Newspapers still have their own territory.

The name Mai Nhiễu is well-known in the Vietnamese newspaper distribution industry, especially during the golden age of print newspapers. From a former military engineer who transitioned to civilian work, she dedicated her youth and passion to bringing Party newspapers directly to readers. On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the first issue of Nhân Dân Newspaper, we had a conversation with her – the former Head of the Distribution Department of Nhân Dân Newspaper, a woman who, though retired, is still actively involved in her work despite being in her seventies.

- Reporter: What circumstances led a soldier from the Engineering Command to become a female "leader" in the distribution of Nhan Dan Newspaper for several decades, Madam?

- Ms. Mai Nhiễu: In 1967, amidst the most intense phase of the resistance war against the US, I enlisted and served in the army for five years. In 1972, I transferred to the People's Newspaper, working in the Reader Relations Department. My daily work at that time involved reading letters from readers across the country. Those letters, imbued with the people's love and loyalty to the Party, deeply influenced my thinking. I understood what readers needed and expected from connecting with the Party newspaper. From then on, the passion for publishing began to seep into me without me even realizing it.

- Many people still talk about the period when Nhan Dan Newspaper reached record circulation figures. Could you give us a glimpse into what that time was like?

In my memory, the glorious period of the Nhan Dan Newspaper's publication wasn't measured by dry numbers in the books, but by the image of patient lines of people waiting under the yellow lights before dawn. It was a time when the Party newspaper was not just information, but the "soul" of spiritual life, a guiding light for every family and every Party member. There were days when the data had just been transmitted, the printing press hadn't even cooled down, and the distributors were already waiting outside the door. That was a happiness that journalists in the digital age today might find difficult to fully appreciate.

I vividly remember the scene at the Trang Tien Post Office , where people lined up from early morning to buy the Nhan Dan newspaper. At that time, I and Mr. Do Quang were directly involved in selling the newspapers. There were times when demand exceeded supply, and we had to constantly ask the Editorial Board to instruct the printing house to print more copies even during the night.

Newspapers carried immense weight back then. Articles by Hoang Tung, Hong Ha, Thep Moi, Ha Dang, Huu Tho, Hong Vinh, Dinh The Huynh, and Nguyen Thao caused a nationwide stir, attracting countless readers. For them, Nhan Dan Newspaper was a source of faith. Some editorials and international news stories captivated readers with every word. The beauty of that era was that people read newspapers not just for news; they read to reflect and to discuss. It could be said that the newspaper was the heartbeat of the times, the breath of change. If there was one place that most accurately reflected the vitality of Nhan Dan Newspaper, it was the Trang Tien area and Dinh Tien Hoang Street.

- Daily newspapers are already very appealing, what about Tet (Lunar New Year) newspapers, madam?

Every Tet holiday, the entire editorial office resembles a "battlefield." When it's time to publish the newspaper, from 3-4 a.m., before the fog has even lifted, street vendors and newspaper distributors gather in large numbers. We – the distribution team – have to manage a huge workload right on the sidewalk. The newspapers, still warm from the printing press, arrive at the station, and hundreds of hands are raised, everyone wanting to be the first to get their hands on one. The people's reverence for the Tet newspaper is so great that some families place the Nhan Dan newspaper on their altars along with the five-fruit offering to burn incense. For them, the Nhan Dan newspaper is a symbol of guidance, a connection between individuals and the destiny of the nation during the most sacred moment of the year.

- To bring Nhan Dan Newspaper to its readers, you must have traveled a lot, right?

Throughout the history of Nhan Dan Newspaper, distribution was not simply about transporting stacks of printed paper. At its peak, Nhan Dan Newspaper was printed not only in Hanoi but also had seven satellite printing houses scattered from Nghe An, Da Nang, Binh Dinh, Dak Lak to Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho. The task of the Head of Distribution at that time was to ensure that by 6 a.m., readers in Ca Mau also had a copy of the newspaper in their hands at the same time as readers in the capital.

The supplement to the six socio -economic regions in the daily print edition of Nhan Dan Newspaper began in March 2023. (Photo: THANH DAT)

Those in the distribution business couldn't stay in one place. I traveled to every province and city across the country to check if the newspapers arrived on time and if there were any bottlenecks in the mail routes. Of all those trips, the most memorable were the times I went to Ha Giang (formerly). The road to the border back then was full of jagged rocks, inaccessible to cars, so I and Mr. Can Van Lung had to walk dozens of kilometers in torrential rain. When we arrived at the Tung Vai Border Guard Post and saw the soldiers and teachers in the highlands carefully handling the Nhan Dan Newspaper, even though the edges were worn, all my fatigue and the hardships of the long journey vanished.

Instead of waiting for the post office to deliver the newspapers, I proactively built my own distribution network by establishing 35 self-managed newsstands throughout Hanoi's alleyways. I adopted the mindset of American newspaper millionaires who rose from being street newspaper deliverymen. If you want people to read newspapers, they have to be in the most visible places. I delivered newspapers to agents, even to tea vendors and motorbike taxi drivers, so that anyone could become a "distributor" of Nhan Dan Newspaper.

- As a publishing expert and also involved in the economics of journalism, what are your views on balancing the task of disseminating information with the pursuit of profit?

I always tell young reporters: For a newspaper to thrive, the writers must be sharp, and those in distribution must be dedicated. For me, Nhan Dan Newspaper is my lifeblood. After retiring in 2007, I established a family company to continue the distribution work. During difficult periods, I didn't take a single penny of the markup to maintain customer relationships and ensure the newspaper's publication wasn't interrupted. In distribution, the newspaper had to arrive before breakfast. If the post office was slow, I would proactively send it by bus to expedite delivery. That's the reputation I've built over the past 50 years.

- In the context of the boom in online news and social media, the decline of print newspapers is inevitable. Are you worried about the future of print newspapers and their distribution in the coming period?

I'm worried, but I'm not pessimistic. Social media is fast, but print newspapers, especially Party newspapers, always have an irreplaceable level of reliability and depth. Many people say print newspapers are obsolete, but I have a different perspective. It's true that technology brings speed, but it also brings superficiality and information overload. Online news can deliver news in seconds, but print newspapers, especially those published by Nhan Dan, always provide a sense of direction and depth that social media can never offer. Modern journalism needs integration, but I always believe that print newspapers still have their own "territory." In an era where information needs to be accurate rather than fast but requiring editing, the information in Nhan Dan newspaper, for readers, is not just news; it's an enjoyment, an absolute trust in carefully verified words. That's how print newspapers win against social media through their genuine value and dedication. I believe that in any era, every journalist should be a newspaper distributor. Newspapers can still thrive if they are run by dedicated people who know how to exploit every loophole in the market to bring information to those who still yearn for traditional values.

- To achieve such a successful career, did she receive tremendous support from her family?

My husband, Mr. Phan Van Hue, is also a soldier. Since retiring in 1990, he has been my "right hand." There were times when he would get up at 2 or 3 in the morning to go with me to the post office to sort newspapers so they could be delivered on time to the buses. My whole family lives off the Nhan Dan Newspaper. We are not rich in money, but we are rich in the respect from our colleagues and readers.

Thank you for this inspiring conversation. I wish you continued good health so that you can continue your journey of bringing the Party newspaper to every home!

According to Nhan Dan newspaper

Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/xa-hoi/202603/bao-giay-van-co-lanh-dia-rieng-dad1379/