Lay Catholic activists in Hanoi are expressing outrage that the government has honored two media outlets for their coverage of property disputes with the Church. The awards to the New Hanoi newspaper and VTV1 television station came after the two outlets flagrantly distorted their coverage of the December trial of several Catholic activists on charges of destroying state property.

Both outlets reported that the defendants confessed and apologized for their behavior, when in fact the defendants entered "not guilty" pleas, insisted that their actions were justified, and have appealed their conviction. The defendants have now sued the media outlets for libel.