President Ho Chi Minh and the Vietnamese revolutionary press

The press was an extremely important information channel for Uncle Ho. Photo: VNA archive

Uncle Ho started his revolutionary life by writing for newspapers, then established press agencies under his direct direction and that of his colleagues to implement the guidelines, policies and work according to the principles and goals of the revolutionary organization. He wrote over 2,000 articles and nearly 300 poems, 500 pages of stories and memoirs, under many different pen names. He founded 9 newspapers at home and abroad and collaborated with many famous foreign newspapers, especially in places where he participated in revolutionary activities such as France, England, Russia, China, etc. His articles and journalism style left the Vietnamese revolutionary press and true journalists with an invaluable legacy of guiding ideology and practical experience, and valuable teachings. To study and follow Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and style, one cannot help but study and follow his ideology and revolutionary journalism style.

First of all, the essential point in Ho Chi Minh's thought on the Vietnamese revolutionary press is the Party nature of the press. This is the basis for distinguishing revolutionary press from counter-revolutionary press. He believed that the press is only politically correct when it is led by a party, based on the foundation of Marxism-Leninism, a party with the nature of the working class and closely attached to the nation and the people. He always emphasized: Who does the press serve? The press is for the revolution, for the Party, for the people - that is both the purpose, the condition, and the ethical standard in press activities; that is also the Party nature of the press, the expression of the press's loyalty to the Party, the contribution of the press to the great cause of the Party. He affirmed: Our press must serve the working people, serve the cause of fighting for national independence and socialism, for world peace; The press is a tool and means of propaganda, education, and protection of the Party's ideological foundation, the Party's guidelines, policies, and the State's laws, effectively serving the Party's goals, ideals, and revolutionary cause.

Second, the Vietnamese revolutionary press needs to have a clear and correct motto and purpose. President Ho Chi Minh pointed out: “Our press must serve the working people, serve socialism, serve the struggle for national reunification, and for world peace”, broadly speaking, it must serve the cause of building socialism, defending the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland and actively contributing to world peace because the goal of the era is national independence associated with socialism. At each different stage of history, the press has different mottos and purposes, but throughout they are still: Serving the revolution, serving the consistent and ideal goal of the Party which is national independence and socialism; serving the working people, protecting the people's right to mastery and legitimate interests; Protect the viewpoints and guidelines of Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh's thought on socialism, encourage and accompany the entire Party and people in building and perfecting the Vietnamese socialist rule-of-law state of the people, by the people and for the people; protect the revolutionary achievements of the Vietnamese nation; protect, contribute to and encourage emulation movements and creative activities of the people for the cause of building and defending the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland, building a rich, strong, democratic, equitable and civilized society; achieve great national unity, ensure progress and stability and peace for humanity.

Third, President Ho Chi Minh always pointed out and required the Vietnamese revolutionary press to fulfill its role and tasks. The role and tasks of the Vietnamese revolutionary press according to Ho Chi Minh's thought can be summarized into the following basic issues: 1) The press is a tool for class struggle, a weapon of revolutionary struggle; a means and channel of information for the Party and the State to carry out state communication, propagate Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh's thought as well as bring the Party's viewpoints, guidelines, policies, and laws of the State to the people and the international community; fight uncompromisingly against the bad, the evil, the harmful, the negative in society, which go against the interests of the Party, the people and the nation, and expose the reactionary, deceitful, and deceitful nature of the nation's enemies. 2) The press is a tool to ensure the implementation of citizens' rights and freedom of speech according to the law; is a tool for people to discuss and express their opinions on the fate of the country and the nation; through the activities of the press, press agencies, journalists, the people indirectly exercise their right to know, to discuss, to do, to check, to supervise, to enjoy. 3) The press performs the function of monitoring and social criticism on the organization and operation of state agencies in general, requiring the state to implement publicity, transparency, and accountability for content that must be fair but is not fair. 4) The press is an important information channel connecting all aspects of social life in the country with the international one, performing the function of connecting information, orienting public opinion, and uniting society. 5) The revolutionary press must contribute to discovering, encouraging, and spreading the good, advanced examples, and good initiatives in the patriotic emulation movement, in the cause of building and defending the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland.

Fourth, one of President Ho Chi Minh's core ideas about revolutionary journalism is to build a team of journalists who are both "red" and "professional". He said: "For us journalists, the pen is a sharp weapon, the article is a revolutionary proclamation to mobilize the masses to fight...". This is truly his valuable teaching for revolutionary journalists, a valuable lesson learned throughout the tireless working life of the great leader Ho Chi Minh.

Over the past 100 years, Vietnam's revolutionary press has made great strides. Proud of its glorious tradition, we remember President Ho Chi Minh - the founder and builder of Vietnam's revolutionary press.

H. UK (synthetic)

Source: https://baodongkhoi.vn/chu-tich-ho-chi-minh-voi-nen-bao-chi-cach-mang-viet-nam-30052025-a147411.html