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Journalist Pham Phi Thuong answers the press about the Cai Luong talent search program "Golden Pearls" of VTV Can Tho . Photo: DUY KHOI |
Accompanying the past century of our country's revolutionary press, journalists from the Southwest have always strived to affirm their position, leaving many indelible marks.
On this occasion, the Composition - Research page, Can Tho Newspaper would like to respectfully introduce the series of articles "Southwest Journalism - Unfading Marks", published every Sunday, on the following days: June 1, June 8, June 15 and June 22.
Lesson 1: Journalist Pham Phi Thuong and the simple things of journalism
Journalist Pham Phi Thuong is the former Director of Vietnam Television Center in Can Tho, former Director of Ca Mau Radio and Television Station, currently retired, living in Can Tho City. During morning coffee sessions with him, the story I heard the most was about his half-century of journalism, which he told with passion and emotion. Journalist Pham Phi Thuong fell in love with journalism from such ordinary stories!
“Unfading memories”
In the atmosphere of the whole country celebrating the 100th anniversary of Vietnam Revolutionary Press Day, journalist Pham Phi Thuong has his own way of "celebrating", which is to launch the book "Unfading Memories". Each page of the book is like a page of life, recounting his very long career journey. I have read many articles and essays by him under the pen name Phuong Thuy, when I asked him, he smiled: "Phi Thuong just says Phuong Thuy, that's all!".
Not just a pen name, along with the title of journalist Pham Phi Thuong, the pen name Phuong Thuy has marked a famous journalist, loved and respected by the press in the delta. The Minh Hai journalism and literary community in the 80s of the 20th century had many famous writers, and among them, Phuong Thuy had a special position. Writer Nguyen Trong Tin recalled: "At that time, articles signed with the pen name Phuong Thuy always attracted the attention of readers because of the direct approach to people's lives and the author's responsible interpretations and comments". Writer Nguyen Trong Tin recalled the memory of the article "New cars" by Phuong Thuy, published in Lao Dong newspaper, with a unique comparison: "When an official "rides" on a luxury car, it is like riding on hundreds of buffaloes of farmers who have to grow rice on 1.5 hectares, an average of 3.5 tons/hectare for 101 years!".
From left to right: journalist Pham Phi Thuong; journalist Huu Tho, former member of the Party Central Committee, former Head of the Central Ideology and Culture Department; journalist Ngo Phong, Editor-in-Chief of An Giang Newspaper; journalist Nhi Le, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Communist Magazine, at the 8th Congress of the Vietnam Journalists Association , 2005. Photo: NVCC
Mentioning this, journalist Pham Phi Thuong seems to relive his youth with Minh Hai newspaper, Ca Mau. In 1989, he transferred from Minh Hai newspaper to work at Ca Mau Radio and Television Station, making his first mark with the report "Who destroys the forest", creating a big buzz, winning the Silver Medal at the National Television Festival. At that time, life was still difficult, provincial agencies flocked to Nam Can mangrove forest to raise shrimp. He and cameraman Phan Trong Nghia went to the field, filming 7 VHS tapes, 840 minutes of tape, to recount this situation. The process of making the report encountered many difficulties. He always remembers a comment in the report: "Is it Dong Thap Muoi? No, this is a small corner of Tan An commune forest", accompanied by a panning scene of immense water and mangrove roots that have never returned.
The two stories above partly sketch the portrait of a young journalist who dares to speak out, a critical writer with sharp arguments. However, readers also know journalist Phuong Thuy with a gentle, profound writing style like the scent of cajuput trees in the vast U Minh forest. At the end of 1980, he wrote the memoir "Forest Village", drawing a vivid picture of the land and people of U Minh rising after the war. In the end, he wrote: "Tonight, the sky of U Minh seems higher and wider. Somewhere I hear the voice of a girl like a sweet mangosteen; there is the loving voice of an old mother, along with the innocent babbling of babies, mixed with the rustling of leaves, the sound of waves lapping against the shore... Those were the days when U Minh hurriedly entered the threshold of the new year, 1981. There was a strong belief that all the people of U Minh were heading straight ahead". There is a rich literary quality in the quality of national journalism, under the pen of Phuong Thuy!
