-BVHTT dated September 4

10 2003 of the Minister of Culture and Information)

PART I
GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1.

Article 1. This Regulation governs the activities of publishing news bulletins by agencies, organizations, and legal entities of Vietnam.

Article 2. The publication of news bulletins by foreign agencies, organizations, and legal entities with foreign elements in Vietnam shall be carried out in accordance with the provisions of Decision No. 28/2002/QĐ-BVHTT dated November 21, 2002 of the Minister of Culture and Information on the Regulation on Publishing News Bulletins, Documents, Flyers; Issuing Press Releases; Broadcasting News Bulletins on Electronic Screens of Foreign Agencies, Organizations, and Legal Entities with Foreign Elements in Vietnam.

Article 3. Agencies, organizations, legal entities, and individuals related to the activity of publishing news bulletins must comply with the provisions of this Regulation.

Article 2.

The Ministry of Culture and Information is the agency responsible for managing the issuance of permits for the publication of news bulletins within the territory of Vietnam.

Article 3.

The news bulletin referred to in this Regulation is not a form of press but an information publication; it is published regularly and must adhere to specific regulations regarding format, number of pages, presentation style, content, and method of expression aimed at providing information about internal activities, guiding professional practices, research results, applications, outcomes of seminars, conferences of Vietnamese agencies, organizations, and legal entities.

Article 4.

Clause 1. The person responsible for publishing the news bulletin is the individual appointed by the agency, organization, or legal entity to bear responsibility for the publication of the news bulletin according to the provisions of this Regulation.

Clause 2. The agency, organization, legal entity publishing the news bulletin and the person responsible for publishing the news bulletin shall be liable before the state management agency and the law for the content of the information and the activity of publishing the news bulletin.

Article 5.

The publication of news bulletins must comply with the following provisions:

Clause 1. It shall not harm the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; it shall not incite the people against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, nor undermine the unity of the entire people.

Clause 2. It shall not incite violence, propagate war of aggression, create hatred among ethnic groups and peoples of different countries, nor incite obscenity, depravity, crime.

Clause 3. It shall not disclose state secrets, military secrets, security secrets, economic secrets, diplomatic secrets, and other secrets prescribed by the laws of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Clause 4. It shall not disseminate false information, distortions, or defamations that insult the reputation of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the credibility of organizations, or the dignity and personality of citizens.

Clause 5. It shall not publish news bulletins without a permit from the Ministry of Culture and Information.

Clause 6. It shall not include advertisements in the news bulletin.

Clause 7. It shall not contravene the provisions set forth in the permit for news bulletin activities.

Article 6.

Clause 1. Agencies, organizations, and legal entities permitted to publish news bulletins must submit copies for archiving twenty-four hours before distribution. For daily publications, submission must be made by eight (8) o'clock in the morning each day.

Clause 2. Six copies of the news bulletin must be submitted to the Press and Publication Department of the Ministry of Culture and Information, and two copies to the Department of Culture and Information where the news bulletin is published.

News bulletins not published in Hanoi must be submitted for archiving to the Press and Publication Department of the Ministry of Culture and Information via postal service. The time of submission for archiving is calculated based on the postmark.

Chapter II
CONTENT AND FORM OF THE NEWS BULLETIN

Article 7.

Content of the news bulletin:

Clause 1. Information on fields specified in Article 3 of this Regulation in the form of news items.

Clause 2. The content of the information must not violate the provisions of Article 5 of this Regulation.

Article 8.

Form of the news bulletin

Clause 1. The maximum dimensions of the news bulletin are 19 cm x 27 cm. The maximum number of pages is thirty-two (32).

Clause 2. Contents that must be recorded on page one and the last page of the news bulletin:

Point a. Page one: The top of page one must have the word NEWS BULLETIN. The name of the news bulletin follows or below the word NEWS BULLETIN. The name of the issuing agency, organization, and the date of publication of the news bulletin are placed below the name of the news bulletin.

Point b. Last page: The bottom of the last page must clearly indicate the number, date, and year of the publication permit issued by the Ministry of Culture and Information, the printing place, the print run, the publication period, and the person responsible for publication.

Chapter III
CONDITIONS AND PROCEDURES FOR GRANTING LICENSES

Article 9.

Conditions for granting licenses.

