MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
AND TRAINING

HO CHI MINH NATIONAL
ACADEMY OF POLITICS

ACADEMY OF JOURNALISM AND COMMUNICATION

BUI THI MINH HAI

MESSAGE ON MARRIAGE INVOLVING FOREIGN
ELEMENTS IN A VIETNAMESE ONLINE
NEWSPAPER CURRENTLY
Major: Journalism
Code number: 9 32 01 01

THE SUMMARY OF PHD THESIS IN MASS COMMUNICATIONS

HANOI - 2019


THIS THESIS WAS COMPLETED AT
ACADEMY OF JOURNALISM AND COMMUNICATION

SCIENTIFIC INSTRUCTORS
Assoc. Prof. Dr. MAI QUYNH NAM
Assoc. Prof. Dr. DO THI THU HANG

Reviewer 1:
Reviewer 2:
Reviewer 3:

and scientific in posting and directing information about marriage involving
foreign elements.
Therefore, the research of the message on marriage involving foreign
elements through the lens of the press aims to access the content, identify
social elements through the media message, because it is difficult for a
researcher or a research project to comprehensively and multidimensionally
speaking about the marriage involving foreign elements as in the press,
especially online electronic press in the current period.
* Practice:
- In the trend of globalization, the marriage involving foreign
elements (international marriage) has been on the rise, especially in Asian
countries (Singapore increased by 30%, Taiwan (13%), Korea (11%), Japan
(5%) , and Philippines (4%), including Vietnam.
- International marriage is not only a form of uniting gender but also
a link between nations and peoples, having a direct influence on all aspects
of the country's social and external life. In a flat world environment, the
international marriages have become increasingly complicated and
sensitive, furthermore, the government's management is still very difficult,
especially marriage involving foreign elements in the press/ online
newspaper.


2
- A question has been raised what is the message on marriage
involving foreign elements in a Vietnamese online newspaper currently? If
the message is a preconceived idea and a scientific shortage, which can
Message on marriage involving foreign elements in a Vietnamese online
newspaper currently create false biased perception, even harming the image
of the country and people of Vietnam, as the message in the media is
displayed. How will that affect public perception like that?



3
- The message of marriage involving foreign elements in Vietnamese
online newspapers now contains a commercial and tragic pattern of marriage;
the message is more positive, less objective, more critical; Journalistic press
tends to be more interested in the media of expression, cause, and
consequences than those that cause inadequacies in marriage involving
foreign elements. The theme focuses mainly on the negativity of Vietnamese
women marrying foreigners.
- The media message on marriage involving foreign elements in the
online newspaper in the future should have plans, strategies to innovate,
strengthen the objectivity and consistency in the orientation of the target
message; In addition, it is essential to analyze and interpret the problem in depth
in the environment and broader social context rather than criticism and prejudice;
to build up and promote the social and cultural values of the nation instead of
lowering the values of traditional culture and the image of Vietnamese women.
At the same time, it also needs to pay attention to building the image of the
country, culture and people of Vietnam in the digital age and globalization.
4.2. Analytical framework
Viewpoints and policies of the Party and State on marriage
involving foreign elements

Content of the
message

Viewpoint, solution
mentioned in the
message


the message
Language expresses
the message
The quantity,
frequency appear the
messages

The method of
transmitting the
message

Position appears the
message
Information
structure convey the
message

Economic, cultural, political and social environment

Identify the
issue that
needs to be
renewed

Innovative
solutions to
improve
message quality



(Baophapluat.vn)
6.3.2. Criteria for selecting news, articles (press articles) for the survey
The framework for sampling is a collection of news (the press
works) dealing with the topic of the MIFEs on 5 e-journals of the period
2010-2015.
- The thesis sets the criteria for dividing news into groups with
specific information as follows:
Group 1: The press content is directly related to the MIFEs,
identified by the appearance of the keyword " MIFEs " in the article.
Group 2: The newspapers have content related to the MIFEs but not
showing the keyword " MIFEs ". This group is identified by the appearance


5
of related phrases such as marriage, foreign husband, Vietnamese bride,
West son-in-law, sharing about living bride and groom in foreign countries.
6.3.3. Tool to search for research samples
-Using the search method on Google Advanced Search.
- Use the search engine directly on the survey pages in order of date /
column (viewed according to the chronological order of each day, month,
year specifically).
6.3.4. Selecting a column to search for research samples
- The main columns are general, with many articles referring to research
topics.
6.4. Information processing methods
- All articles on marriage involving foreign elements are scrutinized on 5
online newspapers: vnexpress.net, vietnamnet.vn, baophapluat.vn, tuoitre.vn,
giadinh.net.vn.
- Making a coding table to logically quantify information derived from the
messages on marriage involving foreign elements.

