Mr. Le Minh Hoang (a motorbike taxi driver in Ho Chi Minh City) reads the first issue of the Tuoi Tre newspaper, printed in 4 color, on Sunday morning, November 1, 2009 - Photo: Nguyen Cong Thanh
Some events are simply organizational changes. Some are simply technological changes. But there are also events that mark the end of a historical period. A daily newspaper reaching its final issue falls into the third category.
It leaves many people feeling wistful, not because a journalistic product has ceased publication, but because, in their memories, Tuổi Trẻ has never been just a newspaper.
The closing of an era
It's a part of life. There was a time when every morning for millions of Vietnamese people began with the sound of newspaper delivery trucks weaving through streets still damp with early morning mist. The newspapers still smelled of fresh ink.
The father opens the front page to catch up on the news. The mother looks for stories about life. The child eagerly reads the education , culture, or sports pages.
In those very ordinary memories, there is Tuổi Trẻ (Youth). Not as a news agency, but as a companion. Present in morning conversations. Present on work desks. Present in university lecture halls. Present in the journey of young people entering life.
Over the past several decades, Tuoi Tre Daily has accompanied the nation through turbulent and proud periods. From the early years of reform, when the entire nation embarked on a journey to find a new path of development, to the years of opening up and integration, to the boom of the market economy , and to the age of the Internet and digital transformation.
In every turning point, Tuoi Tre newspaper has not stood idly by. The newspaper reflects the changes in society, but at the same time contributes to promoting those changes. Many reform ideas have been sparked by its pages. Many lives have been protected by the voice of the press. Many social issues have been brought to light thanks to the dedication of its writers.
Like all major news organizations in the world , the greatest value that Tuoi Tre creates does not lie in the number of copies printed or the number of visitors, but in the trust the newspaper has built in the hearts of its readers.
That trust wasn't built in a day; it was accumulated over decades of diligent professional work, countless articles, meticulous investigations, social responsibility, and a spirit of service to the readers.
Therefore, when we stand before the final issue of a newspaper, what moves us is not the end of a journalistic product. What moves us is the feeling of witnessing the closing of an era.
The front page of Tuoi Tre daily newspaper on February 14, 2019, commemorates the 40th anniversary of the 1979 Northern border war.
Belief is not just on paper.
But if we look deeper, what is closing today is not actually Youth. What is closing is a form of existence, a communication technology, a habit of receiving information that has been ingrained in many generations.
The history of world journalism demonstrates this. When radio appeared, many believed print newspapers would disappear. When television appeared, many believed radio would end. When the Internet emerged, people predicted the demise of traditional journalism.
But that's not the reality. Technology changes, formats change, methods of transmission change, but the need for reliable information, for truth, and for shared societal values has never disappeared. Therefore, the future of journalism has never been decided by paper or screen. What determines the future of journalism is its ability to build trust.
In a world where information is more abundant than ever, trust is the scarcest commodity. In an increasingly fragmented media landscape, the role of professional journalism is not diminishing but becoming even more crucial.
If in the past the press had the mission of transmitting information, today it must also have the mission of building trust. If in the past the press helped society know what was happening, today it must also help society understand what truly matters.
And that is precisely the new mission of Tuoi Tre newspaper in the digital age. There may no longer be early morning newspaper delivery trips, no more neatly stacked newspapers in front of houses, no more the feeling of turning pages still smelling of fresh ink.
But the values that defined the Youth remain intact. The spirit of innovation. The spirit of commitment. The aspiration to serve society. Belief in the power of truth. Belief in the future of the country.
Those values are not found on paper. They reside in people's hearts. In the ranks of journalists. In the readership. In the memories of generations. And in the very journey of this nation's development.
Therefore, the final issue of a newspaper is not the end. It is merely a period at the end of a line. After that period, a new story will be written. A new chapter will unfold. A new form of existence will emerge.
And so, even though this is the last issue of the newspaper, the mission of Tuổi Trẻ will not end. Tuổi Trẻ will live on forever.
The spirit of youth will remain.
On June 30, 2026, the last issue of Tuoi Tre newspaper will be published. The final pages will be folded. But some things cannot be closed. That is the faith that Tuoi Tre has sown in the hearts of society.
That is the affection that generations of readers have shown for the newspaper. It is the aspiration to serve its readers that has shaped the identity of Tuổi Trẻ for more than half a century.
Because some newspapers exist on paper, but others exist through memories, beliefs, and the values they leave behind for society. Tuoi Tre is one such newspaper, and therefore, the spirit of Tuoi Tre will remain.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/su-menh-khong-bao-gio-khep-lai-100260630054705921.htm
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