Information about the thesis "The Issue of Press Freedom in Vietnam during the Renovation Period" by graduate student Nguyen Thi Phuong Thanh, majoring in Journalism.1. Student's Full Name: Nguyen Thi Phuong Thanh 2. Gender: Female 3. Date of Birth: June 22, 1986 4. Place of Birth: Nam Dinh City 5. Decision No. 1355/QD-XHNV-KH&SDH, dated October 24, 2008, issued by the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi 6. Changes during the training process: None 7. Thesis Title: The Issue of Press Freedom in Vietnam during the Renovation Period 8. Major: Journalism; Code: 60.32.01 9. Scientific Advisor: Dr. Nguyen The Ki, Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda Department. 10. Summary of the thesis's findings: Freedom of the press is the human right to information, exchange, communicate, and publicly express opinions and viewpoints about the truth of human life through mass media, based on ensuring the interests of the nation and humanity. There is no absolute freedom. Freedom of the press is exercised in conjunction with the law and the social responsibility of the press. In societies where class struggle, exploitation of man by man, war, and the struggle for power between nations and corporations still exist, the degree of freedom of the press varies from country to country, and from regime to regime, and may even be restricted or violated. Even in bourgeois countries that boast of being the most secure in terms of press freedom, various forms of constraint, restriction, and even suppression of information in the press still exist. In Vietnam during the Doi Moi (Renovation) period, the issue of press freedom was not only affirmed in the Party's ideology and viewpoints but also regulated and protected by the State's laws. Thanks to this, during the Doi Moi period, the Vietnamese press and mass media system made remarkable progress in terms of form, quality, and quantity. Vietnamese journalism operates freely while ensuring the interests of the nation and people, within the framework of the law. Reporters Without Borders has ranked Vietnam, as well as other socialist countries, among those with "weak press freedom," accusing Vietnam of "suppressing journalists, lacking press freedom; the Vietnamese state hindering and prohibiting citizens from using the internet; and the Vietnamese government suppressing freedom of speech," demanding that the Vietnamese state allow private media to operate. Reporters Without Borders' accusations against Vietnam regarding press freedom are a deliberate attempt to distort the truth about human rights in general and journalistic activities in particular in Vietnam. To create favorable conditions for maximizing the rights to freedom of speech and press freedom for citizens in the new era, the Party and State of Vietnam need to have policies, laws, and regulations on press management that are appropriate to the new situation. Strengthening the Party's leadership and the State's management with specific measures, reasonable and effective mechanisms and policies will help our country's press to increasingly improve its capacity to serve the people and the country in the cause of socialist-oriented reform. 11. Practical applications: - The thesis contributes to the theoretical system of viewpoints on press freedom, the relationship of press freedom with the class nature and Party nature of the press, contributing to refuting the false views and arguments of opportunistic and reactionary forces inside and outside the country… From there, the thesis will be a systematic source of reference for research on press freedom, and at the same time a reference document, a lesson learned and practical experience for press managers. - The thesis proposes suggestions and contributions to strengthen the Party's leadership capacity and the State's laws so that press freedom can be promoted, creating conditions for the development of Vietnamese journalism in all aspects. 12. Future research directions: Further research on the issue of press freedom in the context of the emergence of new forms of mass media, with particular emphasis on the management of online journalism and electronic websites. 13. Published works related to the thesis: None
INFORMATION ON MASTER'S THESIS
1. Full name : Nguyen Thi Phuong Thanh 2. Sex: Female 3. Date of birth: June 22, 1986 4. Place of birth: Nam Dinh City 5. Admission decision number: 1355/QD-XHNV-KH&SĐH Dated 10/24/2008 6. Changes in academic process: No (List the forms of change and corresponding times) 7. Official thesis title: Press freedom in The Renovation Era in Vietnam 8. Major: Journalism Studies 9. Code: 60.32.01 10. Supervisors: Dr. Nguyen The Ki, The Deputy Head of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Information and Education Commission 11. Summary of the findings of the thesis: Press freedom is one of the human rights. This right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference, and impart information and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers based on protecting the benefit for nation and people. There's no absolute press freedom. Press freedom is put into practice depending on the press's law and responsibility. In a classified society, press freedom is sometimes limited or interfered. In capitalist countries where people always say that they are the best on press freedom, there are many ways to limit, even kill press information. In The Renovation era in Vietnam, press freedom is confirmed not only in the mind and opinion of The Communist Party of Vietnam but also in law. Because of that, in The Renovation era, the press has played an important role in national and social management and has developed rapidly in terms of quality, quantity and style. In particular, e-newspapers have emerged and developed vigorously. Never before have people been able to quickly access the Internet to surf the domestic and foreign e-newspapers without any prohibitions from the State. Press can work freely based on protecting the benefit for nation and people. The State does not allow any forces to make full use of this means of communications to disseminate reactionary ideology in an attempt to sabotage the nation and its traditional cultural identity. It is very important to maintain national security and cultural tradition. Reporters Without Borders accuse 15 Asian countries, including Vietnam, of violating the freedom of the press. It said Vietnam was tightening control over the Internet in order to prevent people from getting access to worldwide information sources. Reporters Without Border has perverted the human rights and press freedom right in Vietnam In order to bring press freedom right into play in the new period, The Communist Party of Vietnam and the State need to plant suite press policies and laws. The strengthened leadership of the Party and the State's management over press activities with clear measures, suites and effective policies will help Vietnam press to develop. 12. Practical applicability, if any: - This thesis will contribute to the theoretical system about press freedom which is useful for press freedom researches. This thesis will be used to disprove reactionary operations' wrong opinions. - This thesis puts some ideas to strengthen leadership of the Party and the State's management over press activities which will help bring press freedom right into play and developing Vietnam press. 13. Further research directions, if any: - We will research about press freedom in the new period when there're many new mass media, especially emphasise on management over e-newspapers and webs. 14. Thesis-related publications: None
