Digital journalist

Reporter Hoang Thu, a young and dynamic journalist at Lao Cai Newspaper, is gradually adapting to the demands of journalism in a multi-platform media environment. Previously, her work consisted of photography and writing news articles for print and online publications. Now, she has mastered additional skills such as filming, video editing, storytelling through animation, and livestreaming on various platforms.

Reporter Hoang Thu during her first livestream of a pickup truck race.

She shared that her journey of self-reinvention began with considerable difficulties. Her first livestream at a pickup truck race – in an open space, under the scorching sun, with malfunctioning equipment and an unstable internet connection – left her overwhelmed by the barrage of interactive requests from online viewers. Managing everything alone, simultaneously recording, hosting, and responding to comments, she deeply felt the pressure of her new role: a multi-tasking journalist amidst a constantly changing flow of information. It was from this first challenge that she gradually learned valuable lessons: always prepare content thoroughly, master technological equipment, and above all, maintain composure, flexibility, and proactiveness in any situation that arises.

Digital journalism not only competes on speed but also places stringent demands on content depth and the ability to connect with the public. Ms. Hoang Thu believes that an engaging journalistic product in the digital environment must possess three key elements: speed to avoid losing track of the information flow, interactivity to maintain two-way communication with readers, and content depth to build lasting trust and value. "Speed helps reach readers, but authenticity and rich information are what keep them engaged longer," she concludes from her practical experience.

An engaging journalistic product in the digital environment must possess three key elements: speed to avoid falling behind the flow of information, interactivity to maintain a two-way connection with readers, and depth of content to build lasting trust and value.

It is evident that today's journalists are not only flexible but also possess courage, proactive adaptability, and responsibility. They do not stand outside the flow of the times, but immerse themselves in real-life situations, conveying information, connecting with the public through emotion, and spreading positive values from each region and its people.

Besides the journalists who directly work in the field, in today's multimedia environment there is also a team that silently contributes to the quality and reach of journalistic products: translators.

Mr. Phan Van Hiep, a translator for Lao Cai Newspaper, is one of those actively adapting to the changing demands of journalism in the digital environment. With experience accumulated from television, newspapers, and translation, he believes that translation today is no longer about translating sentence by sentence, word by word, but rather a shift from "original translation" to "creative translation" to create content suitable for social media audiences – content that is fast, concise, easy to understand, emotionally evocative, and still respects the original.

Mr. Phan Van Hiep, a translator for Lao Cai Newspaper, is one of those who are proactively adapting to the changing demands of journalism in the digital environment.

In reality, each digital platform, from Facebook and YouTube to TikTok, has its own "language," with its own rhythm and reception psychology. In this context, translators not only need to be proficient in the foreign language but also need to grasp and convey the "tone" of the modern audience. A subtitle must not only be accurate in meaning but also match the rhythm and nuance of the dialogue. A video title must not only be a literal translation but also be evocative, engaging, and thought-provoking from the first glance. In this role, the translator is not simply a translator, but a storyteller of a global narrative using a native accent.

For Phan Van Hiep, translation is now just a part of his daily work. In his role as a "digital editor," he also directly participates in creating clips, handling simple graphics, writing subtitles, adjusting video and audio duration, and optimizing content according to the search criteria of social media platforms. The products he has created, from international news broadcasts to community media videos serving the local community, are the result of a combination of language skills, editorial thinking, and technological expertise.

In his role as a "digital editor," Phan Van Hiep also directly participates in creating clips, handling simple graphics, writing subtitles, adjusting video and audio duration, and optimizing content according to the search criteria of social media platforms.

"We now have to multitask, understand the tools, be technically proficient, be knowledgeable in languages, and be sensitive to public sentiment. Each translation not only conveys information but also preserves the identity of the news organization," shared Phan Van Hiep.

From his own perspective, journalist Pham Vu Son, Head of Digital Content Development at Lao Cai Newspaper, stated: "Digital transformation in journalism is not just about changing the form of transmission or applying new tools, but also about changing the mindset of journalism, in which the team of journalists plays a central role. Technology only truly delivers its value when led by a team that knows how to create content and possesses clear professional competence."

According to journalist Pham Vu Son, in the convergent media environment, each journalist, reporter, translator, and editor cannot continue to work in a single-role model. They are forced to become "multi-skilled journalists," mastering both traditional skills and proactively controlling digital platforms, reacting quickly to changes in how the public receives information. Examples like reporter Hoang Thu or translator Phan Van Hiep, who are proficient in everything from livestreaming and short video editing to creative translation and designing content suitable for social media, are vivid proof of the maturity of young local journalists in the digital environment.

Today's journalists, in addition to writing accurately and well, need to understand the underlying principles, interpret data, measure user behavior, and be ready to interact with the public at every information touchpoint. Writing articles and making them "live" in the digital space, reaching the right people, and spreading them at the right time—that is the true value of a modern journalist.
Journalist Pham Vu Son commented

In the 100-year history of Vietnamese revolutionary journalism, digital transformation presents an opportunity for local media to affirm their role and improve the quality of service to the people. However, to achieve this, the prerequisite remains that journalists must master technology and not allow it to control them.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/nha-bao-so-post403420.html