The National Assembly held group discussions on November 14 to debate amendments to the current press law, which aim to make it compatible with the 2013 Constitution.

A large number of deputies agreed that the strong development of the local press in recent years has made significant contributions to policy formation, the fight against corruption and the protection of national sovereignty, but has also caused a number of concerns.

Such issues of concern include the coverage of false information, commercialism and disregard for fine cultural traditions.

According to Deputy Nguyen Van Danh from Tien Giang province, several newspapers carried excessive negative news as well as false and exaggerated reports, which adversely affected individuals and organisations concerned.

Therefore it is necessary to clearly specify the rights and obligations of journalists and the responsibilities of leaders of media organisations.

Deputy Tran Du Lich from Ho Chi Minh City said the law should introduce regulations to streamline the network of newspapers in order improve the quality of news reports and reduce the burden on State budget.

Many deputies also called for the removal of articles, which have been incorporated into civil and criminal codes, in order to make interpretation and application consistent in the future.

Nhan Dan