100,00
7. New contributions of the thesis
In terms of the theoretics: The thesis contributes to the study of press
works/press products, namely the press message (online newspaper).
Research clarifies the method of analyzing the content of the press message,
especially the online newspaper, setting the criteria for the message on the
MIFIDs on the internet; How to find the answer of this message in the online
newspaper? How does the internet communicate and what does it want to
convey to the public through media messages?


6
In terms of practicality: is a scientific research study on the MIFEs in
the online newspaper, aiming to improve the quality of the MIFEs on the
mass media in general, especially in the online newspapers.
8. Theoretical and practical meanings of the thesis
8.1. Theoretical meanings
- The thesis is an interdisciplinary research that contributes to the
systematization of methodical theoretical issues in journalistic-media
research from the perspective of analyzing the content of the press
message.
- The research contributes to enriching research in the field of
journalism and communication, especially research on the message in the
online newspaper and is a reference for further research on this topic.
8.2. Practical meanings
- The research results provide practical and scientific information on
the issue of marriage involving foreign elements through prism of the press.
On this basis, to suggest some recommendations for policy makers, media
agencies, journalists in the renewal of news content, improvement of
communication quality, and having scientific orientation when reporting on

1.2. Orienting the research on analysis of press-media messages
The method of analyzing the message - media is a method that has
long been applied in the history of media journalism. It is essentially the
analysis of the content of the press in the sociological perspective, the
purpose is to understand a society or a certain period of society, because the
media content is often reflected in many aspects, they are very diverse, rich
in social life and it allows people to learn more deeply about the problems
of society [96, pp.324] . At present, in our country, only researches in the
field of journalism and communication from the point of view of sociology
are most clearly addressed in terms of the journalism - communication
message, but this research orientation has not yet developed popularly.
This research orientation has helped the author of the thesis have an
overview of history and methods as well as how to analyze the content of the
media message, so that it can be applied to the analysis of the message content
on the MIFEs studied by the thesis.
1.3. Research orientation on the marriage involving the foreign
elements.
International marriage is not a new topic in social studies, but it is
still a very interesting topic in the new context, the modern world with the
development of internet communication, so the topic of the international
marriage is still receiving great attention from the researchers. The study
provides a theoretical foundation for international marriage and analyzes
international marriage trends, various challenges such as culture, race, or
the field of marriage law, education, migration of labor market, marriage
market, and gender inequality in multicultural marriage, focusing mainly in
Asia ...
The studies on the MIFEs in the country are approached from a
variety of scientific perspectives, from the perspective of culture, economy,
society, human resources ... in which most of them are approached in legal
and sociological aspects, there are no studies on trends, or factors influencing

empirical research, the main focus is on the public, on the subject, on the
media, on the effectiveness of the media; however, the research on content
of the message is not focused
The results of this recapitulation research have provided a
theoretical and experimental basis for the study “Message on marriage
involving foreign elements in a Vietnamese online newspaper currently”.
Chapter 2
THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL BASIS
OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM
2.1. Basic concepts
2.1.1. Online newspaper
The Online newspaper is a form of journalism developed in the form of
a website, which is published on the internet by the independent press office,
when connected to the internet, readers can read newspaper on electronic
devices. The information on the online newspaper is updated regularly and


9
continuously from a variety of sources, allowing people around the world to
access information quickly without depending on space and time.
2.1.2. The works of online newspaper
The works of online newspaper is a component to create a complete
journalistic product, a product of thought, creativity of the writer
(pressman, journalist, ...) It belongs to one of certain genres of journalism
with the consistency between content and form, ensuring the correct
functions and tasks of the press, published on channel which is the online
newspaper.
The definition of works of online newspaper is a conceptual tool for
use in the selection of research samples as journalistic works and the
analysis of the content of a journalistic message. However, the

