Journalism is my passion!

Being able to do, succeed in, and stay committed to the profession you love is a wonderful thing in everyone's life. For me, I chose journalism, and journalism chose me. That's amazing, and it makes me feel happy and motivates me to constantly learn and improve to do my job better every day.

Nearly 13 years ago, I – a recent journalism graduate – was hired as a trainee reporter by the Ninh Thuan Newspaper. Back then, I was unfamiliar with the place, my skills and professional mindset were still immature, but I was full of enthusiasm.

As I began my journey into professional journalism, I spent two weeks carefully reading articles from various print and online newspapers in Ninh Thuan. The information in these newspapers helped me better understand my hometown and its people, as well as how to develop topics, create headlines, write lead paragraphs, use appropriate language, and take illustrative photos for my work... all of which guided my career path.

After two weeks of diligently reading newspapers, I suggested "following" some colleagues on field trips. Initially, these trips were in Phan Rang - Thap Cham city, then expanded to the districts of Ninh Phuoc, Ninh Hai, Thuan Bac, Thuan Nam, Ninh Son, and Bac Ai. Each time I "followed them on assignment," I always asked them about the topics they were about to cover; listened to their interview techniques; and carefully read the published articles to learn their methods. While at the locations, I also took the opportunity to discuss the strengths and unique characteristics of the areas with local officials and residents to gain a better understanding and direction for my work.

Journalist Lam Anh at the Ninh Thuan Newspaper and Radio and Television Station.

In early 2013, I traveled and wrote my first works. The first article I wrote was about an exemplary teacher in Thuan Nam district who was excellent, responsible, and dedicated to her profession. The news and articles back then were simple and not very polished, but they brought me joy and motivation to continue striving and working hard later on...

It's been almost 13 years since I started working for a local Party newspaper. Not only has it fulfilled my childhood dream of "traveling widely," but over the years, journalism has helped me understand and learn many things about life, contributing to my personal growth.

For me, journalism is one of the noblest, most demanding, and most creative professions. Today's output is different from yesterday's and will be different from the next. Therefore, journalists must always strive to learn, always be progressive, and adhere closely to the Party's guidelines and policies, as well as the State's laws and regulations, in order to objectively and vividly reflect all aspects of political , economic, and social life with dedication and responsibility.

For many years, I've spent time each day watching television and reading print and online newspapers from Ninh Thuan province, as well as many other central and local newspapers. The information in these newspapers helps me stay updated on the political, economic , social, security, and defense situation both domestically and internationally, and locally. It allows me to understand the Party's viewpoints, policies, and guidelines, and the State's laws and regulations, which I can apply to my work. Reading newspapers also allows me to review my own articles (after they've been edited by the editorial office) to learn from them; and to learn from colleagues how to use vocabulary, take illustrative photos, etc. Through news reports and articles in newspapers, I've also been able to gather more data and find new topics to work on more effectively.

Since embarking on a career in journalism, alongside honing my knowledge and skills, I've always strived to keep my passion alive. Journalism allows me to travel extensively, meet many people, experience and learn many interesting things, but it's also full of challenges and pressure. I have to travel and work in various locations, terrains, and weather conditions, sometimes facing refusals to provide information, encountering uncivilized behavior... There are also times when I struggle with words, time pressure, and the demands of life that have somewhat dampened my love for journalism. But after all, journalism has helped me learn, accumulate more life experience and understanding to improve myself, travel, and write more quality journalistic works that objectively reflect the vibrant realities of life, contributing a small part to the building and development of my homeland. That is the joy and motivation that keeps journalists committed to their profession!

After nearly 13 years of dedication, I understand, appreciate, and love my profession even more. I also know that the road ahead is full of difficulties and challenges, especially the "competition" between traditional journalism and social media. Besides self-effort, continuous self-improvement of knowledge and skills, and upholding professional ethics, we journalists desperately need the companionship and support from the Vietnam Journalists Association at all levels in organizing training courses and professional development programs, especially in journalism skills in the context of digital transformation, the explosion of social media, and the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in life... to gain more direction, proactively innovate methods, improve the quality of creative work, keep up with technological trends, practice multimedia journalism, remain committed to the profession, and better fulfill our role as a "bridge," contributing to shaping public opinion and building a stronger, more democratic, just, and civilized homeland.

Lam Anh

Source: https://baoninhthuan.com.vn/news/153684p30c89/nghe-bao-toi-yeu-!.htm