Journalism, just go and you will get there...

Not a place for "power fantasies"

Nowadays, we are learning to “live with” AI and in the era of information surplus from social networks, the value of journalists is difficult to be recognized. Not everyone has the strength to live and pursue the profession. In recent years, many famous writers have gradually disappeared from the journalism world, they have moved to new positions with better income. But besides that, the majority of journalists are quietly pursuing their passion. Whether they are new to the profession or have been involved for their whole life, each journalist is always an antenna for every issue in life. Each journalist has a natural reflex of perseverance, pursuing to the end every issue they are working on...

At an international journalism training course, a foreign lecturer had journalists discuss in groups, listing the difficulties that Vietnamese journalists are facing. Many difficulties were mentioned by the groups, one of which was low salary and difficulty in living. After answering the list of challenges and obstacles to this profession, to "low salary, difficulty in living", the foreign lecturer was very surprised because in their country, or any other developed country, journalism is not a profession that offers high income, even the average income of this profession is only at the average level of society. Those who want to be rich and luxurious will never choose journalism. Choosing journalism is to serve society. "There are elite people in our society who still choose this profession because of that ideal, they accept the trade-off and are satisfied with an unprosperous life!"...

About fifteen or twenty years ago, when the internet was not yet fully developed, social networks had not yet or were just emerging, newspapers were the main means of bringing information to readers. Readers paid to get fast, interesting information. Journalists, basically, made a living from their profession and because of that, journalists were respected by society. A correction in an article, a disciplinary action against a journalist was always a sensational event.

In the past, journalism was a noble profession; journalists had to “keep themselves” to do their job; but now many people consider journalism as a way to make a living. To make a living, to have higher and higher incomes, many journalists have disregarded the ethics of true writers, they do everything to make money. Meanwhile, each article is a message from the author, sometimes it is love, but sometimes it is destruction. Behind the news are human destinies! Therefore, if the press deviates from its purpose of serving society, no one will believe in the press anymore and sooner or later it will be eliminated.

It is said that no profession experiences as many levels and receives as many social attitudes as journalism. One step on the bus, one step off the horse... But waiting, waiting, rolling on the road day and night, working regardless of terrain, working hard all night are also common. There is glory, there is bitterness.

However, the decline of journalism is a real thing. So real that anyone working in journalism can painfully touch it. In fact, journalism is becoming increasingly difficult to make a living, the journalism economy is declining, there is no market for newspapers, and advertising is dominated by "giants" like Facebook, Google, Youtube, TikTok... accounting for 80% of the market share...

Many people leave journalism because they can’t make a living. And there are still genuine journalists who love their jobs and still stick with them and find other jobs to make a living. Journalists who teach, journalists who open shops, restaurants and sell clothes online are no longer strange images. Some switch to PR or become communications staff, and those who are better off become communications directors for corporations and businesses…

However, it cannot be denied that authentic journalism still has its own beauty, strength and functions. In addition to the information function, which is an immutable value, journalism also has a political and ideological function. The leadership and orientation of public opinion by journalism is always something that cannot be lost in journalism activities. Besides, the educational and entertainment functions are also the land for journalism to promote its values. And journalism is still the spiritual food of many Vietnamese readers.

Các nhà báo, phóng viên sẽ tác nghiệp trong bão Yaghi. (Ảnh minh họa )

Journalists and reporters will work during storm Yaghi. (Illustration photo)

Because of its beauty and glory, journalism has its own powers that people often compare in an...illusory way, that is the fourth power after the legislative, executive and judicial branches. In fact, this power is the power of information. This soft and powerful power is what makes many people want to stay in the profession. But it is also what causes difficulties for journalists today. Difficulties in a time when many journalists have illusions of power to do things that are unethical and illegal, causing the public to lose faith in the press.

The heart of a journalist is not a machine.

The world is currently in a period of information overload, many experts even use the term "information poisoning". However, in the context of such information overload, the public really wants to find sources of information that they can trust, that can help them choose the most important and worth-reading content so that they do not waste too much time. And journalists, with a warm heart and a cool head, with professional sensitivity and verified information, will always have an unchanging value in the unpredictable flow of "overwhelming" real and fake news...

Moreover, journalism is not just a job, for many people, it is also a career. Sometimes, beyond their own worries about making a living, journalists become a support for others in seeking justice.

Gone are the days when journalists were the first to know information and to inform people. There is now a trend in the world called “explanatory journalism”. Readers can get information in many ways and they expect the press to provide expert opinions to help them understand the issue. Journalists may not be experts in a certain field, but they must be the ones to bring the expert voice to readers.

Therefore, building trust among readers has gone beyond the boundaries of right and wrong in the information of each article. It requires higher integrity and transparency from the journalists themselves. And looking at it optimistically, that is the opportunity in the race between newspapers and non-mainstream media channels.

If you do not have any ideals or ambitions but simply choose this profession as a means of making a living, then perhaps someone is wrong. There is no glory and happiness greater than when we do a good, meaningful thing through our articles. It is much more important than the journalism awards we reap. Bringing faith to an unfortunate life, finding justice for an innocent person, creating a useful change in a certain field or simply evoking an aesthetic and humane emotion, helping people to be a little more optimistic about life... that is the noblest mission of articles.

And importantly, the heart of a true journalist is not a machine! At the end of each career journey, when looking back at the path he has taken, through his own work, a true journalist is someone who has accompanied his own readers, accompanied the Fatherland and the People to create the weight of the article, contributing to arousing human values, compassion, right and wrong, gains and losses, transparency, fairness... Journalists, in their silent and persistent "self-preservation", will forever strive for beauty, for noble ideals because they have "carried karma" upon themselves like that...

Writer and journalist Nguyen Thi Ngoc Hai, at the age of 80, is still passionate about traveling and writing. She shared that journalism is never boring... Although readers now have so many means of reading, they only skim and scan, rarely delving into information. They read through, wander around the internet all day and leave elaborate articles at any time. They also become reporters themselves, produce information on their personal pages, called citizen journalism. Today's journalism is not only about speed but also a race to find out who is most accurate in pointing out what is happening... Today's writing style must also compete with the trend of social networks, journalists must know how to tell stories, find a way to write that is truly "touching" to bring great emotions to the reader. Journalists discuss a lot about the way out for the journalism economy, but the final conclusion is that journalism must compete with its core values, high-quality content that attracts and retains loyal readers. Journalism still returns to classical values, competing with its forte of professional content. And in fact, journalists choose journalism because of the respect that society places on their shoulders, the big or small things that touch their hearts, from sincere social criticism and good, kind messages...

Ethics and law are inseparable.

Journalist, writer Ho Quang Loi, former Permanent Vice President of the Vietnam Journalists Association: “Journalist is a respected professional title, a sacred and precious legacy. Over the course of 100 years of history, we are proud to have a revolutionary and humane journalism, built by honest, responsible and dedicated professionals. Every day, every hour, they silently devote themselves to their profession, for the country, for the people, for the right things in life, contributing to building a journalism for people and respecting people.

A humane, positive, healthy press will have the strength to protect good values, protect the country's highest interests, and the vital interests of the people. The law is mandatory, while professional ethics are binding on reputation, morality, and spirit. Ethics and law are inseparable. Complying with professional ethics is also contributing to building social ethics. Writers lacking ethics cannot contribute to building the moral and spiritual foundation of society.

Mien Thao

Source: https://baophapluat.vn/nghe-bao-cu-di-roi-se-toi-post552485.html