In this topic, the concept of marriage is understood as the
relationship between husband and wife after marriage in accordance with
the Law of Marriage and Family in 2014: "Marriage is the relationship
between wife and husband after the marriage”.
2.1.6. Marriage involving foreign elements
Within the research scope of the thesis, the author restricts the study
of MIFIDs to the first meaning stated in the Law on Marriage and Family
of Vietnam in 2000, meaning "marriage between a Vietnamese citizen and
a foreigner "(Foreigners are understood as foreign nationality who are not
citizens of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam).
2.1.7. Message on the marriage involving foreign elements
Based on the concept of the Message, the concept of marriage and
marriage involving foreign elements, as well as on the basis of the MIFEs
legal basis, the study authorizes the concept of the MIFEs message to be
understood as the whole. The information on the MIFEs theme, namely
marriage between Vietnamese citizens and foreigners, is transmitted from
online newspapers to the public.
2.2. Role of Message on the marriage involving foreign elements in
the Vietnam online newspaper currently.
2.2.1. Improving basic knowledge on marriage involving foreign
elements in Vietnam online newspaper
2.2.2. Impact on public psychology
2.2.3. Changing perceptions, attitudes of the public
2.2.4. Changing the behavior of the public
2.3. Viewpoints and policies of the Party and State on marriage
involving foreign elements
Deriving from the theoretical basis of Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi
Minh's ideas on marriage, the family, the basic principles of the marriage and
family-society regimes, the doctrine became the foundation for all marriage
and family regimes in our country, in which the MIFEs are part of the

- Thirdly, pursuant to viewpoints and policies of the Party, Law of
the State and the directions of the ministries, departments, and branches in
charge of management on the MIFEs.
- Fourthly, the message is based on rules, social values, national culture
and constantly fostering and promoting those values.
- Finally, the message must match the communication channel and
the object who is the public of the online newspaper.
SUB-CONCLUSION OF CHAPTER 2
From the above grounds, the thesis has sufficient theoretical foundations
to serve as the basis for the research and analysis of the message content on the
MIFIDs in the online newspaper. On the other hand, the theoretical foundation
is also the basis for a deeper understanding on the role and position of the
overall message, the role of the message on the MIFEs in particular, in order
to the public and its impact on life, thereby enabling communicators to focus
on messaging to better notify on the MIFEs.
Researching the MIFEs message through the media perspective is an
interdisciplinary approach. However, the thesis has been approached by
media theory, journalistic theory, and sociology of journalism, which are
fundamental theories for analyzing and justifying the identification of the


12
message, confirming the position and role of the MIFEs message in the
online newspaper in Vietnam today.
Today, the online newspaper brings the message closer, faster to the
public, in order to consolidate and enhance the role of the press in modern
social life; Although it has many advantages, the internet has some
limitations, especially for the information with specific characteristic such
as the MIFEs, so how do you find out what newspapers are reporting and
how to notify? and whether these messages are accompanied by hidden


13
3.1.1.1. Portraits of Vietnamese marrying to the foreigners
Under the prism of the newspaper (online newspaper), the image of
Vietnamese citizens having sex with foreigners is mainly female, accounting for
96.0%, while men have a very small proportion just 4.0%. But íit is depicted as
one-dimensional rather than multi-dimensional, contains gender stereotypes
when building a female pattern (96%), with two types of portrait motifs:
Firstly, the rural girls have a poor background and low educational
attainment, the purpose of getting married abroad is to "changing life" or
"helping family economics," but the marriage results often lead to tragedy.
Secondly, the girls having "perfume and beauty" who the newspaper
highlights the attention and they mainly are singers, actors, artists, people
in the showbiz. Although the press described them to have a better life
when married the foreigners, in a corner of the fall, the purpose of marriage
is not outside the economic interests.
3.1.1.2. Image of foreigners marrying Vietnamese citizens
273/300 articles reported that they came from Asian countries with
61.5%, Eastern Europe at 13.9% and Western Europe at 10.3%, the
remaining 14.3% came from other countries around the world. The message
on the image of foreigners marrying Vietnamese citizens is approached in
two ways: The first is the image of men from countries in Asia, mainly South
Korea, China, Taiwan who are older, even with health problems, disabilities
or not normal; having difficult family circumstances, so marriage is mainly
through the medium, the results of these marriages often are pitiful, even
leaving many consequences for society. The second is the image of men from
developed countries such as Europe, America, Australia (England, France,
Germany, Australia ...) has rich economic conditions, a luxurious life, labeled
"godfather", or "Viet Kieu". In this marriage, the female character is largely
focused on the object of the public, known as the "stars" and "beloved

