Handbook "Guide to reporting in the digital age" published

To help journalists keep up with the rapid changes in communications today, the Vietnam Program for Internet and Society, Reuters and the Center for Journalism Training (Journalists Association of Vietnam) combined to publish the handbook "Guide to reporting in the digital age" aimed at providing important and practical principles for journalists working in digital contexts and social networks. The handbook focused on data journalism, a prominent trend in today's communications, enabling journalists to leverage digital technology to collect and convert data into useful, objective and attractive news. It also set out the basic and necessary principles prescribed by the Law on Access to Information adopted by the National Assembly of Vietnam on April 6th, 2016, and coming into effect on July 1st, 2016 to assist journalists in rapidly and legally conducting their work.

On the current media environment, Prof. Dr. Pham Quang Minh (Chairman of the Scientific Council of Vietnam Program for Internet and Society (VPIS)), Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities said "with over 4 billion users now, according to We Are Social, the Internet and the development of digital media have dramatically changed the Vietnamese and international media environment. Using new platforms, journalists can not only track and gather information more easily, but can also better access their readers through rapid and direct channels. However, the digital media environment also demands a greater balance between how fast and accurately information is provided, and between the journalists’ commercial motivations and their ethics and integrity. In particular, amidst diversified sources and insidious rumors, their roles are challenged in picking out the most adequate information to present the relevant and realistic facets of life to their readers".

Ambassador Giles Lever said the United Kingdom had always believed that a free media environment with passionate and responsible journalists plays a key role in social development, helping to promote the state’s transparency and accountability. "I am delighted that we have supported VPIS to compile and publish the handbook "Guide to reporting in the digital age". I am myself very impressed by its contents and wish it will reach a broad audience. I look forward to using this handbook as a useful reference for how to exploit the advantages of the digital age", said Giles Lever.

"The handbook will be one of the useful tools for reporters to increase the credibility of their articles as rumors are increased by applying transparent and highly critical processes of transforming data into news," said Cao Hoang Nam, co-coordinator of the Vietnam Program for Internet and Society from USSH, VNU. “I think data journalism will become a new trend in the journalists' career in this digital era".

Commenting on the handbook’s significance, Assoc. Prof. Dr Dinh Thi Thuy Hang, Director of the Journalism Training Center shared: "The handbook serves as a useful resource for journalists and communicators with its specific contents which can be easily applied and are made to easily understand and remember. Hopefully, it will help communicators examine and apply these skills in their daily work to improve the quality of information."

At the release ceremony, experts and journalists also discussed about how to most effectively use the handbook in training and professional activities. In addition, with the end of promoting its original values, the attendees also proposed further editions with updates and more in-depth instructions on how to apply the latest global media trends in Vietnamese media. In order to share and disseminate digital contents to journalists, teachers and media students, the Vietnam Program for Internet and Society had 700 versions of the notebook freely delivered to media houses, universities, and training institutions that teach journalism.