A member of the Free Journalists Association, Chi Dang, said that the pre-Internet Vietnam translated to monotony of news. 'There is not much competition since all sources of news are the same due to the government's ownership.'

But with the advent of the Internet, more social issues surfaced, even though public discourse is still limited. 'The Internet in Vietnam enabled citizens to maintain a group network and enabled them to provide path ways to freedom of speech. The Internet also strengthened communications among citizens, thereby building a site of public debate,' said Dang.

With journalists turning from the mainstream media to the Internet, Coronel said that there is a debate whether the Internet will become like television, a medium mainly for sensation, distraction, and mindless profit making. This is one of the challenges to this 'new technology' -- how long will it remain a truly public productive sphere.