HCM City plans to restructure its media industry and have only seven newspapers. — Photo tuoitre.vn

HCM CITY — HCM City plans to restructure its media industry and post-revamp will have a total of 19 outlets comprising seven newspapers, one radio and television station each and 10 magazines.

Vice chairman of the city People’s Committee, Dương Anh Đức, on Friday signed an order for the restructure and development of a local media plan for until 2025. 

There are 28 city-based outlets now, and 27 will be involved in the restructure. Công An (Public Security) newspaper belongs to the Ministry of Public Security.

Sài Gòn Giải Phóng (Liberated Sài Gòn), Tuổi Trẻ (Youth), Người Lao Động (Labourer), Phụ Nữ (Women), Pháp Luật (Law), Công Giáo và Dân Tộc (Catholic and Ethnic), and Giác Ngộ newspapers will continue to be published.

The remaining eight out of the 27 will be converted into six "additional publications" and two newsletters.

The roadmap for the revamp comprises two phases, with the first starting and completed this year.

In this stage 21 outlets will undergo changes, with Tuổi Trẻ, Lao Động, and Phụ Nữ newspapers coming under the overarching management of the city Party Committee. 

Pháp Luật newspaper will operate under the umbrella of the city People’s Committee, Công Giáo và Dân Tộc newspaper will be run by the Committee for Solidarity of Vietnamese Catholics and Giác Ngộ newspaper by the HCM City Buddhist Association.

The second phase will run from 2021 to 2025.

Printed newspapers and magazines will embrace a model as printing press agencies with multiple publications. 

Radio and television stations will be required to simplify their human resources practices.

Online newspapers and magazines need to work on modern, interactive content. 

In 2025 the city will consider a media arrangement in the form of a giant multimedia agency. 

According to the People’s Committee, the rearrangement will benefit the media in terms of operation and improve its quality. — VNS