In early 2025, General Secretary To Lam directed that in the new era, the press must rise up with the nation. The Government and ministries and sectors are organizing to collect opinions on the Press Law (amended); at the same time, studying large-scale, modern press models such as press and media complexes, national key press groups, before finalizing the policy of rearranging and reorganizing the system of press agencies in the new era.
In that context, many expect that after being reorganized and reorganized, the Vietnamese press will ensure the goal of “Straight - Compact - Strong”, the Vietnamese press will not only define its role domestically, but also reach international level. The series of articles “What mechanism for the Vietnamese press to reach the level?” will contribute to clarifying this orientation, solution and journey.
At the meeting of Mr. Nguyen Trong Nghia, Politburo member, Head of the Central Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Commission, with press agencies in Ho Chi Minh City on June 16, Mr. Luu Dinh Phuc, Director of the Press Department, said that the press planning perspective is not to mechanically reduce the number of press agencies, but to find ways to develop them better. In the future, there will be recommendations for new models for press agencies, such as the press group model or the press consortium model.
Sharing with Phap Luat TP.HCM newspaper, Dr. - journalist Nhi Le, former Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Communist Magazine , said that Vietnam (VN) needs to have multi-media press and communication agencies that play a key role in the country, reaching international level - taking on the responsibility of "closely following the political tasks and major issues of the Party and the country to focus on comprehensive, profound, effective, focused and key propaganda" as directed by General Secretary To Lam in early 2025.
Businesses go international, why not the press?
Reporter : You mentioned building press and media agencies that reach regional and global levels. What made you think that?
+ Dr. - Journalist Nhi Le: The Communist Party of Vietnam has an international nature. Inevitably, under the Party's banner, the Vietnamese press itself has an international character, right in every step of development and international integration. Currently, after 80 years of the revolutionary state, the position, strength, influence and prestige of our Party, our country and our people are constantly firmly established and have world stature, so nurturing, shaping and developing press and media agencies of international stature is natural and an inevitable development requirement.
Looking back over the past 100 years, the revolutionary press has become increasingly worthy of being the flesh and blood part of the Vietnamese revolution, protecting the interests of the Fatherland and the people, proactively contributing to solving political, economic, social and environmental issues to develop and protect the country; at the same time, pioneering in destroying plots and actions in the name of democracy and freedom of the press to sabotage the supreme interests of the country and the people.
On the threshold of a new era, General Secretary To Lam directed: "The press must rise up with the nation."
In preparation for the great cause of the country, among many decisions, we can emphasize the "four pillars", including four important resolutions of the Politburo: Resolution 57, Resolution 59, Resolution 66 and Resolution 68 on four strategic areas such as science and technology, innovation; international integration; private economic development; law making and enforcement. This is a strategic guideline, with very important motivational significance for Vietnam to accelerate.
In international integration, the Vietnamese press cannot help but participate, even be forced to speak up, find ways to get involved and coordinate unconditionally to protect the goal of peace and progress in international life. At the same time, the Vietnamese press is also determined to eliminate all manifestations of "using the press to fight the press", using the press to harm international politics, economics and peace, especially discriminating against and opposing other countries and peoples through the press.
Dr. - journalist NHI LE
Recently, at the National Conference to disseminate and implement Resolution 66 of the Politburo, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that by 2030, Vietnam will strive to have 2 million enterprises, of which at least 20 large enterprises will participate in the global value chain. This - viewed from the role of the press - further demonstrates the new development requirements of the press on par with the new development of the country in a world that has been and is changing very differently from before.
Looking at ASEAN countries such as Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia - developed countries with strong business systems - all have news agencies, newspapers, television stations, publishers... with great international influence. Vietnam already has prestigious press agencies and their influence needs to continue to be strongly affirmed.
I think that from the development requirements and internal strength of the press, in a context that is perhaps very urgent, it is necessary to build multimedia press agencies of international stature. I believe that the current time is an opportunity for great preparation to properly position, enhance the stature and true strength of the Vietnamese press.
Figuratively speaking, in the new context, facing new requirements, with new strength, why can’t we not build powerful multimedia agencies to both “light the way” for our people to confidently step out into the world and “lead the way” for friends from all over the world to come to Vietnam? All multiply and shine the strength of Vietnam. That opportunity has come.
