The Rise of Media Power in Preventing Ineffective Public Expenditure in Vietnam

The law amendment in 2019 on preventing ineffective government spending in the public sector shows the result of the “watchdog” role, responded to by the media. Ho Chi Minh’s ideology on thrift was recommended in 1946. Having attention to economic development, the Vietnam government eased public spending, which led to many lawsuits about leaking the public budget. As media reports on unproductive public projects, both the state and the society started to pay attention to how to use government expenditure most effectively. The media established a debate channel between the citizens and policymakers. Public opinions have been heard. The public sector has been reformed and innovated significantly since the first preventing ineffective government spending law in 2013 and amended in 2019. Utilizing the case of the Hanoi capital, the paper contributes evidence about the impact of media on the leading direction of the Communist Party of Vietnam.