The country cannot grow without the growth of the press.

HNN.VN - That was the speech of poet Nguyen Khoa Diem, former member of the Politburo, former Secretary of the Party Central Committee, former Head of the Central Ideology and Culture Committee at the seminar "Hue Press accompanies the development of the homeland and the country", recently organized by the Hue City Journalists Association in coordination with the Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Committee of the City Party Committee, the Department of Culture and Sports on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Vietnam Revolutionary Press Day. We respectfully introduce to readers the full text of the speech.

Poet Nguyen Khoa Diem speaks at the seminar " Hue press accompanies the development of the homeland and country"

Vietnamese press was born in the feudal colonial society, under the oppression of colonialism, but since 1925, with the presence of Thanh Nien Newspaper founded by President Ho Chi Minh, the country's press has had an important transformation, the press has attached itself to the cause of national independence and socialism, contributing to the convergence and stability of national politics , enriching the nation's intelligence, culture and language.

The development of revolutionary journalism in Vietnam over the past 100 years is a unique intellectual and cultural flow in the historical process of the nation.

Vietnamese people who grew up reading news and articles from newspapers will be proud of their country’s press. We will never forget the worthy contributions of journalists who fought for many years in bombs, prisons, war zones and in the heart of the city, often enduring hardship and professional pressure.

We are grateful for the leadership of President Ho Chi Minh and the Party and State agencies that have wholeheartedly directed and helped the press to continuously grow.

Thua Thien Hue Newspaper - the predecessor of today's Hue Newspaper - contributed to the flow of Vietnamese Revolutionary Journalism. Photo: Q.Phong

In our common pride, we have our own pride of a city that was once one of the press centers of the country. During those 100 years, Hue press was closely associated with political, economic, and cultural events not only of the locality, but also of national importance. Many journalists became famous names of the whole country. Many newspapers in Hue attracted the collaboration and debate of the Central region and both ends of the country.

Through the press, our people clearly see that Hue is joining the whole country, with the whole country in a common cause. The event of Hue becoming a city directly under the Central Government marks the joint efforts of the Party and the people, including the efforts of the press.

In the immediate future, those working in the field of journalism are facing new opportunities and challenges, even new pressures. When information and information exploitation become a global phenomenon through electronic devices, journalism can easily become an easy and dangerous "handyman" profession. Anyone can "do journalism" in their own way. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence (AI) technology can paint the most deceitful stories. Pens and cameras can also be used as tools for extortion. Honest journalists can be humiliated by those with money and means.

Despite such difficulties, press development is always a mandatory order of life because the country cannot grow in all aspects without the growth of the press, and people cannot build trust without trust in speech and expression. Developing and protecting the press is posing many urgent demands today. The people are expecting us to have a rich, healthy press that is on par with the great cause of the country and contributes to the vanguard in that cause. That press is under the leadership of the Party and the supervision of the People.

Such journalism must begin with each journalist.

Exhibition of images and documents about Hue press in the flow of 100 years of Vietnamese revolutionary press (June 21, 1925 - June 21, 2025). Photo: Q.Phong

As someone who lives in a family with a four-generation tradition of journalism and has direct experience with the activities of my relatives, I believe that a journalist who wants to maintain his reputation and contribute to society needs to have the following basic qualities:

-A strong rational mind. A single-minded focus on objective truth. Determined to fight for the truth. Never back down from any pressure. For the truth, they are willing to be witnesses at the forefront with their photos and passionate articles, bringing trust to society.

-A deep idealistic aspiration, wholeheartedly serving the nation, the people, and society.

-A cultural level equal to the development of the nation and the times.

- Proficiency in language use.

-A kind personality to handle complex relationships in journalism.

In conclusion, I believe that rationality, idealistic aspirations, cultural understanding, language proficiency and decent personality are still the basic requirements that make up the appearance of modern Vietnamese journalists, helping them to make worthy contributions to the new era of national development.

Nguyen Khoa Diem

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/chinh-tri-xa-hoi/dat-nuoc-khong-the-lon-manh-neu-khong-co-su-lon-manh-cua-bao-chi-154809.html