HÀ NỘI — Minister of Information and Communications Trương Minh Tuấn yesterday requested the revocation of the journalist card of Nguyễn Như Phong, editor-in-chief of news website petrotimes.vn.

Earlier, Phong was dismissed as editor-in-chief of the news website.

Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC)  asked the Petrotimes online site to revoke the press card of Nguyễn Như Phong and return it to the ministry’s Press Department before October 12.

The ministry decided to temporarily suspend operations of petrotimes.vn for three months for “violations in journalism activities.”

When the suspension ends, the ministry will consider the case and make a decision on whether or not the newspaper can continue running its online version, following Press Law regulations.

Nguyễn Như Phong, born in 1955, was earlier deputy editor-in-chief of the An Ninh Thế Giới (World Security) newspaper and editor-in-chief of the Công An Nhân Dân (People’s Public Security) newspaper before he became editor-in-chief of the Năng Lượng Mới (New Energy) newspaper, mouthpiece of the Việt Nam Oil and Gas Association.

Năng Lượng Mới newspaper’s online version petrotimes.vn was licensed and launched in 2011. Phong was editor-in-chief of the website since the launch.

In a related instruction, MIC yesterday asked press agencies to review the issuance of documents and cards that could easily be confused with journalist’s cards.

A representative of the ministry said many reporters and newspaper collaborators presented documents and cards which were thought to be press cards while working with companies and organisations.

Some reportedly used these documents and cards for illegal purposes, affecting the reputation of other journalists who displayed work ethics.

The ministry affirmed that the journalist’s card is the only card recognised in journalism activities.

Reporters who do not have press cards have to present authorised introduction documents to organisations or companies they work with. The ministry asked press agencies to present clear information in introduction documents, with the name of the organisation the reporter worked for, detailed content and time of the meeting. 

The ministry will work with local departments of information and communications to impose strict penalties on violators.

According to new Press Law which comes into effect next year, people with two years of experience working in a press agency will qualify to apply for press cards, instead of three years as stipulated by the current law revised in 1999. — VNS