Politics must be mastered

“Politics must be in charge. Only when the political line is correct can other things be correct” - that was the teaching of President Ho Chi Minh at the 3rd Congress of the Vietnam Journalists Association in 1962. The press, in its role as the main information channel, not only reflects life but also orients ideology, contributing to building social awareness.

In the Vietnamese revolutionary press system, politics is not only a content area but also the foundation that guides all activities. The 2016 Press Law clearly stipulates: the press must “propagandize, disseminate, contribute to building and protecting the Party’s guidelines and policies, the State’s policies and laws, the achievements of the country and the world…” (Article 4).

Therefore, politics is the guiding principle, ensuring that the press serves the interests of the nation and people.

Readers visit the booth of the Ho Chi Minh City Journalists Association at the National Press Festival 2025

Political control of the press does not mean being dry or dogmatic. It requires the press to accurately reflect issues based on the Party's guidelines and policies. At the same time, information on political issues must be creative to attract the public, thereby strengthening trust in the leadership of the Party and the State. This role becomes even more important in the context of globalization, when information spreads rapidly and is easily distorted.

In recent times, the press has always been at the forefront of reporting and disseminating major political events, helping people understand the country's development orientations. These articles not only provide information but also strengthen social consensus, clearly demonstrating the political role of the press.

The Vietnamese press has also made an important contribution to the fight against corruption - a key political task of the Party in recent times, as well as providing clear information on the restructuring and streamlining of the apparatus, in order to promote national development in the era of national growth.

However, there are many challenges in maintaining political orientation. These include competition from digital media and fake news. Fake news about political issues, such as policies or international relations, can easily cause public confusion.

The press must maintain a political orientation to refute false information, while reporting news quickly and accurately. If the pressure for speed and views sometimes causes some newspapers to follow trends, it will obscure the political role of the press.

It is necessary to always balance propaganda and appeal. Political propaganda requires the press to maintain direction while attracting readers. This is a difficult problem, requiring creativity and courage of the journalist.

It is the pressure from economic interests. Biased reporting or avoidance of sensitive issues for economic interests can weaken the political role of the press. This requires journalists to have professional ethics and steadfastness to put national and social interests above the interests of the newspaper and of individuals…

In order for the press to maintain its political role, it is necessary to implement many solutions synchronously. To master politics, journalists must grasp the fundamental issues in the policies and guidelines of the Party and the State, as well as the principles of the Party's operation and development. In addition, they must regularly update information and knowledge about the movement of those policies and guidelines.

At the same time, continue to pay attention to professional training and professional ethics to improve the qualities of journalists. Journalists themselves must always be creative in conveying political information, using familiar language and diverse presentation forms to attract young readers while still maintaining a political orientation.

CLOUD HEART

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/chinh-tri-phai-lam-chu-post800330.html