Meet the journalists who made their mark through their works at the 18th National Press Awards

Journalist Trinh Dinh Thieu - Central Region Representative Office, Vietnam Voice Radio Journalists' Association, with the series of 3 articles "Why is money intended for poor ethnic minorities locked up in the treasury?" - Award A - 18th National Journalism Awards:

We aspire to contribute to bringing the Party and State's guidelines and policies closer to ethnic minority communities.

I've attended the National Press Awards Ceremony for several years, but this year was truly special, not because our group of reporters received a "change of medal color," but because the organization this year was genuinely innovative. It truly embodied the spirit of honoring authors with outstanding works from all over the country. We felt honored and proud to participate in such an impressive ceremony, which further motivates us to strive even harder in the future.

Journalist Trinh Dinh Thieu (far left) and his colleagues at the Central Region Representative Office of the Vietnam Voice of Vietnam Journalists Association. Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

Our work focuses on the mountainous district of Nam Tra My, Quang Nam province, where many poor ethnic minority households in the project area received financial assistance to build houses. Many families borrowed money to build their houses beforehand, waiting for the assistance later, but after completing the houses, they were left with debt because they did not receive the assistance. Based on this reality, my colleagues and I repeatedly visited the ethnic minority areas to investigate and meet with local authorities to find concrete solutions.

To gather sufficient material, we had to travel to remote, impoverished areas inhabited by ethnic minorities. These people often go to their fields very early in the morning and only return home late in the evening. To meet them, reporters had to ask local officials to make appointments beforehand so that the villagers would be home. Otherwise, they had to stay overnight in the villages, waiting for the villagers to return. We spent over a month conducting fieldwork in many places, meeting and working with many impoverished people and representatives from various agencies and local governments in Central Vietnam.

Through this series of articles, we want our audience to learn more about what is happening in the lives of poor ethnic minority people in the particularly difficult mountainous regions of some localities in Central Vietnam. We hope to contribute to bringing the policies and guidelines of the Party and State closer to the people, especially ethnic minorities.

Journalist Phan Lien – People's Television Center, People's Newspaper Journalists' Association, with the work: “Maintaining political stability, avoiding passivity and surprises” – Third Prize - 18th National Journalism Awards:

Maintain the close, inseparable relationship between the Party and the People.

On June 11, 2023, a terrorist attack against the government occurred in Cu Kuin district, Dak Lak province, resulting in particularly serious consequences and 11 casualties. This is not the first time in the Central Highlands that terrorist activities and disturbances have occurred in "hot spots," inciting a segment of the population lacking understanding to violate the law in an attempt to cause political instability.

Journalist Phan Lien and her colleagues at the People's Television Center, People's Newspaper Journalists' Association.

Recognizing this as a highly sensitive and important issue, the People's Television editorial board promptly developed a commentary program to guide public opinion. We determined that to thwart the conspiracies of hostile forces opposing the state, we needed more than just ordinary news reports; we urgently needed in-depth analyses and commentary from mainstream media outlets as quickly as possible. This motivated our team to produce this work as soon as possible.

We strived to create a work that, within a tight timeframe, was both fast-paced and profound, intimate, natural, and highly persuasive. The work draws a profound lesson: the importance of maintaining the close, blood-related relationship between the Party and the people; building a team of exemplary village elders and outstanding individuals from various ethnic groups, religions, and social strata. In particular, it is crucial to know the ethnic languages, understand their customs, live alongside them, and become "family members" to them.

Journalist Do Thi Giang - Yen Bai Radio and Television Station, Yen Bai Provincial Journalists Association, with the work: "Don't Let 'Doomsday' Happen" - B Prize - 18th National Journalism Awards:

Ensuring security and order at the grassroots level is crucial for maintaining peace in the villages.

I have been participating in the competition for many years. In the radio category, my colleagues and I have won numerous awards over the years. Each award has fueled my passion for journalism, motivating me to strive for excellence and creativity in my future work, and giving me the confidence to participate in other journalism competitions.

Regarding my topic, I found that, with the development of social media, taking advantage of the lack of understanding among ethnic minorities, many reactionary elements have spread propaganda about the end of the world through online groups and forums. Fearing the apocalypse, many Hmong households in some highland villages of Yen Bai province have sold off their cattle, fields, and neglected their farming work, affecting security and order and disrupting their lives.

Journalist Do Thi Giang and her colleagues at Yen Bai Radio and Television Station, Yen Bai Provincial Journalists Association. Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

With the theme "Don't let 'Doomsday' happen," our special radio program on Yen Bai Radio and Television Station featured two guest speakers representing relevant agencies and local authorities. The guests analyzed the reasons why ethnic minority communities easily believe in nonsense and are lured into participating in religious organizations not recognized by the State, highlighting the negative consequences of this and offering solutions to ensure security and order in ethnic minority areas…

To prevent a "Doomsday" from happening, we use modern broadcasting methods, presented in multimedia format, across various platforms: Live broadcast on Yen Bai Radio and Television Station and livestream on the Yen Bai Television Fanpage. The program connects stories to once again show that the ethnic minority areas in Yen Bai still face potential risks to security and order if relevant agencies and local authorities do not manage and control them in a timely manner.

Our program is 30 minutes long, but we strive to present the issue directly and objectively, based on the opinions, concerns, and anxieties of the people regarding the emergence of illegal religious organizations. The program also includes analyses and comments from relevant authorities and local government representatives, helping listeners better understand the potential risks and factors impacting security in ethnic minority areas of Yen Bai province.

In addition, we propose solutions to maintain security and order at the grassroots level, including promoting the role of village elders, community leaders, and influential individuals in disseminating information, mobilizing people, and preventing illegal proselytization, ensuring security and order at the grassroots level to maintain peace in the highland villages of Yen Bai.

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/gap-nhung-nha-bao-tao-dau-an-qua-tac-pham-tai-giai-bao-chi-quoc-gia-lan-thu-xviii-post300227.html