Pioneer
About 20 years ago, the art program on television “Am vang mien Tay” was truly a big brand, in the context of the audience lacking entertainment programs with the colors of the delta. Mentioning this program, Uncle Pham Phi Thuong still does not forget the “historic meeting” of Western journalists in the capital. That was around September 2005, the National Radio Industry Summary Conference was held in Hanoi. One afternoon, Uncle Tu Linh, aka journalist Nguyen Hong Linh, Director of Can Tho City Radio and Television Station called and invited Uncle Phi Thuong to a meeting at West Lake. Uncle Phi Thuong said: “When we arrived at West Lake, Mr. Tu Hong Linh, Mr. Tu Ha (i.e. journalist Nguyen Thanh Ha, Director of Kien Giang Province Radio and Television Station), and Mr. Hai Tran Nha (Director of Tien Giang Province Radio and Television Station) were present. Mr. Tu Hong Linh raised the issue of the stations having to link up to have a wider broadcasting range, which would result in better advertising. But the problem was that there had to be a program with a common name for the stations.”
Sipping hot tea, Uncle Phi Thuong continued: "This task was assigned to me, Ut Ca Mau, to think and propose". From that meeting, the program "Am vang mien Tay" was born, the first episode was broadcast on Can Tho Radio and Television Station, connecting to the following stations: Tien Giang, Kien Giang and Ca Mau. Rotating every 3 months, each station built its own art and variety program, "Am vang mien Tay" quickly became a famous television entertainment brand throughout the country. A live television program with ticket sales, not enough tickets to sell and even a scholarship fund "Am vang mien Tay" was established.
Journalist Pham Phi Thuong (7th, from left) with leaders of Ca Mau province, at the TV program to learn about Vietnamese history "Speedy Footsteps", 2007. Photo: NVCC
Journalist Nguyen Hoang Le, who used to work at Ca Mau Radio and Television Station, shared that in the journey of building and developing, Ca Mau Radio and Television Station - CTV under the leadership of journalist Pham Phi Thuong has always maintained its identity, from traditional music and dance programs, reformed opera, amateur music... to TV game shows, talent search competitions... Programs such as "Am vang mien Tay", "Buoc chan than toc", "Tieng hat dien hinh Ca Mau", "Giong ca cai luong - Bong Tram Award"... have become familiar "dishes", and are now the memories of many generations of audiences. By skillfully blending tradition and modernity, CTV not only preserves local cultural heritage but also brings audiences to the future. Journalist Nguyen Phi Thuong is a silent bee in the middle of the immense cajuput forest to contribute sweet honey.
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The book “Unfading Memories” by journalist Pham Phi Thuong. Photo: DUY KHOI |
Speaking of this, Mr. Pham Phi Thuong remembered “Speedy Footsteps”. That was a game show on television that was born very early in the Mekong Delta, bearing the mark of CTV. He said that in 2008, the peak year when many candidates scored zero points in the History subject of the university entrance exam. The problem that many people saw was that the teaching of History lacked creativity, was difficult to understand, and was difficult to remember, leading to students considering History as a secondary subject, not important. So CTV collaborated with the Nhat Advertising Media Company to create the television program “Speedy Footsteps”, simulating the speedy marching steps of King Quang Trung - Nguyen Hue in the battle to defeat the Qing army in 1789. The program combined physical games with a very attractive and dramatic history knowledge contest.
Later, when he was the Director of the Vietnam Television Center in Can Tho, still enthusiastic and devoted to the culture of the delta, journalist Pham Phi Thuong advocated launching many programs with strong Western characteristics. The contest "Golden Pearl" is an example, with the effort to find Cai Luong stage talents. From here, faces like Minh Truong, Nha Thy, Thu My, Tieu Nhi, Kim Cuong, Thanh Tien... were able to shine and become a launching pad to go further in their careers. I still remember at the press conference about the contest, journalist Pham Phi Thuong shared the general idea that: Western people love Cai Luong, Don Ca Tai Tu. But the youth today seem not very interested, VTV Can Tho wants to bring a fresh breeze to revive Cai Luong. Perhaps it is also from that desire that the "captain" of VTV Can Tho has made efforts to build a television cai luong stage with the programs "Hoa dieu dat Chin Rong", "Tieng to dong", "San cai luong" ... contributing to preserving the unique art form of the Southern stage.
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Talking about the launch of the book “Unfading Memories”, journalist Pham Phi Thuong mused that the events and people recorded and left behind in the articles may have changed. Each place name is the breath of history. Time passes, but memories remain. That is forever the nostalgia of his memorable time working for Minh Hai newspaper. He said so modestly. But for writer Nguyen Trong Tin, “Unfading Memories” presents to readers a voice, a literary and journalistic face with personality and above all, a passionate love for the land where the author was born and grew up.
Having coffee with him, he always returned to the topic of journalism. For me, reading books and listening to his stories about his career, I learned many things, from simple yet profound things.
DANG HUYNH
Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/bao-chi-tay-nam-bo-nhung-dau-son-khong-phai-a187018.html
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