Politics must be firm but not dry.

Writing about the Party means having a heart for the Party.

+ Sir, looking back at the past 99 years of the Vietnamese Revolutionary Press, how do you evaluate the position and role of the press in the Party and among the people?

- In the revolutionary cause, President Ho Chi Minh always considered the press and the press team as a part of the revolutionary cause, a sharp weapon in the struggle for national independence and building a new life for the people. In the past 99 years, the Vietnamese Revolutionary Press has done a very good job of serving the people, serving the nation, serving the Fatherland, being a "bridge", an "extended arm" of the Party and the State. On the cultural and ideological front, our press is a pioneer soldier, a special "army"... with an extremely important position in the hearts of the Party and the people. Journalist Hoang Tung once said a very memorable sentence: "The people are the objects of service, not to propagate empty things. For the truth, for the ideal, even if we lose everything, even if we die, we will not retreat..."

Veteran journalist Ha Dang talks with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh

In reality, life is very vivid, that is where journalists create journalistic works that are close, authentic, and have the power to move the public. Comrade To Huu once advised us, the young journalists of the past: "To be a Party journalist, you must have 3 university degrees, which are political university, cultural university, and life university". Life university is to go into life to honestly reflect life, discover life's problems, and propose solutions. I myself am not a person who specializes in writing about Party building. But for the Party's Resolutions, especially the Resolution on Party building, I have researched and written with passion and responsibility.

It is clear that the contribution of the press in general and the Party press system in particular to the revolutionary cause of the Party is enormous. Besides the effective propaganda of policies, we must also mention the issue of propaganda on Party building and rectification, which we have always carried out very persistently and systematically. In propaganda on Party building, in addition to the good and positive aspects, we also always attach importance to the fight against the degenerate aspects.

Currently, in the Party's press system, there are two largest and most important newspapers: Nhan Dan Newspaper and Communist Magazine. In addition, the People's Army Newspaper and the Communist Party of Vietnam Electronic Newspaper also have many very good ways of deploying information, especially clearly demonstrating the role of fighting against wrong and hostile forces, protecting the Party's ideological foundation. In addition, many other press agencies from the Central to local Party newspapers have been doing a good job of propagating Party building. All of these efforts have been recognized and created a great strength in orienting political ideology, stabilizing social order, bringing the policies and resolutions of the Party and State to the people, and bringing the voice of the people to the Party.

+ It can be seen that the Revolutionary Press, in any era, always carries within itself ideals, missions, Party spirit, and revolutionary spirit. But in the current context, the times seem to be challenging and greatly affecting the mettle and pen of journalists. What is your opinion on this, sir?

- It is true that journalism today seems easier than in the past, but in the ease there are also many difficulties. In addition to paying attention to journalistic ethics, the profession of collecting news and documents online is facing fake news, bad news, and toxic news. Journalists who are not politically steadfast and have poor awareness are easily manipulated by fake news, bad news, leading to mistakes, and sometimes becoming accomplices of media criminals.

The social reality today is different from the past in many ways, which also makes it difficult for journalists. However, the responsibility of the press is still to protect the regime, to bring the Party's guidelines, lines and policies into life. We must go deep into life, find every way to reflect life to speak from vivid reality, to see whether the Party and State's guidelines and policies are suitable and have been promoted or not? Another difficulty is that professional capacity must also be cultivated and flexibility in reflection and criticism.

The press has the right to reflect and criticize mistakes and mention shortcomings, but it must be in a constructive spirit; criticizing the bad must go hand in hand with praising and encouraging the good; if it only criticizes the bad and paints a picture of society that is always dark, it is not objective, not good, not right. Fairness, balance and objectivity in information and propaganda are also manifestations of the Party's character.

Veteran journalist Ha Dang. Photo: Son Hai

During the revolutionary career, President Ho Chi Minh always considered the press and the press team as a part of the revolutionary career, a sharp weapon in the struggle for national independence and building a new life for the people. During the past 99 years, the Vietnamese Revolutionary Press has done a very good job of serving the people, serving the nation, serving the Fatherland, being a "bridge", an "extended arm" of the Party and the State. On the cultural and ideological front, our press is a pioneer soldier, a special "army"... with an extremely important position in the hearts of the Party and the people.

+ You once shared that: For you, writing about the Party is the responsibility and honor of a journalist. So when writing about the Party, what issues do writers need to write and exploit, sir?

- Over the past 70 years, I have not always worked as a journalist but have held many different positions. All were assigned and arranged by the Party and the organization, and I voluntarily followed them but worked with interest and passion. I think that writing about the Party is not only about what the Party cares about in its leadership, but first of all, about what cadres, party members and the people care about the Party, that is, about the leader of the revolution.

The People's concern for the Party covers many areas, from its history to its ideology; from the process of building, maturing and developing the Party in leading the revolution through the periods to the Party's current practical activities, aiming to improve its leadership capacity and fighting strength; from the Party's guidelines, policies and resolutions to the qualities and ethics of Party members and cadres in the new period...

I think that the important thing is that journalists need to have a firm grasp of the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's policies and laws, and the ideology of President Ho Chi Minh, and then stick to real life. If you sit in a room and read a report without practicality, the article will not have vitality, and may even deviate from reality. Therefore, when writing about the Party, you must always have a heart for the Party, and put the interests of the Party and the People above all else. As Uncle Ho said, writing journalism is to serve the revolution, to serve the People, "not to leave a name for eternity".

The press has the right to reflect and criticize mistakes and mention shortcomings, but it must be in a constructive spirit; criticizing the bad must go hand in hand with praising and encouraging the good; if it only criticizes the bad and paints a picture of society that is always dark, it is not objective, not good, not right. Fairness, balance and objectivity in information and propaganda are also manifestations of the Party's character.

