In June 2023, the Ministry of Information and Communications announced the Index to assess and measure the maturity level of digital transformation in journalism. Accordingly, the Index consists of 5 pillars and 42 criteria. The total maximum score is 100 points, of which the maximum score for the pillars is: (1) Strategy: 18 points; (2) Digital infrastructure, digital platform and information security: 24 points; (3) Organizational and professional uniformity: 20 points; (4) Readers, audiences, listeners: 23 points; and (5) Level of digital technology application: 15 points.

The level of maturity of digital transformation of press agencies is determined based on the total score achieved for the 5 pillars and is ranked into 5 levels: Excellent, Good, Fair, Average and Weak.

The Press Digital Transformation Support Portal (https://pdt.gov.vn/) integrates a software tool to evaluate and measure the maturity level of press digital transformation. Press agencies are given accounts to self-report survey information.

According to the Press Department, Ministry of Information and Communications, in 2023, 339 press agencies met the requirements and were granted official accounts to assess the maturity level of digital transformation of their press units. Of which, 273 press, radio and television agencies implemented the assessment and measurement of the maturity level of digital transformation of press. Specifically, the Local Bloc had 59 units, the Central Bloc had 67 units, the Radio Bloc had 60 units and the Science Magazine Bloc had 87 units.

The results of the 2023 press digital transformation maturity ranking show that only 3.66% of units achieved excellent, 8.06% achieved good, 13.19% achieved fair, 12.09% achieved average and 63% achieved poor. Of which, the excellent level of the Central Bloc accounted for the highest rate with 50%, the Radio Bloc 40% and the Local Bloc 10%. As for the poor level, the highest rate belonged to the Science Journal Bloc accounting for 45.35%, the Central Bloc 31.82%, the Local Bloc 17.44% and the Radio Bloc 12.79%.

The top 10 excellent press agencies include: Vietnam Television, Vnexpress Newspaper, Lao Dong Newspaper, Voice of Vietnam Radio, Vietnamplus Electronic Newspaper, VietNamNet Newspaper, VTCNews Electronic Newspaper, Vinh Long Radio and Television Station, Hanoi Radio and Television Station, and Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper.

According to Mr. Luu Dinh Phuc, Director of the Press Department, Ministry of Information and Communications, in 2023, only 30.92% of press agencies participated in the survey, but included many large newspapers and radio stations - accounting for more than 85% of the market share of readers, viewers, listeners and more than 90% of the advertising market share on newspapers and radio stations nationwide. 63% of the surveyed press agencies achieved a weak level of digital transformation maturity, concentrated in the scientific magazine sector (45.35%), and the central press sector (31.82%).

The awareness of the importance of digital transformation of press agencies by leaders of many press agencies is still low, typically the rate of press agencies that have not completed training is 61.56%; The rate of press agencies that have not participated in self-assessment is 69.05%; The head of the agency is the person who presides over and directs digital transformation is 34.8%; The press agency has developed a strategy/plan/program for digital transformation of the agency: 43.59%. Compared to the newspaper sector, the radio sector has digital transformation faster due to the requirement of digitizing the television industry (the weak level of the radio sector accounts for only 12.79%). The level of interest of the management in investing in digital transformation is still low (25.27% of press agencies are allocated funding for digital transformation by the management).

Most press agencies have not yet collected fees or have collected fees but the economic efficiency is low, not supporting the operation of the press (2.56% of press agencies collect fees; the rate of revenue growth after digital transformation is still low: 15.02%); Little attention is paid to improving the experience for readers, audiences, and listeners (16.12%); Not enough attention is paid to ensuring information security (periodically checking and evaluating information security according to regulations accounts for only 10.26%); Little attention is paid to protecting the copyright of press works in cyberspace (only 4.03% of press agencies apply technology to detect and support the prevention of press copyright infringement).

The rate of press agencies applying digital technology to optimize news production processes is still low (application of artificial intelligence to the business processes of the editorial office and other departments to optimize operations accounts for only 12.82%; application of internal CMS management system: 19.78%; centralized data analysis and processing platform: 16.72%)

Mr. Luu Dinh Phuc said that the targets to be achieved in 2024 and 2025 are to convert the number of newspapers at a weak and average level from 75% to 60% (2024) and 40% in 2025; at a fair and good level from 22% to 35% (2024) and 50% (2025); at an excellent level from 3.66% to 5% (2024) and 10% (2025)./.