General Director of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Vũ Việt Trang attended the 4th World Media Summit via videoconference. — VNA/VNS Photo

BEIJING — General Director of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Vũ Việt Trang attended and delivered a speech at the 4th World Media Summit (WMS) which was held via videoconference on November 22.

In the speech with the topic "In the Spirit of Science and Cooperation: Media Response in Public Health Emergencies”, Trang extended her sincere gratitude to China’s Xinhua News Agency for hosting this important event amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The summit enabled representatives from the world's major press agencies to discuss a current issue of mutual concern: “Media Response in Public Health Emergencies,” she said.

According to the VNA General Director, print media has suffered the most as numerous newsrooms had to shut down or temporarily halted publication due to declining consumption and increasing production costs. Revenue has plummeted as major events have been either postponed or cancelled. Commercial revenue has declined while press production and organising expenses have increased due to additional preventive measures installed, and reporters have been required to limit their travel. A considerable number of reporters and their loved ones were seriously infected or passed away, which caused an unwanted psychological impact on others.

However, she stressed that since the pandemic first emerged, VNA has been consistently conveying the Government’s message, which puts people’s health and lives as a top priority, stimulating the whole country’s resolve to fight the pandemic, as well as the faith in the country’s recovery.

In this process, VNA reporters have been present at epicentres of the outbreak to capture stories of efforts and sacrifices of the frontline forces, who have saved lives and raced against time to develop vaccines and medicines against the virus. Their stories are about the support from the people and businesses in the fight against COVID-19, as well as the endeavours by Party and State leaders so as to soon bring the country to the new normal situation.

Trang briefed participants about VNA’s solutions to fight the pandemic, including the launch of special sections and columns on COVID-19 on all VNA media channels, with information presented in diverse formats, offering timely and comprehensive updates on pandemic prevention and control, with special attention to official sources, science-based information, experiences from other countries, so that the public could accurately understand the nature of the pandemic without fear or anxiety.

VNA has produced instructive information on pandemic prevention and control in the form of infographics. These graphics are offered free of charge to medical facilities across the country for their communication activities, thus raising public awareness of the pandemic.

It also deployed the project “Say No to Fake News” for young people, helping them identify and avoid becoming “agents” of fake news, and joining VNA in the fight against inaccurate information. VNA inspected, verified and determined “fake news” that presents false information to exploit and cause unrest among the public.

VNA issued guidelines for safe operation, used backup resources to ensure incomes for employees and enhanced international cooperation in generating positive energy for journalists amid the pandemic, she said.

The VNA General Director added that several vaccines and medicines against COVID-19 are now available, an indication that the pandemic will be under control in the future, although the specific time remains unknown. However, the pandemic’s impact on all aspects of life, including the media, will be severe and will continue.

“At this event, I look forward to hearing valuable experiences from our colleagues and heads of media outlets, so that together, we can overcome these challenges and continue carrying out our missions as professional information providers in the digital age,” she said.

Trang’s speech was highly welcomed by the participants at the 4th WMS.

At the event, delegates shared difficulties and challenges to the development of the press and media amid COVID-19 as well as experiences in coping with the pandemic, saying that using modern technologies in operations is needed to adapt to the new situation. — VNS