Decision 52/2008/QD-BTTTT on Regulations on determining news sources in the press issued by the Minister of Information and Communications

DECISION

PROMULGATING THE REGULATION ON IDENTIFICATION OFSOURCES OF INFORMATION ON THE PRESS

THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION

Pursuant to the December28,1989 Press Law and the June 12, 1999 Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Press Law;
Pursuant to the Government's Decree No. 51/2002/ND-CP of April 26, 2002, detailing the implementation of the Press Law and the Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Press Law;
Pursuant to the Government's Decree No. 187/2007/ND-CP of December 25, 2007, defining the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the Ministry of Information and Communication;
Pursuant to the Prime Minister's Decision No. 77/2007/OD-TTg of May 28, 2007, promulgating the Regulation on making statements and supplying information to the press;
At the proposal of the Director of the Press Department,

DECIDES:

Article 1.- To promulgate together with this Decision the Regulation on identification of sources of information on the press.

Article 2.- This Decision takes effect 15 days after its publication in "CONG BAO."

Article 3.- The director of the Office, the director of the Press Department, the director of the Department of Radio and Television Broadcast and E-Information Management, heads of press agencies, journalists, and concerned organizations and individuals shall implement this Decision.

REGULATION

ON IDENTIFICATION OF SOURCES OF INFORMATION ON THE PRESS
(Promulgated together with the Information and Communication Minister s Decision No. 52/2008/ QD-BTTTT of December 2, 2008)

Article 1.- Within the ambit of their powers and tasks, organizations and individuals have the right and obligation to supply information to the press and shall take responsibility before law for the information supplied to the press under Article 7 of the Press Law; the Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Press Law; and the Prime Minister's Decision No. 77/ 2007/QD-TTg of May 28, 2007, promulgating the Regulation on making statements and supplying information to the press.

Article 2.- Press agencies and authors of news articles shall quote sources of information published or broadcast on the media. When quoting a source, they shall specify the individual, agency or organization that supplies the information or make it clear that it is the reporter' or the press agency's own source and take responsibility before law for the origin and truthfulness of the source.

Article 3.- The press may cover, according to its sources, information on cases under investigation or pending trial, or cases of negative practices or showing signs of violation of law but not yet concluded by competent state agencies, but shall quote sources of information in full accordance with Article 2 of this Regulation and take responsibility before law for the published or broadcast information.

Press agencies shall ensure the integrity and accuracy of the supplied information; and may not publish or broadcast information on relatives and relations of individuals involved in a case or negative practice-related affair when there is no ground to believe that such relatives or relations are related to the case or affair or when competent state agencies have not concluded on such case or affair, adversely affecting citizens' privacy.

Article 4.- Press agencies that use documents and materials of organizations, documents and personal letters of individuals involved in cases under investigation or pending trial, or cases of negative practices or showing signs of violation of law pending conclusions of competent state agencies under Clause 6, Article 5 of the Government's Decree No. 51/2002/ND-CP of April 26,2002, detailing the implementation of the Press Law and the Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Press Law, shall specify the origin of those documents, materials and personal letters and take responsibility before law for the supplied or broadcast information.

Article 5.- When publishing or broadcasting a news article on the media, a press agency shall specify the real full name or pen-name of the author or each member of a group of authors. When an author uses his/her pen-name, the press agency should know his/her real name and address.

Article 6.- Articles on mysterious or new scientific matters on which conclusions are unavailable may only be published on special research journals and must quote the origin of materials.

Article 7.- Heads of press agencies shall take responsibility before law and heads of their managing agencies for the accuracy of information published or broadcast on their media.

Article 8.- Press agencies, journalists, authors of news articles and concerned organizations and individuals that fail to comply with provisions on supply of information and identification of sources of information on the press under this Regulation shall, depending on the nature and severity of their violation, be disciplined, administratively sanctioned or examined for penal liability under law.

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