An opportunity for change

The opportunity to work in journalism during a period of rapid digital transformation has helped me prepare to adapt to any changes.

Reporters from Hai Duong Newspaper interviewed officers and soldiers on Song Tu Tay Island during a working trip to the Truong Sa archipelago in January 2024.

If someone were to ask me what the most special milestone in my more than 20 years of journalism is, I would undoubtedly say it was my first time setting foot on the Spratly Islands – a voyage I never dared to dream of.

Despite being a journalist for many years, I used to suffer from chronic motion sickness. Whether going to meetings, reporting, or visiting locations, I always rode my motorbike. Even when the entire delegation traveled to the district by car, I would still trudge along behind on my motorbike... As a journalist, I chose the "safe zone" of riding a motorbike to avoid getting tired.

But it was through persistent practice and overcoming motion sickness that I was motivated to push myself, proving that I could adapt and change in any situation. I practiced driving, practicing long-distance driving so I was no longer afraid of cars. As a result, I dared to register to brave the rough seas, with a nearly 20-day voyage to reach Truong Sa. Those were also the days I witnessed many young officers and soldiers overcoming their own limitations, from young men who suffered from severe seasickness and couldn't even feed themselves a bowl of porridge while on the ship, to surprisingly becoming strong and energetic when they arrived on the island to take up their duties.

I stepped out of my comfort zone through this transition.

Then, a chance for change came when I joined Hai Duong Newspaper during a period of strong digital transformation.

I remember those early days working in multimedia journalism, juggling online and print newspaper editing, managing the Hai Duong Newspaper Fanpage, and editing videos for the newspaper's YouTube channel... I was overwhelmed by the rapid changes. At times, I wanted to give up because it was difficult, arduous, and I couldn't keep up with the lightning-fast pace of online journalism. There were even disagreements between me and my colleagues about whether or not to change...

But my pride, my sense of self-respect, and the feeling that I had to surpass others and couldn't fall behind, created pressure that forced me to adapt. So I studied, experimented, and practiced doing things I had never done before…

Learning and working together with colleagues day after day, we eventually reaped the rewards. The Hai Duong Newspaper's Facebook page received a "blue checkmark" on June 1, 2022, making it one of the first seven local Party newspapers to receive this certification. The Hai Duong online newspaper ranked third among local Party newspapers nationwide in terms of traffic in March 2025, with 3,811,000 visits. The Hai Duong Newspaper YouTube channel, after more than a year of operation, has attracted over 14,350 subscribers...

Happy to have contributed my small effort to this achievement, I see even more clearly the essential value of adaptation and change.

LINH AN

Source: https://baohaiduong.vn/co-hoi-de-thay-doi-413668.html