Continuing the source of Quang Nam's journalistic culture

Working at a festival. Photo: LE TRONG KHANG

Quang Nam can also be considered one of the cradles of Vietnamese journalism. Throughout many historical periods, Quang Nam people have approached journalism early, to satisfy their lifelong desire to debate and “argue”, and moreover, to pursue serving humanity, spreading culture and fighting for ideals and revolution…

Pioneering marks

Historical journalism documents are widely available on the internet and many sources, so it is not difficult to find the names and careers of famous Quang Nam journalists.

As can be recounted hundreds of related articles about Mr. Huynh Thuc Khang, Phan Khoi, Luong Khac Ninh, Bui The My, Luu Quy Ky, Le Dinh Tham, Phan Boi... belonging to the senior generation of journalists from the time before the August Revolution.

It is noteworthy that in any period, journalists who are citizens or have origins in Quang Nam have made pioneering contributions, paving the way for liberalizing the flow of speech in the era.

For example, we can recall that Tieng Dan, founded by Mr. Huynh, was the first national language newspaper in Central Vietnam, "screaming out the voice of the people in the middle of Hue citadel", as assessed by the late General Secretary Truong Chinh, for 16 years (1927-1943), through 1,766 issues.

Voice of the People Newspaper.

HUYNH THUC KHANG: "If you don't have the right to speak, at least keep the right not to say what people force you to say.

...Because we do not have the freedom to say what we should say, but we have the freedom not to say what we should not say.”
(Voice of the People Newspaper, 1927)

"Born into a country must take care of its own part
On earth in the sky between there are people.
(The People's Voice)

Next was Phan Khoi, not only a writer who collaborated with a series of newspapers and magazines in the North and the South such as Nam Phong, Luc Tinh Tan Van, Dong Phap Thoi Bao, Than Chung, Trung Lap, Cong Luan, Phu Nu Tan Van, Thuc Nghiep Dan Bao, Pho Thong, Dong Tay, Huu Thanh... but also the founder of the weekly Song Huong (chief editor-in-chief).

Mr. Phan was also famous for his argumentative and argumentative nature, sparking nine notable debates, such as the debate on “The Tale of Kieu”; on feminism and defending women; on Confucianism; on the merits and crimes of King Gia Long; on national studies and the national language; on new and old poetry; on idealism and materialism; on the relationship between politics and literature; on the West and the East…

Phan Khoi and Bui The My were two of the "four great newspapers of Saigon" in the early 20th century. Journalist Bui The My was once the editor-in-chief of the Dong Phap Times, but his outstanding contribution was to Trung Lap, a daily newspaper that at one point published 150,000 copies a day in Saigon.

Huong River Weekly Newspaper.

PHAN KHOI : "Generally, I take the propaganda of democracy and science as the motto for my journalism career."

“Because in learning, one must maintain an open and honest attitude. When people refute one, if one has reasons to argue, one must argue back. If one has no reasons, one must show that one accepts the other person's theory. To be clear, if one loses, one must accept defeat. One must not have the habit of making excuses to get things over with. I also know that arguing about knowledge is nothing more than defending the truth.”

According to Phan Khoi, the three literary standards of journalists are Trust - Achievement - Beauty. Trust means it must be true and reasonable; Achievement means it must be clear, making the reader understand the article and the journalist; Beauty means the writing must be beautiful to deeply touch people and spread far and wide.

Talking about economic journalism, many researchers have honored Mr. Luong Khac Ninh as the “founder” of the profession. Luong Khac Ninh was once the editor-in-chief of Luc Tinh Tan Van, but his significant role was in Nong Co Min Dam, one of the first four national language newspapers in the South, and specialized in discussing economic business, trade, etc.

"Land opening to the South"

It seems that the destiny of Quang Nam, the "open land", has brought with it many Quang Nam journalists who have gone to and become famous in the Southern land.

Not only in the time of Luong Khac Ninh, Phan Khoi, Bui The My, but also in the second half of the 20th century, that land gathered many journalists from Quang Nam who left their mark in the period connecting the periods of war - peace, innovation - modernization of journalism, such as names such as Vu Hanh, Vo Nhu Lanh, Vu Duc Sao Bien, Huynh Ba Thanh, Huynh Son Phuoc, Nguyen Van Bon, Vu Gia, Le Minh Quoc...

Perhaps because they want to go to bustling centers to freely work, most Quang people who work as journalists often choose big cities, especially to liberal places where many talented people gather, however, in their homeland there are still many people who continue their journalism career.

The generation that emerged from the war contributed to building the foundation for Quang Nam journalism after the country's reunification, such as writers Nguyen Dinh An, Ho Hai Hoc, Ho Duy Le, Le Hoang Linh, Dinh Van Manh, etc., and many seniors who followed.

Present in this place are the main local media agencies such as Quang Nam Newspaper, Da Nang Newspaper, QRT, DRT, and also the permanent offices of many newspapers and radio stations nationwide. The number of Quang Nam journalists in their hometown has also reached about 200 people.

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Since the birth and development of journalism in our country, in any period, people from Quang land have been the main force in the journalism of the whole country. That has formed a tradition, shaped a source of flow through many historical periods, becoming the pride of the people of Quang land. Because people born here, due to the source of spiritual culture, imbued with the land, mountains, rivers and fields, integrated from the cultured countryside, have created the qualities of criticism, honesty, frankness, liking to turn over issues, always sensitive to new things, liking to share knowledge with the community, so it is suitable for the thinking and cultural capacity of people working in media and journalism.

"From the story of a Quang Nam person working as a journalist" - researcher Pham Phu Phong

Following the footsteps of time after 27 years of re-establishment of the province, Quang Nam press has achieved many achievements, marking the development in content and form, towards professionalism - modernity - humanity.

Many works have been honored through national and regional awards. In particular, the Huynh Thuc Khang Journalism Award has been established for 18 years, attracting thousands of entries, awarding hundreds of works of outstanding value about the land and people of Quang Nam, with the participation of an increasing number of journalists from all over the country.

Still passing on a source of Quang culture with rich identity...

The urge of journalism still lingers in the minds of many human life stories…

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/tiep-noi-manh-nguon-van-hoa-bao-chi-xu-quang-3136691.html