“Journalist Dao Tung was a courageous journalist, who devoted his whole life to the revolutionary journalism of Vietnam. Today’s discussion is to remember a dynamic News Agency leader with innovative policies, diversifying information products, building and training staff, developing modern technical systems to meet the requirements and political tasks during difficult periods when the country was still facing many difficulties, contributing to creating a News Agency with a position in the domestic and international press system today.”
Party Secretary, General Director, Chairman of the Vietnam News Agency Journalists Association Vu Viet Trang made this statement at the seminar "Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the birth of journalist Dao Tung (October 15, 1925 - October 15, 2025)" - Revolutionary journalist (1925-1990) with the theme "The one who spread the fire," which took place this afternoon, October 15, in Hanoi .
The event was organized by the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), broadcast online at 3 locations with the participation of many leaders and journalists of the Vietnam News Agency to pay tribute and commemorate the role of journalist Dao Tung.
The mission of revolutionary journalists in wartime
Journalist Dao Tung, General Director of Vietnam News Agency (May 1966 - September 1990), Vice President and General Secretary of the Vietnam Journalists Association (1983-1989), Vice President of the International Organization of Journalists (OIJ), Member of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, Vice Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the 8th National Assembly, Vice President of the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Association, Member of the 8th National Assembly.
He was born on October 15, 1925 and died on September 15, 1990, in Lang Thuong District, Bac Giang Province (now Bac Ninh Province). He joined the revolution very early, and was the Head of the Bac Ninh Provincial Information Department, Acting Director of the Inter-Zone I Information Department, Chief of Office of the Vietnam Information Agency... After many years of studying in the Soviet Union, upon returning to Vietnam, he devoted his entire life to journalism in general and the Vietnam News Agency in particular.
With the mission of a revolutionary journalist, going through fierce wars, witnessing many historical moments of the nation, until his passing, he never left his pen and paper...
As Editor-in-Chief, General Director, and head of the Vietnam News Agency for a quarter of a century, Vice Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the 8th National Assembly, Vice President and General Secretary of the Vietnam Journalists Association, Vice President of the International Organization of Journalists OIJ, his voice has resounded in many international forums, and his feet have set foot on almost every land in the world.
Through films, articles, images, and remaining relics, the people working for Vietnam News Agency always remember the image of journalist Dao Tung who led a group of reporters to take over the capital and chose house number 5 Ly Thuong Kiet as the headquarters in October 1954.
“We always remember the image of him, an Editor-in-Chief with his pants rolled up, participating in labor at the irrigation construction site in Hai Hung in 1971; a commander on the way to the battlefield directly directing information on the Ho Chi Minh campaign in 1975, or the images of him participating in foreign affairs and international cooperation activities…,” General Director Vu Viet Trang expressed.
During the fierce years of resistance, as the highest leader of the journalism industry, Dao Tung always directed to focus on building Vietnam News Agency into a strategic information agency to effectively serve the task of building and protecting the Fatherland with the Party, State and people.
The spirit of all for the front, for the beloved South, for the Liberation News Agency, every front must have reporters of Vietnam News Agency was spread by him throughout the industry. He personally went to the battlefield alongside the leaders of the Liberation News Agency, directing on-site information, contributing to the great victory of Spring 1975.
General Director Vu Viet Trang said: “When the country was unified, the Liberation News Agency merged with the Vietnam News Agency to form the Vietnam News Agency. He always worried about a modern, synchronous infrastructure, commensurate with the position and stature of the industry. He also took advantage of many relationships, especially in foreign relations with international news agencies and newspapers to learn and develop our news agency. He also spent a lot of time researching, writing articles and having in-depth analysis and evaluation of topics with the political perspective and acumen of a revolutionary News Agency journalist.”
Journalist Dao Tung contributed to the collective leadership of the Vietnam News Agency to build a strong news agency during wartime and become a national strategic information center in peacetime, pioneering in the field of computerization, electronic transmission technology, initiating the publication of weekly publications on Sports, Culture, Science, Technology and World Economy to reach closer to the public and at the same time expanding foreign press relations.
The one who inspires generations of News Agency journalists
Before 1975, journalist Tran Mai Huong was the one who directly participated in the working trips to the South with journalist Dao Tung - the "commander in chief" of the information campaign. In his memory, in the position of leader, journalist Dao Tung, with his foresight, courage, and enthusiasm, always completed his tasks excellently.
“In particular, in the Spring of 1975, the mark of the industry leadership and General Director Dao Tung was very strong. In early April 1975, just returning from liberated Da Nang, the working group led by Mr. Dao Tung directly led the group of reporters on the way to the battlefield, stopping by Hue. After working with us in Hue and discussing with Hanoi, he and the industry leadership decided to establish a spearhead reporter team from Hue to march in the rapid footsteps of the Eastern army to the South. This was a special model that had never been seen before,” journalist Tran Mai Huong shared.
Journalist Tran Mai Huong emphasized: “Journalist Dao Tung is a person with great ability to inspire. His talks helped our young generation at that time to have more career aspirations and the will to rise up... Regarding ideological work, with his own example, he inspired an entire team to overcome hardships and sacrifices, and excellently complete the assigned tasks.”
Journalist Tran Mai Huong added that at that time, the training of industry staff was of special interest to General Director Dao Tung: “From 1965 to 1975, we opened 9 courses of reporters, from course 6 to course 14, with a number of about 500-700 people, including a comprehensive team from reporters to technicians, telegraph operators... This force is very important due to the increased job requirements and also to supplement the battlefield, challenge, train and mature.”
Present at the Seminar, as a junior generation inheriting the tradition and "legacy" from previous generations of the "News Agency House," journalist Cao Thuy Giang, VietnamPlus Electronic Newspaper confided: "Hearing the sharing of veteran journalists about journalist Dao Tung, I gained more understanding and lessons about him - a senior leader who always persevered in learning, was creative, had a sharp working style, had a high sense of responsibility, and in any difficult or challenging circumstances still excellently completed all assigned tasks."
According to the young journalist: “The spirit of 'information must come first' and 'courage and dedication' that journalist Dao Tung once mentioned is not only true for his time as a revolutionary journalist, but it still holds value for journalists today. That spirit is like a red thread running through my journalistic journey and that of every journalist today. Journalist Dao Tung is like a person who inspires the journalism profession with the young generation of cadres of Vietnam News Agency so that we can continue to contribute to the journalism career of the entire industry, maintaining the official source of information of Vietnam News Agency to domestic and international readers.”
It can be said that, following the footsteps and example of journalist Dao Tung, the people working at the News Agency have always made efforts, overcome difficulties, and struggled to innovate and fulfill the mission of the National News Agency, the strategic press agency of the Party and State.
“The life and career of the late General Director Dao Tung is a great example of the personality of a journalist, an intellectual, talented leader with a broad vision, devoted to the cause of building and developing the Vietnam News Agency in particular and the cause of revolutionary journalism in Vietnam in general. His enthusiasm for dedication and creativity for the cause of the News Agency and revolutionary journalism will forever be a source of positive energy to inspire the generation of journalists today and tomorrow,” General Director Vu Viet Trang emphasized./.
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/nha-bao-dao-tung-nguoi-truyen-lua-cho-cac-the-he-nha-bao-thong-tan-post1070550.vnp
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