The first thing to do is to get the newspaper to a wider readership.

For a vision to be at the top

+ In recent years, it seems that Hai Duong Newspaper has been constantly moving forward in the digital transformation of journalism. Sir, as a local Party newspaper, how did you begin to proactively innovate to be closer to the public?

- What worries me most is how to bring the voice of the Party Committee and the government to the people, and how to allow the people to voice their opinions in the provincial Party Committee's newspaper, so that the Provincial Party Committee and the provincial leadership know what the people think and need. With that in mind, we determined that the first thing to do is to bring the newspaper to a wide readership. The more people access the newspaper, the more those voices will spread, harmonize, and contribute to creating social consensus.

In particular, we have set the ambition, determination, and vision to be one of the leading newspapers in the local Party newspaper system. There are many criteria, but the most important ones are the number of readers, our position in various ranking indicators, and our standing in the public's eyes.

Editor-in-Chief of Hai Duong Newspaper, Nguyen Quy Trong, speaks at a meeting with collaborators. Hai Duong Newspaper always pays attention to and cares for its team of collaborators to develop a force of writers outside the editorial office.

So, how did Hai Duong Newspaper implement its plan to achieve this goal, sir?

- We developed a specific strategy and immediately implemented several measures. Firstly, we changed the way we conveyed information, paying attention to understanding the needs of our readers in order to guide reporters in delivering information that met those needs. Our readers included provincial leaders, officials, Party members, and the general public. Secondly, we kept pace with new trends by developing digital products and distributing them on various platforms, including Google News, collaborating with other newspapers, and boosting the development of Zalo and Facebook fan pages (by mid-2022, the Hai Duong Newspaper fan page had received a blue verification badge)...

Not only have we expanded our news coverage, but we have also improved our publications to enhance quality. On our online newspaper, we have developed digital products, integrating new genres such as e-magazines, podcasts, graphics, videos , and online content. From mid-2022 to the first quarter of 2023, the number of readers increased exponentially. From just a few hundred thousand readers per month, it has grown and stabilized at around 1.2 million to 1.3 million readers, ranking 5th and 8th among national Party newspapers.

As online newspapers improved, we accelerated innovation in print newspapers. We linked publications to support each other's development. In particular, we strengthened the commentary section; every issue, every day, featured a commentary piece in the news and reflections section, the weekend cafe, etc., discussing current events happening locally and nationally to guide public opinion. Surprisingly, many people read it because of its relevance and focus on issues of public concern.

Efforts to provide diverse, fair, and balanced information.

I agree that attracting readers in a context where the public has many channels to access news is a very commendable effort. But a large readership also poses a significant challenge in enhancing the Party's stance and guiding principles of the local Party newspaper, Mr. Editor-in-Chief?

- That's right. To solve this problem, Hai Duong Newspaper chose a slightly unconventional approach: providing information to the general public and ordinary readers first. We are fortunate that the provincial leaders are very interested in information, and secondly, the newspaper often proactively approaches, advises, and proposes issues that are "correct and relevant" to the province's policies and guidelines. All the pressing issues of the people that the newspaper has raised have been addressed and resolved by the provincial leaders. In fact, the provincial leaders have even encouraged the newspaper to strengthen its efforts in identifying shortcomings and negative aspects, thereby providing the provincial leaders with accurate and objective information to guide and rectify the situation.

I'd also like to reveal that one of the first readers of the Hai Duong newspaper each day is the Secretary of the Hai Duong Provincial Party Committee. Every day, the newspaper is delivered to the Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee as early as possible. Sometimes, at 7 am, the relevant units receive information that the Hai Duong newspaper will be reporting on this or that issue, and by 9 or 10 am that same day, a plan to address the issue has already been devised at the local level… Clearly, this is a very effective and practical interaction between the Party committee, the government, and the people through the press.

+ That interaction is understood as creating two-way consensus… But it's not always smooth sailing. To guide public opinion, to ensure policies are in line with the people's wishes… propaganda work certainly requires flexibility and proactiveness, doesn't it, sir?

- That's the ultimate goal in information dissemination. I remember around the end of 2022, Hai Duong province had a plan to increase tuition fees. Hai Duong Newspaper published the information in the newspaper and on its fanpage, and many people read it, but there were also many dissenting opinions…

Newspaper information is an important basis for the provincial meeting to decide to stop this policy; the provincial budget will provide support instead of collecting fees from the people. For example, recently, the Hai Duong Newspaper published information about a farming family with 40 tons of unsold potatoes. The information was posted on the fanpage, and within days, people from all over came to buy and support the farmers. Readers also offered suggestions on how to distribute the product effectively. Or more recently, an article in the Hai Duong Newspaper about the phenomenon of Thich Minh Tue, aimed at guiding public opinion, attracted attention from the public nationwide, with ratings and shares increasing dramatically…

Our stance is not to lean towards the Party committee to merely propagate policies, nor to listen only to the complaints of the people and put pressure on the province and the government. Our efforts to provide multi-faceted, fair, balanced, and directional information in a gentle, almost preachy way have helped the newspaper grow and become more trustworthy.

Becoming a trusted source of information for both the Party committee, the government, and the people requires tremendous effort. What are the key factors contributing to this success of the newspaper, sir?

- The most important thing is having a team. With the current number of people and increasingly limited staff, figuring out how to make them better than before is no easy task.

Hai Duong Newspaper regularly organizes online programs to attract young readers and viewers. In the photo: A reporter from Hai Duong Newspaper collaborates with guests to livestream the Tue Tinh food street (Hai Duong City).

Over the years, we have organized numerous training courses, invited excellent lecturers, and arranged exchange and learning trips with other newspapers. Importantly, we have focused on self-improvement, setting specific targets, and incorporating breakthrough tasks into our mission… Hai Duong Newspaper values ​​transparency, democracy, and fairness in the use, promotion, and placement of personnel. At the same time, we prioritize and will continue to pursue three pillars: firstly, continuous innovation and development of the newspaper; secondly, building a strong workforce both within and outside the editorial office; and thirdly, investing in infrastructure and developing policies and mechanisms.

Consensus within the organization is also crucial. How can we ensure that everyone sees the benefits of the newsroom's development and that their efforts are recognized? With this synergistic power, the newsroom thrives, gains wider recognition, earns the trust of leaders, facilitates reporters' work, earns greater respect from the community, and enhances its prestige. From there, the dissemination of policies and the implementation of Party principles, as well as the Party's principles of revolutionary journalism, are preserved and strengthened, as the newspaper's position becomes increasingly solid in the hearts of the Party committee and the public.

Thank you very much, sir!

An Vinh (Execution)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/nha-bao-nguyen-quy-trong--tong-bien-tap-bao-hai-duong-dieu-truoc-tien-phai-lam-la-dua-to-bao-den-duoc-voi-dong-dao-ban-doc-post299568.html