Some thoughts on the 100th anniversary of Vietnam Revolutionary Press Day

As a soldier journalist, honored to work at major press agencies, I deeply feel the policies and guidelines for press activities of beloved President Ho Chi Minh !

Readers visit the National Press Conference 2025

“The press is the front, journalists are soldiers”, Uncle Ho repeatedly advised journalists. The front that Uncle Ho spoke of is the ideological front. On October 20, 1950, President Ho Chi Minh himself named our army’s newspaper. He said: “The newspaper of the people’s army shall be named the People’s Army”.

I had the honor of working for nearly 15 years at the People's Army Newspaper (1988-2003). In the midst of the complicated war to protect the northern and southwestern borders and to fulfill international obligations to Cambodia, I became more and more imbued with Uncle Ho's teachings.

According to Uncle Ho's point of view, our country's press under the leadership of the Party and the management of the State not only has the function of providing information but, importantly, must also orient public opinion and organize the building of political strength to serve the cause of building and defending the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland.

From nearly half a century of journalism practice, I have come to appreciate his simple yet noble teachings. Uncle Ho taught: before writing an article, one should answer the questions: What is the purpose of writing? Whom should one write for and how should one write? Later, as the head of a major press agency in Ho Chi Minh City (SGGP Newspaper), imbued with his ideology and journalism style, we focused on the quality of information.

Must be accurate, timely and especially important in orienting public opinion; contribute to protecting the Party's ideological foundation and building the ethics of journalists.

In addition to directly “working” at the core press agencies as mentioned above, I sometimes worked at the state press management agency (Press Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Information and Communications). Having the opportunity to study and research press activities in a number of countries such as Sweden, China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, etc., I realized that each country and territory has a different political system, and of course, different press organization and operation mechanisms.

From that rich and diverse reality, I have a deeper understanding of the viewpoint and mechanism of press operations according to Ho Chi Minh's ideology. That basic viewpoint is that the press serves the revolutionary mission; placed under the comprehensive leadership of the Party and management of the State. The press and literature and arts are a front; artists and journalists are soldiers on that front.

The renovation process initiated and led by our Party 30 years ago has achieved great achievements of historical significance. Following that trend, our country's revolutionary press has continuously innovated to meet new requirements and tasks. The Press Law passed by the National Assembly in 2016 has so far revealed its inadequacy compared to reality.

In particular, when our Party advocates launching a new revolution in streamlining the apparatus as well as adjusting boundaries, reducing intermediaries, and liberating productive forces, in our opinion, it is necessary to fundamentally innovate the leadership and management of the press. The policy of amending the 2013 Constitution and amending a number of articles of laws, including the Press Law, is necessary.

Amending or building a new press law needs to thoroughly follow Uncle Ho's teaching: "With the unchangeable, respond to all changes." With the unchangeable, our country's press must serve the interests of the country and people; promote the people's freedom of speech; protect the achievements of the revolution; protect the cultural quintessence of the nation...

Adapting to all changes is building a suitable legal corridor, creating conditions for the press to develop in the "era of rising up", modernization, industrialization and international integration!

Colonel TRAN THE TUYEN, Former Deputy Director of the Press Department (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism); former Editor-in-Chief of SGGP Newspaper

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/vai-suy-nghi-nhan-ky-niem-100-nam-ngay-bao-chi-cach-mang-viet-nam-post800341.html