And, I would like to emphasize at this time, the opportunity is not only a "golden" opportunity but also a strong and great force to restructure the development ecosystem, build multimedia media agencies to strategically position the new position, new strength and new prestige of Vietnamese journalism in the new era.
I think it doesn't matter whether it's called a corporation or a group, because it's just a "beautiful name". The deciding factor is the position, strength, power and reputation. Understanding these issues, there will definitely be a worthy name!
Need to have own positioning, own identity
In the context of plans to streamline and reorganize press agencies being calculated, some press agencies expressed concerns, what do you think about this?
+ In response to the development requirements of the new era, the Party’s leadership of the press remains a principle. In the current conditions, this is more strictly required than ever. It not only aims to ensure that the press maintains its principles and purposes, fully carries out its noble mission and develops comprehensively; but also empowers and encourages the press to develop with its own identity and strength.
Looking back at the development of revolutionary journalism over the past 100 years, we see more clearly and believe in that fundamental point. First of all, as a mirror reflecting society, the voice of the Party, the State, political and social organizations and a forum for the people, the Vietnamese press has constantly developed diversity and identity, while ensuring the unity of the system of values of revolutionary journalism in the multi-dimensional and multi-faceted movement of the country and the times.
Mr. DUONG NGOC HAI , Member of the Standing Committee of the City Party Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee:
Newspaper reorganization is an opportunity for comprehensive innovation
In the context that the whole country is implementing the arrangement and reorganization of the administrative apparatus towards streamlining, effectiveness and efficiency, press agencies are not outside of that general process. Restructuring the press organization is an inevitable requirement to improve operational efficiency, ensuring adaptation to the development trend of modern media and the practical requirements of the country in the new period.
I believe that the team of journalists and press agencies are the force that understands better than anyone else this great policy of the Party and the State. Therefore, I hope that the press agencies will not only agree but also proactively participate and actively carry out the process of reorganizing and operating in a methodical, scientific and effective manner.
This is also the time for each press agency to look back at itself, reorganize its internal apparatus, review and evaluate the actual capacity of its staff, adjust its operating model, and build appropriate mechanisms and policies that are close to the specific characteristics of each unit. This should be considered an opportunity for comprehensive innovation from organizational methods, personnel structure to content orientation and journalism technology.
Every journalist also needs to proactively realize that the process of restructuring the apparatus is not a barrier, but an opportunity for self-reflection, self-assessment and self-improvement. In any circumstance, journalists need to maintain political will, professional ethics, constantly learn, master modern journalism technology, flexibly adapt to the digital media environment and digital transformation requirements.
Only when each individual and press organization truly changes in a positive, proactive, creative and professional direction can they contribute to building a professional, humane, modern revolutionary press that best serves the cause of national development in the new era.
In that context, each newspaper must position itself with its own unique values, imbued with identity. From there, create a vibrant and harmonious Vietnamese press ecosystem, unified and rich in identity, on the basis of law and ethics. Why does the public need to seek out and even place their trust in this press agency or that news agency, even prestigious writers? That is the identity, the unique positioning of each newspaper. With it, there is no need to worry about being outdated or left behind.
When newspapers have their own positioning, each newspaper is "a unique face, rich in identity" in the hearts of the nation and the world, then growth, especially reaching out and shining, even if not desired, will come by itself.
Need a worthy mechanism in special cities
So, in order to effectively arrange and reorganize the system of hundreds of Vietnamese press agencies, and nurture and develop press agencies that reach international standards, what important principles do you think should be based on?
+ That is the restructuring of the new press ecosystem. The arrangement of press agencies according to the motto of the Party and State: "Straight - compact - strong". The consultation on the upcoming draft of the Press Law (amended) is even more necessary. Building press and media models must aim at position, qualifications, capacity, quality, prestige and identity to affirm the position of the press. It needs to be studied comprehensively, carefully, deeply, even piloted for consideration and appropriate decisions.
Along with innovation and restructuring of the central press agencies, it is necessary to consider the local press agencies, especially in large-scale provinces and cities with outstanding development potential such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and provinces and cities with promising development potential after the merger.
I know that Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are studying multimedia press models for local press agencies such as press and media groups, which are mentioned in the draft of the Press Law (amended). This is a very necessary thing to do. The issue of strength is not just about the total number but the overall strength. According to this motto, they need to develop press agencies of equal caliber to accompany and shoulder increasingly large and important tasks.