Vietnamese agencies, organizations, and legal entities wishing to publish newsletters must meet the following conditions:

1. Having a person responsible for publishing the newsletter with information management expertise.

2. Establishing an organizational structure suitable for ensuring the publication of the newsletter.

3. Clearly defining the content of the information, the purpose of the information, the publication period, scope, number of pages, quantity, printing place, and target audience of the newsletter.

4. Possessing a formal workplace and necessary conditions to ensure the publication of the newsletter.

Article 10.

Application documents for obtaining a license to publish a newsletter include:

- An application form for a license according to the prescribed model of the Ministry of Culture - Information.

- A copy of the Decision on establishment or permission to establish the agency, organization, or legal entity certified by a Notary Public or authorized authority.

- The curriculum vitae of the person responsible for publishing the newsletter.

- The masthead of the newsletter.

Article 11.

Procedures for applying for a license:

Vietnamese agencies, organizations, and legal entities wishing to publish newsletters must submit an application for a license to the Press Department of the Ministry of Culture - Information.

1. The Press Department directly receives applications for a license to publish newsletters from central agencies, organizations, and legal entities.

2. Provincial Departments of Culture - Information under the Central Government receive, review, and recommend the Press Department to consider issuing a license for applications for a license to publish newsletters from local agencies, organizations, and legal entities.

Article 12.

Issuing the license:

1. The Press Department is the licensing authority for publishing newsletters and is responsible for checking all conditions of the agency, organization, or legal entity before issuing a license.

2. In cases where a license is not issued, the Press Department must respond within thirty (30) days from the date of receipt of the application for a license to publish a newsletter, stating the reasons.

Article 13.

Effectiveness of the license:

1. If the agency, organization, or legal entity does not publish the newsletter within sixty (60) days from the effective date of the license, the license will lose its validity. The Press Department is responsible for revoking the license. If there is a need to publish the newsletter again, a new application must be submitted.

2. Agencies, organizations, legal entities temporarily suspending or ceasing publication of the newsletter must notify the Press Department in writing at least fifteen (15) days in advance. In cases where publication is discontinued, the license will be revoked.

3. Any changes to the details recorded in the license to publish the newsletter must be requested in writing from the Press Department.

Chapter IV
INSPECTION, AUDIT, REWARD, AND VIOLATION HANDLING

Article 14.

Inspection and supervision

1. Specialized inspection bodies for culture and information implement specialized inspection functions as stipulated by law.

2. The Press Department is responsible for organizing regular annual inspections or spot checks on the publication of newsletters nationwide in collaboration with relevant agencies.

3. Provincial Departments of Culture - Information under the Central Government are responsible for inspecting the publication of newsletters in their respective localities according to the provisions of this Regulation.

Article 15.

Awards

Organizations and individuals who contribute to detecting violations of the provisions of this Regulation will be rewarded according to state regulations.

Article 16.

Handling violations.

Agencies, organizations, legal entities, and individuals failing to comply with the provisions of this Regulation shall be subject to handling through the following measures depending on the nature and severity of the violation:

1. Revocation and confiscation of publications.

2. Suspension of publication.

3. Revocation of the publication license.

4. Administrative penalties according to the laws on administrative penalties in the field of culture and information.

5. Criminal prosecution according to Vietnamese law.

Article 17.

Authority to handle violations

1. The Ministry of Culture - Information has the authority to handle administrative violations in the activity of publishing newsletters by domestic agencies, organizations, legal entities, and individuals.

2. Provincial People's Committees under the Central Government have the authority to handle administrative violations in the activity of publishing newsletters by local agencies, organizations, legal entities, and individuals.

In cases where provincial people's committees handle incorrectly, the Ministry of Culture - Information decides on the form of handling.

3. The Ministry of Culture - Information decides on the revocation, confiscation of publications, suspension of publication, and revocation of the publication license for newsletters.

In cases of particularly serious and urgent violations, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee under the Central Government may temporarily revoke, confiscate publications, suspend the publication of newsletters, and immediately report in writing to the Minister of Culture - Information for consideration and decision.

4. Authority to impose administrative penalties according to the laws on administrative penalties in the field of culture and information.

5. Provincial Departments of Culture - Information under the Central Government are responsible for implementing decisions to handle violations by the Ministry of Culture - Information, People's Committees, and Chairmen of People's Committees under the Central Government regarding the publication of newsletters in their respective localities.