Digital Transformation Maturity Index Results for 2024

The Press Authority, part of the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC), has unveiled the outcomes of the 2024 digital transformation maturity index for Vietnam’s press sector.

This index serves as a crucial tool for assessing and monitoring digital transformation across various press agencies annually. It enables agencies to compare their progress and pinpoint areas of improvement, in line with the “Digital Transformation Strategy for the Press until 2025, with a vision towards 2030.”

The index is structured around five key pillars, ten components, and 43 criteria, totaling 100 points. The scoring is allocated as follows: strategy (18 points), digital infrastructure, platforms, and cybersecurity (24 points), alignment in organizational and professional practices (20 points), audience engagement (23 points), and adoption of digital technology (15 points).

Each criterion is individually assessed, and scores are compiled for both components and pillars. Agencies that do not submit data for any criterion receive a score of zero. To maintain impartiality, the MIC has created an appraisal council to verify and revise scores according to the data submitted.

This year, a total of 282 agencies participated in the evaluation, comprising:

• 40 central newspapers
• 62 local newspapers
• 48 central and local magazines
• 67 scientific journals
• 65 radio and television stations

Among these, 28 agencies attained a rating of “excellent” in digital transformation maturity, reflecting a 6.27% rise since 2023.

Additionally:

• 65 agencies were rated as “good”
• 55 as “fair”
• 25 as “average”
• 109 as “poor”

The “excellent” achievers included ten central newspapers, eight local newspapers, and ten radio and television stations, with no central or local magazines or scientific journals reaching this standard.

Despite only 32.3% of Vietnam’s press agencies participating in the survey, they encompass over 90% of the overall readership and advertising market. Encouragingly, the share of agencies receiving “poor” ratings dropped significantly by 24.35% since last year.

The scientific journals and central/local magazines were the main contributors to “poor” ratings, accounting for 47.71% and 22.02%, respectively. On a positive note, awareness of the necessity for digital transformation among leadership has notably risen, with almost half of press agencies now having annual action plans in place.

The survey also revealed additional positive developments:

• A 10.92% uptick in agencies adopting paid content models.
• A 36.17% increase in agencies reporting revenue growth year-on-year.
• A 24.66% uptick in agencies enhancing audience experiences.

A growing number of loyal and new audiences have been noted across platforms, with heightened focus on cybersecurity and copyright protections among agencies.

The Press Authority has stated that digital transformation advancements in 2024 have surpassed expectations. Looking ahead, the goal for 2025 is to reduce the count of “poor” and “average” ratings to 40%, while raising “fair” and “good” ratings to 50%, and increasing “excellent” ratings to 10%.