And, especially press agencies with long-standing traditions, brands, contributions not only locally but also nationwide; have great influence on the public, have identity, and are financially autonomous... need to be cherished, especially need to create conditions with appropriate and suitable mechanisms, contributing to raising the position, strength and prestige of the Vietnamese revolutionary press.
Thank you sir.
Identity and matching mechanism
DR. NGUYEN QUANG DUNG (*)
On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Vietnam Revolutionary Press Day (VN), I wonder: "When VN is entering a new era, boldly stepping out into the world with the efforts and expectations of integration, advancing to the big sea of global citizens, cultural industry, businesses... then after a century of development, how will the Vietnamese press reach international stature?" And here are some suggestions.
Positioning and building unique identity and brand
Strong international press agencies not only help the international community understand and position their country better, thereby finding opportunities to travel, study, work, do business, and invest, but also, in the opposite direction, guide their people to find other potential countries.
Reporters cover an event in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: HOANG TRIEU
In Southeast Asia, there are several well-known regional press and media brands, such as The Straits Times (Singapore), Bangkok Post (Thailand), The Jakarta Post (Indonesia), Philippine Daily Inquirer (Philippines)... Other regions also have major brands from China, Japan, many European countries and the US.
For a press and media brand to be strong and reach international level, it must first position, build and develop its own identity. Each press agency can participate in more or less fields, but to create its own mark, it needs to have specialized press products. As in Vietnam, the question is which content area each press agency will focus on, which information sources will be utilized, for example investment, business, law or culture, heritage, etc.
Even though each press agency publishes millions of different products about Vietnam, its uniqueness or identity will be a competitive factor, not only with domestic but also international press. Choosing one or a few specific aspects, creating attractive, multimedia, multi-platform press products, in which special attention is paid to applying social networking platforms, will be the way to attract groups of loyal readers - listeners - viewers.
For example, the cultural industry in Vietnam is still a fertile ground for the press to exploit. Choosing unique perspectives on Vietnamese culture and highlighting them (regularly) in press products can attract a loyal audience, even urging them to come to Vietnam to experience it. Many press agencies in Japan, Korea, etc. have done this very well.
Government policy is very important
To develop the country's press system, both serving political goals and undertaking information tasks, including foreign information and "people's diplomacy", press agencies not only need strategic vision, but also need internal strength, for example, strength in talent and technology.
To achieve that, the State’s policies are very important. A specific financial mechanism will be a breakthrough; along with policies to encourage and facilitate press agencies with brands, reputations, contributions, and dissemination… will help them, whether they are central or local newspapers, to reach international levels.
In addition, there needs to be legal regulations that both ensure information security and open up a large space for journalistic creativity - especially in the fields of digital content and AI. The State needs to have policies to encourage press agencies to invest in technology infrastructure, AI, big data and modern distribution platforms; and to act as a catalyst in connecting Vietnamese media with international partners.
In addition, instead of providing traditional subsidy funding, we should switch to ordering media products to serve national strategies on image, culture, foreign policy, etc.
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The identity of the press agency seen from a technical solution
The identity or uniqueness of each press agency is created by the harmonious combination of long-term repetition of journalistic works with content (economic, legal or cultural), writing style, presentation/expression, and unique approach (solution journalism, investigation or reflection...).
To do so, it is imperative to utilize artificial intelligence tools in a wide range of tasks, from editorial operations to newsroom operations, product production, and brand promotion. For example, applying AI to understand user preferences and “personalize” news for readers. In other words, readers decide what news is displayed on their screens.
Or apply AI to visualize data, create vivid pictures and graphics instead of dry and lifeless statistical tables. Or apply AI to interact with users in "interactive graphics" journalism, interactive games, and even "challenges", helping users feel more interested and entertained when reading the news.
Recorded by DO THIEN
(*) Dr. Nguyen Quang Dung, communications expert, graduated with an interdisciplinary doctorate from the National University of Singapore (NUS) in the joint doctoral program between NUS and the Harvard Yenching Institute at Harvard University ( USA).
Source: https://ttbc-hcm.gov.vn/viet-nam-can-co-nhung-co-quan-bao-chi-tam-co-quoc-te-1018956.html
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