The sacred mission of journalists

Truth, reason and the pen

“I stand here and look down at this hall, my heart filled with emotion. I respect all my brothers, comrades, colleagues, and friends, and I am especially moved to hug journalist Ha Dang - a veteran who is 97 years old this year. The warm and profound concern of the previous journalists is probably not only for me personally but also for the next generation of colleagues…” - journalist Ho Quang Loi shared his happiness at the launching ceremony of his 11th book, Truth, Righteousness, and the Pen , on the morning of June 12 .

Friends and colleagues congratulate journalist Ho Quang Loi A3

Veteran journalists, friends and colleagues congratulate journalist Ho Quang Loi

Entering his 70s, with 45 years of journalism experience, having experienced most of the jobs and positions in journalism, journalist Ho Quang Loi is proud that his whole life has only one profession, which is journalism, a profession that was not chosen but arranged by fate and life. In those 45 years, after a long journey looking back, there are many feelings and experiences that he wants to distill and share with colleagues and those interested in journalism, especially on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Vietnam Revolutionary Press.

Why Truth, Justice and the Pen ? Journalist Ho Quang Loi explained that there is a fire that always illuminates his soul, a fire that has illuminated journalism for a century accompanying the nation. That fire started from Thanh Nien - the first revolutionary newspaper founded by Uncle Ho, born 5 years before the founding of the Party, showing his profound vision, early considering journalism as a special weapon, with pioneering properties in the struggle for national liberation. Since then, journalist has always been a noble title. The most profound, most sacred thing is to do revolutionary journalism, to do journalism to serve the country and the people.

Despite the ups and downs of the journey of journalism, there are many difficulties and challenges that are hidden and silent, but more than half of his writing career has helped journalist Ho Quang Loi realize the core value of journalism. According to him, when it comes to journalism, it is about clarifying the truth. Without the truth, we will never know where the right thing is. But sometimes the truth is not the right thing. There are truths that deceive us, half-truths are not the truth, journalists cannot protect what needs to be protected, cannot fight what needs to be fought. To clarify the truth and protect the right thing, it must come from a genuine pen. “As Mr. Do Chieu said: “ You can carry as many boats as you want without sinking/You can stab as many evil men as you want without being evil” , or poet Song Hong ( General Secretary Truong Chinh): “ Using the pen as a lever to change the regime, the press is also power. It is not the power that journalists create for themselves, but the people’s trust in the press that makes the press powerful. Only by doing their job properly and skillfully can the press have power”.

The power of people's belief

Along with the transformation of the modern context, social networks and artificial intelligence are creating opportunities, as well as huge challenges for the press. Sympathizing with the difficulties that journalists are facing, Dr. Nguyen Sy Dung, former Deputy Head of the National Assembly Office, pointed out a proposition different from "The Truth" in the book of journalist Ho Quang Loi; according to him, society now seems to be entering an "echo chamber", living in the era of "post-truth", where whatever we want, social network algorithms give us, reinforcing our beliefs, reinforcing our prejudices. It is very difficult for the truth to infiltrate there.

"Truth, reason and the pen" is the 11th book by journalist Ho Quang Loi.

“When the press is honest and humane, it radiates the light of journalistic culture; when journalists with their professional expertise and political courage demonstrate their role in shaping and correcting perceptions towards beauty, contributing to multiplying the flame of humanity in society, then despite facing difficulties and challenges of the times, the press still maintains the trust of the people, together with many generations, extending the values that have been cultivated over the past 100 years.”

Journalist Ho Quang Loi

“We act based on our emotions, are easily influenced, and emotions are multiplied when a message or a sensational news spreads a thousand times faster than the truth. In such a society, the mission of journalists is extremely difficult to speak up for the truth and protect what is right,” said Dr. Nguyen Sy Dung.

And so, Truth, Justice and the Pen - the name that is called out symbolically is also a narrative, a commitment, and a message to every journalist. From this observation, Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Truong Giang, Deputy Director of the Academy of Journalism and Communication, believes that the concerns and sharing of journalist Ho Quang Loi contain calmness, thoroughness and consistency, that the pen is not only a means and cannot be only a means but must also be a conscious choice to stand for truth, justice and humanity.

“The Vietnamese revolutionary press was born with truth, survived with reason and transmitted its strength through the pen. The pen is not simply a tool but a weapon of conscience, of commitment, of responsible and active criticism. This is a serious reminder that in an age of information overload, the truth can be changed, ambiguous and the pen can become a tool to serve tastes or misdirection. Journalist Ho Quang Loi's discussion of journalism is also a call to maintain professional integrity, to keep in the pen a pure heart, and the people's trust in reason and fairness,” Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Truong Giang emphasized.

Source: https://daibieunhandan.vn/su-menh-thieng-lieng-cua-nguoi-lam-bao-10375877.html