The length of the title is from 8 to 12 words, which is commonly
used, accounting for 63.3% of the article, while the title is less than eight
letters, 17.0%. The title is 12 words accounting for 19.7%


16
The title is used in a number of major forms, such as: title
information, event confirmation (64.7%), comment form, expression (21%),
open title, using questionnaires accounted for 3.7%, many of them were
sensational (10.7%).
However, the events are tilted towards the negative, or the emphasis
on the details of getting married to a foreigner that is considered a lucky
thing in the life of Vietnamese women to attract the reader, but with great
frequency, these titles unostentatiously create unbiased assessment and
prejudice to the reader on the MIFEs.
3.2.1.2. The way to address the message
The survey results show that the number of articles using the title
(Sapo) accounted for 73.3%, in which Sapo content showed the overall
information in the article is 32.4%, the remaining 67.6% of the Sapo only
express a part of the information.
There are many different ways of addressing issues in article
categories such as: posing problems by directing problems, events, in nearsequential order; by giving figures; however, most articles put the problem
directly on the issue, but the limitation is that the number of titles reflects
the information in the article. Only 32.4%, Sapo headlines still weighed on
"to attract view", exaggerated insistence on the phenomenon of marrying
foreigners, and regarded it as a way to change the lives of Vietnamese
women.
3.2.1.3. How to solve the problem express the message
The problem solving uses flexible elements from detailed content,
cross-section titles, graphics, videos, images, annotations to create a unified

33.3%, Tuoi Tre Newspaper (http: Tuoitre.vn publishes at least 34 articles
(11.3%), Vietnamnet () with 48 articles, accounting for
16%, Vnespress Newspaper () 69 articles, accounting for
23% and Vietnam Law Newspaper () has 49 articles,
accounting for 16.6%
Regarding the frequency of posting, if correlated over 5 years of
survey, the number of news stories on MIFEs topic was communicated in 5
newspapers and there was no significant difference in number between
years. In 2010, 5 newspapers reported 56 articles, accounting for 18.7%; In
2011 there were 49 articles (16.3%); in 2012 there were 42 articles (14%);
There are 52 articles (17.3%); In 2014, there were 69 articles (23%) and 32
articles (10.7%) in the first six months of 2015.
Actually, the press agencies have not developed the plan and
coordinated the contract with the management agencies to have the
orientation of communication throughout this topic, so the number and
frequency of the message is low, unstable, spontaneous, somewhat affect
the outcome of the communication, and the nature of the MIFE problem is
not well understood.
3.3.2. Location of posing the message on marriage involving foreign
elements
The surveyed information on the online newspaper is organized into
three levels: first level is the home page - where the links to the second and
third level pages; second level is the category page; Third level is the content
page that covers the entire contents of the press works.
Posted messages in the categories of life / welfare of the people /
entertainment were 23%; Law with 11%; Family with10%; World


18
with13%; Share / confidence / Community with 3.7%; Society/Culture with

foreigners in two motifs: Firstly, the rural girls have a poor background and
low educational attainment, the purpose of getting married abroad is to
"changing life" or "helping family economics," but the marriage results often
lead to tragedy. Secondly, the girls having "perfume and beauty" who the
newspaper highlights the attention and they mainly are singers, actors, artists,
people in the showbiz. Although the press described them to have a better life
when married the foreigners, in a corner of the fall, the purpose of marriage
is not outside the economic interests. Thus, the general message on the


