Speech of Comrade Vo Van Thuong at the National Conference on Improving the Quality of Party Newspapers

Conference scene. Photo: Duc Anh

Dear delegates,!

Dear comrades,!

Attending the National Conference on Improving the Quality of Party Newspapers, organized by Nhan Dan Newspaper in coordination with the Central Propaganda Department and the Vietnam Journalists Association, on behalf of the Politburo and the Secretariat, I would like to send to the delegates my best wishes, warm greetings and the following opinions:

Regarding the assessment of the results over the past time, the Party newspaper system has a long history, tradition and glorious achievements. As an important, pioneering and core force in the revolutionary press system, over the years, the Party newspaper has always adhered to its principles and goals, actively innovated, and been a vanguard force on the Party's ideological and cultural front, an important means of propagating and introducing the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's policies and laws; vividly reflecting the great achievements of historical significance in the renovation process; orienting and encouraging the entire Party, the entire people and the entire army in building and defending the Fatherland; and being an important information channel for the People to participate in building the Party and the political system.

Party newspapers closely follow real life, discover positive factors, promptly reflect the legitimate thoughts and aspirations of the people and issues of public concern; limitations and shortcomings in the activities of Party committees and organizations at all levels; perform well the functions of social supervision and criticism, actively participate in protecting the Party's ideological foundation, fight against erroneous and hostile viewpoints...

Comrade Vo Van Thuong gave a speech at the conference. Photo: Duc Anh

The Party newspaper system has developed rapidly and strongly, with many new types and publications. The application of science and technology has had positive changes, adapting to modern media trends. Party committees have always paid attention to leading and directing the construction of organizational apparatus, information and propaganda work; investing in facilities for press agencies to become more spacious and modern. The team of cadres and reporters has constantly improved their professional qualifications and skills, and matured through practice; the Party's press position has been consolidated and strengthened, contributing significantly to the leadership and direction of Party committees and organizations at all levels.

However, Party newspapers still have many limitations and shortcomings. The scale and development of some press agencies have not met the requirements of the task. Information in Party newspapers is not diverse, presented in a routine way, not attractive to readers, focusing on reflecting the situation, lacking in political articles, reports, and sharp investigations; the forecasting quality in press works is not high. Some press agencies are slow to innovate, not performing well the function of orienting ideology, culture and public opinion. There are still press products that lack political sensitivity; have not paid due attention to discovering, encouraging, and promoting new, advanced factors; have not proactively built a series of articles on protecting the Party's ideological foundation. Information is one-sided, lacking in combativeness, criticality, not daring, not resolute in reflecting, fighting against violations, pressing issues, and public opinion concerns, focusing on information about the leaders' reception, beautifying, and praising one-sidedly...

Delegates exchanged on the sidelines of the conference. Photo: Duc Anh

Some press agencies have not focused on applying modern journalism technology, and have not kept up with the development of information flow; some newspapers have invested heavily in facilities and technology, but their propaganda effectiveness is low, and they have not spread and influenced widely in society. Some cadres and reporters have not fully grasped and understood the Party's policies and guidelines, and lack basic knowledge of ideological work. Some Party committees, Party organizations, cadres and Party members take lightly the purchase and reading of Party newspapers; in particular, some Party committees use the funds to purchase Party newspapers for other purposes, or buy them but do not read or study them. Mechanisms and policies for Party newspapers are still inadequate, failing to meet the requirements of innovation and improvement of human resources and facilities. Some press agencies have not innovated fundamentally, lacking synchronization between technological innovation, information quality innovation and improvement of human resources quality in journalism...

Reporters working at the conference. Photo: Duc Anh

Dear comrades,!

Our Party has determined: “Ideological and theoretical work is a particularly important component in the entire Party's activities; it is a key field to build and foster the political foundation of the regime, to propagate, educate, mobilize and organize the People to carry out revolutionary tasks, to affirm and enhance the Party's pioneering role in politics, theory, intelligence, culture and ethics; to demonstrate the role of being ahead and paving the way in the cause of building and defending the Fatherland”. It is an important force in ideological work in the requirements of the new development stage, especially in the context of the unceasing development of science and technology; the sabotage of hostile and reactionary forces; fierce competition for information, requiring the Party newspaper to innovate more strongly, to be worthy of being a sharp weapon, a leading flag, and a core in all three main forms of ideological work: theory, propaganda and agitation; contribute to motivating, encouraging, and arousing the aspiration to develop a prosperous and happy country.

At today's conference, the general report of the Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper and other comrades raised many ideas to improve the quality of Party newspapers. I basically agree, and believe that if comrades seriously and fully answer the questions raised in the general report, it will contribute positively to improving the quality of Party newspapers.

I would like to add some more contents for you to continue to research and organize implementation in the coming time:

The first,It is necessary to thoroughly grasp and fully perceive the role and position of Party newspapers in ideological work, building and rectifying the Party and the political system; serving the leadership and direction of Party committees and organizations at all levels in implementing the Party's policies and guidelines on socio-economic development, ensuring national defense and security, worthy of being the voice of the Party, government and people.

Party newspapers must continue to innovate, becoming more "professional, humane, and modern"; not only fully and vividly reflecting the real situation, but also striving to contribute to promoting the development of society; not only meeting the public's increasing need for information, but also orienting the public, motivating and encouraging millions of people to unite to build and protect the homeland and country.

Focus on improving the quality of propaganda on Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh thought, educating on the glorious revolutionary tradition of the Party and the nation; widely propagating the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's policies and laws in conjunction with patriotic emulation movements; resolutely fight to prevent and repel degradation in ideology, politics, ethics, lifestyle, manifestations of "self-evolution", "self-transformation", corruption and negative behavior; fight and refute wrong and hostile viewpoints; strive to follow Uncle Ho's teachings: "The Party newspaper is like a simple, practical and widespread training course. It teaches us what we need to know about propaganda, organization, leadership and work. Every day it helps to improve our political level and work productivity".

