VietNamNet would like to introduce an article below by Vu Ngoc Son, Chief Technology Officer of NCS Company, Executive Committee Member of the National Cyber Security Association, who, as a technology expert, shows his views about the future of journalism in the era of technology.
Technology investments
Over the last 5-10 years, consumers of newspapers and media in Vietnam have undergone major changes which have brought about other changes to media and press products.
First of all, amid the trend of moving to the digital environment, readers tend to prioritize electronic platforms, social media, and mobile applications over traditional print newspapers, television, and radio.
The changes have forced traditional journalism products to gradually scale down to make room for products that fit digital environment, or traditional products that have been converted and re-edited to fit the digital environment.
Meanwhile, AI, Big Data are helping electronic platforms better understand users’ needs and hobbies. That is why press agencies have to compose more products to satisfy the diverse demands from different groups of users.
In addition to the content personalization trend, modern readers tend to read and watch super-short contents. The new trend has posed great challenges for press agencies. They have to shorten durations, but have to transmit sufficient information, while ensuring attractive content to attract the readership.
In the digital era, users want to determine the way they receive information. The diverse platforms which show information in different ways, such as images, videos, infographics, podcasts and livestreams, have brought more choices to readers. Also, the platforms which allow users to make comments, express their viewpoints and emotions when receiving information will surely be more attractive than traditional products.
The above changes and shifts have forced press agencies to constantly invest in technology, and build multimedia products interactive with users.
Heightening capability, transparency
From the perspective of management agencies, now as the subjects for management have relocated most of their activities to digital environment, using technology to manage the press is irreversible, not optional.
Previously, every press agency had 2-3 channels to transmit information, including print newspapers and electronic newspapers. But now, every agency may have up to tens of channels, including electronic newspapers, Facebook, YouTube, Tiktok and Zalo, while each channel has many accounts for different columns. That is why content management agencies may increase by tens or hundreds of times.
So, the first and only feasible solution is using digital technology tools, such as AI solutions, machine learning and Big Data analysis to control, monitor and process information on cyberspace, including press products.
Using digital technology tools will also help improve state management agencies’ capability. For example, they can use virtual assistants to support managerial officers to perform their tasks. Also, technology use will also help streamline the apparatus, minimize inconsistency and improve cooperation among relevant units.
Technological apps have shown their effectiveness in managing press agencies. AI, especially NLP (national language processing), now can make machines understand human’s sayings and writing.
Many technologies can be used to support press management in cyberspace. AI and Big Data can automatically analyze and assess content in cyberspace, thereby discovering violating content, predicting risks and warning of the content which may violate the laws and need more examination.
State management agencies can also use technology for automatic supervision, i.e. automatically reckoning and classifying content, analyzing trends and nuances of comments and emotions shared by users. This helps managerial agencies have a comprehensive view over mass media and press in real time.
In addition, management agencies can also use ‘automatic filter and censorship’ which continuously supervise and examine content posted on cyberspace; ‘verification and warning of false information’ which helps discover sources of content and information different from the original information; and tools which allow discovery of forged images, so as to give warnings to individuals and organizations.
Obviously, technology is playing an increasingly important role in all aspects of social life, and press and media is no exception to the general development trend.
Vu Ngoc Son