Chương 4 Luật Báo chí 1989: Tổ chức báo chí và nhà báo

Chapter 4:

ORGANIZATIONS OF THE PRESS AND JOURNALISTS

Article 11. Press bodies

Press bodies mean the agencies performing a type of press mentioned in Article 3 of this Law.

Article 12.- Governing agencies of the press bodies

Governing agencies of the press bodies are organizations applying in their own names for press activity permits and directly managing the press bodies.

Parent agencies of the press bodies shall have the following tasks and powers:

1. To determine and direct the implementation of the guiding principles, the objectives, the objects of their service and the main scope of issuance; the broadcasting capacity, time, frequencies and range, and the languages used by the press bodies as prescribed in their permits;

2. To appoint, dismiss the heads of their dependent press bodies after consulting with the State management agencies in charge of the press;

Article 13. The Heads of the press bodies

1 - The head of the press body is the Editor in Chief (printed press) or General Director, Director (radio, television and agency to produce audio-visual news programs);

2 - The head of the press body must be a Vietnamese citizen, having a permanent address in Vietnam, meeting the standards of political, ethical and professional journalism prescribed by the State;

3 - The head of the press body leads and manages the press in all aspects, ensuring the implementation of guiding principles, objectives, objects of service of the press body and be responsible before the head of the governing agency and before the Law for all activities of the press body.

Article 14. Journalists

Journalists must be a Vietnamese citizen, having permanent address in Vietnam, meeting the political, ethical standards and professional journalism prescribed by the State; working or cooperating regularly with a Vietnam press body and granted journalist cards.

Article 15.- Rights and obligations of journalists

The journalists shall have the following rights and obligations:

1 - Journalists have the right and obligation to convey truthful information, reflect the opinions and aspirations of the people, contribute the implementation of the press freedom, speech freedom in the press of citizens;

2 - Journalists have the right to carry out the press activities in the territory of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam;

3 - Journalists are responsible for the contents of their journalistic works; have the right to refuse to compile or to participate in the compilation of journalistic works contrary to this Law;

4 - Journalists are enjoyed a number of necessary priorities, incentives for their journalistic activities in accordance with the regulations of the Council of Ministers;

No one is allowed to threaten or menace the journalists’ life, infringe upon their honor and dignity, destroy, seize or confiscate their means of operation and/or documents or prevent them from carrying out lawful professional activities.

No one is allowed to abuse the journalist’s title to commit law violations

Article 16. Vietnam Journalist Association

Vietnam Journalist Association has the right and obligation to participate in building and contributing to implementation of the press – information policy; to protect the lawful rights and interests of journalists.