Ways to win public trust in battle with fake news

12/11/19
General Director of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Nguyen Duc Loi on November 8 highlighted the need to win public trust in the fight against fake news while addressing the 17th General Assembly of the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agency (OANA) held in the Republic of Korea (RoK) from November 6-9.

Vietnam News Agency (VNA) General Director Nguyen Duc Loi (right) received an Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) award from outgoing OANA President Aslan Aslanov at the 17th OANA General Assembly in Seoul on November 8. The Vietnam News Agency and Xinhua News Agency (China) shared first prize of the OANA Award for Excellence in News Agency Quality for their Chatbot apps on e-newspaper VietnamPlus and AI Media Brain__Photo: VNA

In his presentation, he said fake news continues to be a major concern for news agencies and media outlets around the world - and the VNA is no exception.

Fake news has come in a more sophisticated manner as technology develops and cost reduces, he said.

“Experts have predicted that as artificial intelligence is applied widely in the process of producing media content, fake news made by machines will also be born with overwhelming quantity,” Loi noted.

He called on journalists to act instead of waiting for agencies to promulgate new laws, for technology firms to change algorithms, or for users to become better at distinguishing fake news, as they bear heavy responsibility for society.

Loi cited many studies on the future of the press showing that the goal of the press now is not to attract public attention any longer, but to regain their trust.

“How to rebuild public trust in high quality press content is always a big question for managers, news agencies, editorial offices and journalists themselves,” he said.

According to the VNA leader, to combat fake news, his agency has worked hard to interact with leaders through the Chatbot software that won the OANA Award for Excellence in News Agency Quality in 2018.

He suggested news agencies act to cope with information that incites hatred and racial discrimination or distorts the truth to harm individuals, organizations and countries, apart from pouring more investment into technology to produce high-quality news.

In his remarks, Cho Sung-boo, President and CEO of the host country’s Yonhap News Agency, said global news agencies are facing unprecedented challenges, and they should turn these into new opportunities.

He also called on news agencies to continuously make new products in new forms, and revamp the ways they deliver them.

At a working session on Friday, OANA member news agencies elected Yonhap as OANA Chair for 2019-2022. This is the first time the news agency has held the position since its establishment in 1980.

News agencies from Azerbaijan (AZERTAC), Russia (TASS), Turkey (Anadolu) and China (Xinhua) will assume the post of OANA Vice Chairs.

The 17th General Assembly also elected the OANA Executive Board with 13 news agencies, the Technical Committee comprising of seven news agencies and a four-member ethics committee for 2019-2022. The VNA again won a seat on the OANA Executive Board.

The WAFA News Agency of Palestine has become an observer of the organization.

OANA members agreed to adopt the minutes amending the OANA Statute, which was approved at the 44th Executive Board Meeting in Hanoi in April.

In the Seoul Declaration adopted at the meeting, the agencies pointed out challenges they are facing amidst the development of technology and the spread of fake news.

On this occasion, the 45th and 46th meetings of the OANA Executive Board were also held in Seoul.

The Executive Board elected Lee Dong-min, a journalist of Yonhap, as OANA Secretary General.

Within the framework of the 17th General Assembly, the VNA and Xinhua, first-prize winners of the OANA Award for Excellence in News Agency Quality as announced at the 44th Executive Board Meeting, were honored.

On the sidelines of the event, VNA General Director Loi met with Yonhap President and CEO Cho, who said he highly valued the fruitful relations between the two news agencies.

The host expressed his hope for more support and co-operation from the VNA in the future.

Loi said the relationship with Yonhap was one of the most successful, effective and diverse ties between the VNA and its partners.

The VNA’s VNEWS TV Channel and e-newspaper were using effectively TV news of Yonhap, he said, calling on the agency to produce and share news of more diverse content in both Korean and Vietnamese with the VNA.

OANA now has 44 member news agencies from 35 countries in the region. The agencies are responsible for two-thirds of information produced throughout the world. Every day, they publish around 200 news stories, photos and video clips on the OANA website http://www.oananews.org.

Since joining the OANA in 1969, the VNA has proven itself as one of the active members of the organization. It is now a member of the OANA Executive Board, and hosted the OANA Executive Board Meetings in 1989, 1999, 2005 and 2019, actively contributing to completing the organization’s targets.
Chia sẻ bài viết ^^
Other post

All comments [ 20 ]


Gentle Moon 12/11/19 21:57

Fake news is rampant in some Asian countries. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that a lot of this misinformation is state-sponsored.

LawrenceSamuels 12/11/19 21:57

Also, it is increasingly being spread through encrypted messaging apps like Whatsapp, which makes it nearly impossible to track.

Red Star 12/11/19 21:58

While social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are doing their bit to tackle this menace

yobro yobro 12/11/19 22:00

Figthing fake news is a formidable challenge. With the elections underway, the problem is at its peak.

For A Peace World 12/11/19 22:02

Watchdogs say in the run-up to the vote they’ve seen everything from manipulated pictures being picked up by mainstream news media, to misrepresented quotes sparking communal division, false news, and hateful propaganda. And it looks like people are buying it.

Voice of people 12/11/19 22:03

The idea being that someone who believes anything on the web without checking the facts, is an idiot.

Vietnam Love 12/11/19 22:04

The publisher also works closely with regional and local media, as well as with fact-checking sites, to debunk hoaxes and false claims.

Me Too! 12/11/19 22:04

Readers are encouraged to submit dubious stories for verification, which also helps the publisher identify fake news that may have flown under its radar.

Socialist Society 12/11/19 22:05

That’s really where the light at the end of the tunnel is for us, because everything you hear is that people are in their filter bubbles and that they only want to read stories that confirm their biases.

The free Wind 12/11/19 22:07

organizations are developing new capacities and skills as they counter the menace of fake news.

Enda Thompson 12/11/19 22:07

It’s helping them differentiate “from their competitors, and potentially increasing their long-term sustainability, in ways we believe other news media worldwide could learn from.”

Kevin Evans 12/11/19 22:08

The long- term battle is going to be won on trust … the currency is going to be credibility.

Duncan 12/11/19 22:09

But when the dust settles, people will turn to the credible people, the media houses or the journalists that they can believe in. I think that is important. I think it’s the best thing you can do to build a brand.

Egan 12/11/19 22:10

media laws that allow the government to prosecute people who spread false information online.

Robinson Jones 12/11/19 22:11

the legislation, which also allows for social media and other websites to be blocked if found in violation of the law, is aimed at bolstering citizens’ rights while also strengthening state information security.

Swift Hoodie 12/11/19 22:12

Despite the intense interest, what legislation will actually look like is still unclear.

Allforcountry 12/11/19 22:14

law that seeks to punish the publication of “fake news” information compromising security operations, false information about rights abuses or destruction of property, or images and audio from a ‘terrorist’ attack.”

Wilson Pit 12/11/19 22:14

the government passed a measure that gave it the authority to block media that it thinks threatens national security.

John Smith 12/11/19 22:16

It’s still unclear how the government is defining fake news. the law would apply “to some media in which they use the wrong information.”

Herewecome 12/11/19 22:17

The legislation, which doesn’t define fake news, was approved after consultation with journalists and other experts

Your comments