The Editor-in-Chief is a politician and a leader.

+ Speaking of the Resolution’s propaganda, I think of your articles in Nhan Dan Newspaper and Communist Magazine. What’s more special is that even when you were Editor-in-Chief, you were still directly in charge of the column and directly wrote important articles in this field. Why is that, journalist?

- In my life, I have experienced five "hai"s: "hai trung", "hai dai", "hai tong", "hai truong", and "hai tro". "Hai trung" means participating in the two terms of the Central Committee VI and VII. "Hai dai" means being a National Assembly delegate for the two terms VIII and IX. "Hai tong" means being the Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper and Editor-in-Chief of Communist Magazine. "Hai truong" means being the Head of the Central Ideology and Culture Committee and Head of the Steering Committee for drafting the complete Party Documents. "Hai tro" means being the Assistant to General Secretary Le Duan and Assistant to General Secretary Nong Duc Manh.

From a young man admitted to the Party at the age of 18, 39 years later he became a member of the Central Committee (term VI, 1986); from a Head of the Commune Propaganda Department (1947) to Head of the Central Ideology and Culture Department (1992); from the first article that could be considered "lucky" published in the provincial newspaper, I became the Editor-in-Chief of two major Party newspapers and magazines, Nhan Dan Newspaper and Communist Magazine...

Someone asked, of the five twos, which two left you with the deepest feelings? I answered: It is difficult to put feelings on the scale. As a party member, I say two loyal, two assistant. As a citizen, I say two great. As someone who does ideological work, I have a heavy heart for the two chiefs. As a journalist, I have a deep affection for the two generals...

Veteran journalist Ha Dang discusses his career with colleagues. Photo: Son Hai

With journalism, passion is not enough, we also need a process of training and learning to gain knowledge, life experience, cultural and scientific knowledge, and experience. With capital and foundation, journalists always have the right perspective, dare to look straight, dare to speak the truth, and not report false news.

Thus, what urged me to write was first of all because “the Party is always in my heart”, and secondly because my professional life is extremely vibrant, with so much practical experience in many roles and positions… Meanwhile, in each specific context, the issues of Party building, protecting the ideological foundation, bringing the Resolution into life… are all important issues, of core nature, and the unique identity of the Party newspaper.

I also always believe that the Editor-in-Chief is a journalist for journalists, a politician and a leader. Not every journalist can be an Editor-in-Chief, but if he is an Editor-in-Chief, he must be a journalist. Therefore, no matter what role he is in, no matter how busy I am, I will never leave my writing career, my pen. Now that I am at an age that is rare, my health is limited, but I still pay attention to the press, still agonize over the stories of current events, of journalism...

Virtue, talent and political courage

+ When it comes to the “vitality” of an article, we often say recently: “If we want to bring the Resolution into life, there must be life in the Resolution”. Journalist Ha Dang, with your experience, is this considered the core point needed for a quality journalistic work on the field of Party building, sir?

- In reality, life is very vivid, that is where journalists create journalistic works that are close, authentic, and have the power to move the public. Comrade To Huu once advised us, the young journalists of the past: "To work in the Party's journalism, you must have 3 university degrees, which are political university, cultural university, and life university." Life university is to go into life to honestly reflect life, discover life's problems, and propose solutions.

I myself am not a professional writer on Party building. But for the Party’s Resolutions, especially the Resolution on Party building, I have researched and written with passion and responsibility. Of course, to write correctly, accurately and well is not easy when this field is often considered 3K – difficult, dry, and miserable. “Hard” and “difficult” are certain, because to write a good article, regardless of genre, one must put in a lot of effort. Whether it is “dry” or not is another matter. Dry or fresh, bland or rich depends largely on the writer’s feelings.

The journalistic quality in me is probably crystallized from the literary quality in writing articles, the literary quality in writing negotiation speeches and the literary quality in writing congress documents. Therefore, when reading my articles, people feel comfortable and satisfied in many ways. Politics must be certain but not dry, but must be close and easy to understand right from the name.

I remember when I was Editor-in-Chief of the Communist Magazine, I paid special attention to the “Ideological Activities” column, publishing short stories with a light style but with high educational and combative qualities, praising good thoughts and good deeds as well as criticizing wrong thoughts and wrong deeds in the Party and in society. The column was invested in improving its quality and the Editor-in-Chief directly participated in writing it. In just 5 years since I became Editor-in-Chief, the Communist Magazine has published nearly 120 Ideological Activities articles, of which I contributed about a quarter, under many different pen names. Many articles were very well received by readers. Some articles were reprinted by one locality or another to distribute to their own Party committees for study…

+ You shared a lot about the Party, about revolutionary journalism... With the nature of journalism serving the People, serving the Party... what qualities do journalists need to cultivate and preserve, sir?

- In many forums when sharing, I still advise young people that to become a true journalist, one needs to have three factors: virtue, talent and political courage. These three factors are like the principle of "three-legged stool", keeping journalists firmly in the profession. Because, journalists at any stage, facing any situation, must be proficient in the profession, must have strong political courage, and have moral qualities. With journalism, we just need to be passionate, but also need a process of training and learning to have knowledge, life experience, cultural and scientific knowledge, and experience knowledge. With capital and foundation, journalists always have the right perspective, dare to look straight, dare to speak the truth, and not report false news.

+ Yes, thank you very much, veteran journalist Ha Dang!

Ha Van (Implementation)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/nha-bao-lao-thanh-ha-dang-chinh-tri-phai-chac-chan-nhung-khong-duoc-kho-khan-post299559.html