Working at big events, more opportunities to grow

After 15 years of being an official reporter for Dong Nai Newspaper, I have been honored and fortunate to be trusted by the Editorial Board and the Head of the Political - Cultural and Social Department to work on many major events, including special events.

Journalist Cong Nghia works at the Press Center of the 13th National Party Congress. Photo: Thuan Thang

Working at events is a very common thing for journalists, but each time working at an important event of the country is like stepping out into the "big sea".

Unlike working at regular events, each major event requires reporters to be highly focused, dynamic, quick, and accurate in presenting information. One of the important factors for reporters is to be well-prepared, constantly learning from the experiences of predecessors and learning from colleagues.

The number of times a reporter has the honor and luck to work at major events of the country is not much, especially for reporters of local Party newspapers, so each time there is an opportunity to experience it, it is a growth. For example, in 2021, for the first time, I was assigned by the Editorial Board to work at the 13th National Congress of the Party. When receiving this special assignment, I could not help but feel nervous and worried. From the Editorial Board to the Head of the Political , Cultural and Social Department, everyone was concerned both before and during my trip to work.

Although I had prepared quite carefully for the days of working at the 13th National Congress of the Party, when I arrived in Hanoi , especially when I stepped into the My Dinh National Convention Center, where the event took place, I still could not help but be overwhelmed by the grandeur of the event, especially the strict working process for the press team. The pressure on a reporter who was stepping out into the "big sea" for the first time like me also came from the reporters of domestic and international press agencies, most of whom had working experience and were equipped with modern equipment.

Despite the difficulties and pressures, I always remember the advice of the Editorial Board, especially the Head of the Political - Cultural and Social Department Nguyen Phuong - who has worked twice at the National Party Congress, which is to be calm, confident and courageous. Thanks to these "keywords" I quickly caught up with the intense intensity of work. It didn't take long for me to connect with my colleagues working at the event, ready to ask for help when needed. In addition, I also received a lot of support from the comrades in the Dong Nai Provincial Party delegation attending the congress, ready to answer interviews during breaks.

The most memorable experience for me during my days of reporting at the 13th National Party Congress was having the opportunity to work directly inside the hall, to get the closest access to the delegates of the province attending the congress. This was very difficult, because there were more than 600 domestic and international reporters working at the congress, the number of reporters allowed to work directly inside was very limited, usually only for reporters from central press agencies. To do this, I patiently waited in line for more than 2 hours, and at the same time received support from my colleagues to get my turn to receive a special card to enter the hall.

The 13th National Party Congress only lasted for a short time, but I managed to complete a number of news, articles, and photos and send them to the editorial office, which were highly appreciated by the Editorial Board, the Editorial Office, and the Head of the Editorial Board. However, I still feel that there are many things I “regret”, because if I had more experience, I could have done better.

The short days of working at this special event continue to be reflected on by me, so that if given a second chance, I can perform my role more "well".

The days of working at the 13th National Party Congress were truly days of swimming out into the “big sea”, when reporters had to work hard from early morning until 10pm. Every day, there were dozens of phone calls from reporters to the agency to discuss with the department head and the editorial office to help the information be quick, timely, and tight.

Justice

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/xa-hoi/202506/tac-nghiep-o-su-kien-lon-them-co-hoi-truong-thanh-22c1586/