19
MIFEs was created in the online newspaper with the commercially dominant
color, which weighed down the economic factor and tragic color.
The language of the message is so subjective that it is more likely
that the subject is aware of it, blaming the woman for marriage problems,
domestic violence, even being murder as the Vietnamese people are often
considered guilty, the cause of all consequences in foreign marriage, while
the responsibility of foreigners, the responsibility of the community,
society is less discussed.
Communication messages are less relevant to the authorities, views,
solutions orientation is unclear. If there is an appearance of the authorities,
only to deal with the consequences of the problem rather than
recommending, reminding, or suggesting a resolution, so the problem arises
when transmitting information on MIFEs in the online newspaper in the
coming time, there should be a scientific direction, a direction to solve,
suggesting direction for this issue
Chapter 4
ISSUES AND SOLUTIONS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY
OF THE MESSAGE ON MARRIAGE INVOLVING
FOREIGN ELEMENTS IN THE CURRENT

4.2.1.2. On the form of marriage message with foreign elements
Firstly, the structure of multimedia work is holistic, scientific.
Secondly, diversify the genre of journalistic works.
Thirdly, language expresses the message of avoiding prejudice, and
blaming responsibility.
4.2.2. Group of message solutions for the works of online newspaper
4.2.2.1. Develop a message content plan:
Firstly, to ensure the political orientation, to preserve the principles,
purposes, functions and tasks of the press agencies;
Secondly, unify the principle of journalism in the design / creation of the
message;
Thirdly, the message is relevant to the readership of the newspaper;
Finally, the message featured, style and identity of the newspaper.
4.2.2.2. Organizing the implementation of the message on the
product / newspaper network
Firstly, the dynamic content system (information is updated, changed
frequently): press / news / news articles, events, announcements, press releases ...
Secondly, the static content system (information is almost fixed, not
changed frequently) include: interface, categories, feedback, contacts, search ...
4.2.3. Group of message solutions for the project / media campaign
on marriage involving foreign elements on Vietnam online newspaper
The digital age, social networking, online newspapers, internet, etc.
are dominating, especially the strong social network, the trend of network
readers moving to mobile devices and digital media (digital), so when
developing the project / media campaign on the MIFEs in the online
newspaper, there should be coordinated with the new media, digital
platform (digital technology) is the product to bring effective
communication in the current context.





Target
Specific
message
(Departmental
message)

Special pages,
topics

Social networkingand
otherdigital media
products(face book,
tweet, google+,
Instagram...)

Public group
Baophapluat.vn

Change
Awareness,
Attitude
and
Behavior

Public group
Tuoitre.vn

Public group

change for the entire target message on the MIFEs.
Secondly, the solution group of electronic message network products.
Developing a complete, open-ended, time-consuming, open-dimensional
electronic space on the Web by multiplying information layers, a multidimensional interface between the editor and readers, and the multimedia
mix (listening, watching, reading ...), with extensive, multi-faceted
information, providing comprehensive knowledge of the MIFEs. What is the
content plan for the message? And organize the realization of the content of
the message across the whole system, from the dynamic content system to
the static content system, to create a unified, synchronized orientation
towards the target message. MIFEs precision, science.
Thirdly, the solution group for the project goal or campaign on the
MIFEs in the online newspaper. This is a solution to generate synergy, a total
communication solution for the organization of information sources, the
formation of the main message, the form of communication products, the
application of social communication network to spread the message, increase
communication efficiency on the MIFEs.
CONCLUSION
The purpose of finding a message on foreign elements in Vietnam
online newspaper? How do you write, broadcast, and broadcast to the public?
The research conducted a survey of 300 media works on the MIFEs on
websites such as Vietnamnet.vn, VnEpress.net, Giadinh.net.vn, Tuoitre.vn,
Baophapluat.vn. From research questions, research hypotheses, theoretical
foundations, research practices. The dissertation gives a general conclusion
on the MIFEs message on the internet as follows:
1. Message content MIFEs on the online newspaper
- The theme is reflected in the message with the perspective that
Vietnamese women in the reality of marriage life with foreigners. The


23

marriages, create misconceptions on MIFEs, Foreign is the way, means, the
way to change women's life, change life.
- Press categories convey the message is unbalanced, the type of
news takes the lead role, focusing on the current situation and the
seriousness of the problem. While MIFEs are a matter of broad influence in
many areas of the social life, it is imperative that information be provided
in a comprehensive, comprehensive, analytical and explanatory manner.
That requires diversification of genres, especially genres of commentary,
essays, interviews, investigative reports to broaden the public opinion,
giving the public a more accurate and objective view.