On the afternoon of April 24, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification Day (April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2025), at the headquarters of the National News Center, Vietnam News Agency held a talk show "Continuing the heroic epic."
This is a special occasion to pay tribute to generations of cadres, reporters, technicians and staff of the News Agency – those who have made important contributions to the resistance wars to protect the Fatherland and carry out international duties in Laos and Cambodia.
The program was held live and online at three locations: the National News Agency Center in Hanoi ; the Vietnam News Agency Information Center for the Central Highlands region in Da Nang, and the Vietnam News Agency Information Center for the Southern region in Ho Chi Minh City.
Attending the program were Party Central Committee member, President of Vietnam Journalists Association , Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper Le Quoc Minh; Permanent Vice President of Vietnam Journalists Association Nguyen Duc Loi; representatives of leaders of central departments, ministries and branches; leaders of Division 304 - the sister unit of Vietnam News Agency; relatives of martyrs and war invalids of Vietnam News Agency and especially 400 cadres, reporters, editors, technicians and employees of Vietnam News Agency and Military News Agency who participated in resistance wars to protect the Fatherland and performed international duties in Laos and Cambodia.
The glorious journey of the News Industry
Speaking at the ceremony, Party Secretary and General Director of Vietnam News Agency Vu Viet Trang expressed his respect and deep gratitude to all generations of cadres, reporters, technicians and employees of Vietnam News Agency. It is the silent and persistent contributions of the previous generation that have created a glorious and proud journey for the Vietnam Revolutionary News Agency.
General Director Vu Viet Trang stated: The history of Vietnam's revolutionary press has recorded the profound mark of Vietnam News Agency as a strategic and reliable information agency of the Party and State throughout the great resistance wars. During the arduous war years, with patriotism, bravery and steadfast will, News Agency journalists were present in all battlefields, vividly reflecting the heroic fight of our army and people for independence, freedom and national reunification.
With patriotism, bravery and steadfastness, the journalists of the News Agency were present in all battlefields, vividly reflecting the heroic fight of our army and people for independence, freedom and national unification.
In particular, during the resistance war against the US to save the country, Vietnam News Agency reporters in the North always closely followed the realities of production and combat. In the South, on October 12, 1960, the first bulletin of the Liberation News Agency marked the birth of the official voice from the battlefield, making an important contribution to the transmission of information and encouragement of the revolutionary movement.
During its 15 years of existence (1960-1975), the Liberation News Agency received more than 450 cadres and reporters from Vietnam News Agency, working side by side with the armed forces, continuously broadcasting urgent news, boosting the will of compatriots and soldiers both in the rear and on the front lines.
The peak was April 30, 1975 - a sacred historical milestone when Vietnam News Agency had the honor of broadcasting the first images and news about the great victory of the Spring General Offensive and Uprising, opening an era of independence, freedom and national unification.
To have that historic Spring, nearly 260 cadres, reporters, and technicians of Vietnam News Agency sacrificed their lives or suffered lifelong disabilities. Those losses are forever engraved in the glorious history of the industry.
Entering the period of innovation and integration, inheriting the heroic tradition, today's generations of News Agencies continue to take the lead in hot spots and important events of the country and the world , with the spirit of innovation, creativity, and strong application of technology, creating modern, high-quality press products, honored at major awards.
According to General Director Vu Viet Trang, Vietnam News Agency is gradually innovating its operating model, streamlining its apparatus according to Resolution 18-NQ/TW, operating effectively with 22 units and a network of permanent offices covering the whole country and abroad. With more than 1,000 reporters, editors, and technicians working comprehensively on all platforms, Vietnam News Agency is providing more than 60 diverse information products, actively contributing to the development of the country's press.
In the journey of writing heroic poems of the country, Vietnam News Agency has always received the attention and direction of the Party and State leaders, and the sincere and effective coordination of ministries, departments, branches, and localities, especially of Division 304 with the code name Vinh Quang Division - a unit that has been loyal and steadfast to Vietnam News Agency for more than six decades and the Military News Agency.
“The glorious tradition of the Vietnam News Agency’s soldier journalists is a valuable foundation for today’s generation to continue their efforts to write the heroic epic in the era of national development. The touching stories of the profession are still being written by passionate hearts and tireless dedication, contributing to the development of the Vietnam News Agency, worthy of being a national news agency in the digital age,” General Director Vu Viet Trang stated.
Memories of the heroic years
During the exchange part of the discussion, the young generation of Vietnam News Agency met and listened to the stories of the guests.
With intact memories of the historic day of April 30, 1975, journalist Tran Mai Huong, former General Director of Vietnam News Agency, said that he and his colleagues entered the center of Saigon early in the morning.
At that time, on many sections of the highway, the commando car carrying the group of reporters had to stick close to the side of the tank, sometimes moving to the right, sometimes to the left to avoid the enemy's return fire. The tank took the lead, followed by the armored vehicles, the infantry vehicles, and 130mm artillery providing support along both sides of the road, the convoy headed straight for the Independence Palace.
The Vietnam News Agency reporters arrived at the Independence Palace when the first tanks had crashed through the palace gate and entered the yard. As soon as they arrived, journalist Tran Mai Huong jumped out of the car and witnessed the image of tank 846 gallantly advancing through the iron gate that had just been crashed.
A reporter’s reflex prompted him to raise his camera and take a picture. The photo was later titled “Liberation Army tanks entering the Independence Palace at noon on April 30, 1975.”
He took exactly one photo, then sent the film to Hanoi. The photo was widely used by many domestic and foreign press agencies, becoming a symbol of the April 30 victory day. But it was not until more than a year later, when he returned to his office in Hanoi, that he saw the photo he had taken with his own eyes.
For journalist Nguyen Ngoc Bich, former reporter and editor of the Southern News Department, she is proud to have lived and witnessed the glorious and brilliant days of our army and people defeating the most powerful empire in the world.
She still remembers that at that time, news of victory poured in from everywhere. Reporters and editors, without being told, were all present at the office from 6 o'clock and stayed as late as possible in the evening to wait for news.
“On the morning of April 30, 1975, at 10:30, the Board received news that our troops had entered the Independence Palace. Saigon had been liberated. A series of loud fireworks exploded from the fifth floor of the Vietnam News Agency at its headquarters at 5 Ly Thuong Kiet (Hanoi). During those historic days, there were always many people waiting in front of the agency to receive news. The fireworks exploded, and a wave of people crowded the park in front of the agency, cheering loudly. Many people cried and shouted loudly: 'Long live Ho Chi Minh, Long live Vietnam', and then the whole sea of people sang the song "Liberation of the South" by musician Luu Huu Phuoc," Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Bich recalled.
Representing the young generation of Vietnam News Agency attending the discussion, reporter Cao Thuy Giang, VietnamPlus Electronic Newspaper, was moved when listening to stories from veteran journalists and historical witnesses.
Ms. Giang has learned more about the heroic, arduous, sacrificial but extremely proud and unforgettable years of those who worked for revolutionary news agencies, also to commemorate the martyrs who fell for the cause of national liberation, unification of the Fatherland, for the cause of the News Agency, contributing to building the glorious tradition of the Vietnam News Agency, the unit honored to be awarded 3 Heroic titles by the Party and State.
“We were born in peacetime and did not experience the hardships and difficulties of veteran journalists of the News Agency, but we have a new mission to continue the epic that our predecessors started. We always tell ourselves that we must strive harder to continue the proud tradition of the National News Agency,” Ms. Cao Thuy Giang expressed./.
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/ban-hung-ca-cua-nganh-thong-tan-cach-mang-viet-nam-post1034846.vnp
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