Monday,As the Party's ideological weapon, Party newspapers must grasp, correctly forecast, accurately orient, properly and promptly handle ideological issues in the Party and society, improve the quality of information, propaganda, agitation, promote Party spirit, people's spirit, ideology, fighting spirit, and persuasiveness in journalistic works. Carrying the mission of building trust for cadres, Party members, and People in the noble cause of the Party and the nation. Therefore, Party newspapers must always uphold honesty, dare to look straight at the truth, speak the truth, not avoid; must have a strong, constructive voice of criticism, limit flattery, and follow-up; not because they are the governing body or the superior body, "glorify" excessively, not dare to reflect and fight against violations, shortcomings, limitations, and weaknesses in the management work of local Party committees and authorities; handle well, harmonize between implementing information and propaganda of political tasks and meeting the needs of readers and audiences.

Party newspapers must strive to raise themselves to the level of the mission assigned by the times; must firmly grasp Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh's thought, and the Party's policies and guidelines; be sensitive to social issues, dare to confront evil, and enthusiastically promote the good and decent things.

The Party's press must clearly demonstrate its key role in the work of building the Party politically and ideologically in the struggle to protect the Party's ideological foundation, defeat the "peaceful evolution" plot of hostile forces in the ideological and cultural fields; have appropriate forms of propaganda for the people, especially the young generation, to enhance their resistance, their ability to proactively fight and refute erroneous and hostile viewpoints, understand and proactively fight, without doubt or wavering.

Conference delegates take souvenir photos. Photo: Duc Anh

Tuesday, a very interesting question is: If 44 newspapers said that readers come to the Party newspaper because they are interested in politics. So what is the most important political content that readers are interested in? That is the content related to the fate of the nation, the Party, the People, related to the process of continuous movement and struggle to make the Party increasingly clean and strong, so that the country can gradually move forward firmly, for the goal of a rich people, a strong country, democracy, fairness, civilization, achieving the goal of becoming a developed country following the socialist orientation, so that all people can be prosperous and happy... That is the content that people are interested in, deserving of a solemn position on the front page of each daily newspaper.

Party newspapers must proactively and actively participate in summarizing practices and developing theories; increase theoretical and in-depth articles and key articles on summarizing practices. Each work in the Party press must accurately, promptly, effectively and vividly reflect the results of implementing the Party's policies and guidelines at all levels and sectors; detect individuals and groups that have performed well or poorly; thoroughly explain the reasons for success or failure; point out inappropriate contents in the Party's policies and guidelines that need to be supplemented and revised, thereby providing valuable materials from reality, contributing to summarizing practices and generalizing them into theories.

Party newspapers need to promote their role of social supervision and criticism, helping to improve forecasting capacity, the quality of planning work, perfecting guidelines and policies in accordance with Vietnam's reality, the development trends of the times, improving the leadership capacity of Party committees at all levels, the effectiveness and efficiency of management and administration of governments at all levels. Party newspapers must be a place where people can trust to express their thoughts and aspirations, reflect the voice of the people, and be an important bridge between people, businesses and Party committees and governments.

Party newspapers must be proactive in innovating, creating, improving the quality of their works, ensuring that information is correct, accurate, interesting and attractive; focusing on developing multimedia and multi-platform journalism forms along with better promoting the role of traditional printed newspaper products. Innovation and creation must be based on the correct implementation of principles and purposes, and absolutely not in the name of innovation and creation, following unhealthy tastes and negative trends.

Thursday,Party newspapers must be pioneers and exemplary in implementing the Party's guidelines and policies, and the State's laws and policies. Leaders of press agencies must always have innovative thinking, strategic vision, and clearly demonstrate political responsibility in thoroughly grasping and organizing the implementation of information and propaganda work. Build a team of cadres, party members, and reporters of Party newspapers with political mettle, qualities and ethics of revolutionary journalists, with solid professional capacity and qualifications, truly being shock troops on the ideological and cultural front of the Party.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong said: “In the era of information explosion, revolutionary journalists must have revolutionary mettle, maintain the role of information orientation, and at the same time, best meet the information rights of all classes of people. In other words, revolutionary journalists must have a revolutionary spirit, that is, the spirit of attack, fighting to eliminate the bad, protecting the good, for the common cause of the country and the people; the spirit of self-renewal, self-improvement”. In addition, it is necessary to do a good job of arranging the organization and apparatus of the Party press agency to adapt to the development trend of the press.

Each Party newspaper agency must truly be a typical cultural agency, with a "professional, humane, modern" working environment. It is necessary to attach importance to Party building within the agency, ensure the principle of democratic centralism, maintain solidarity, improve the leadership capacity and fighting strength of grassroots Party organizations and unions; strengthen discipline, effectiveness and efficiency of inspection, supervision, prevention and combat of ideological, political, moral and lifestyle degradation, and manifestations of "self-evolution" and "self-transformation" within the Party newspaper staff.

Friday,Strengthen the leadership, direction and management of the governing body, especially in leading, directing and orienting to improve the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of information and propaganda work. Pay attention to leading the organization and staff work of press agencies. Increase investment in facilities, resources, mechanisms and policies, create favorable conditions for Party newspapers to operate in accordance with their principles, purposes and target audiences, and have the capacity to dominate the information front in the new context. Focus on directing Party building work in press agencies; overcome manifestations of neglecting Party building and rectification work in press agencies. Strengthen direction, inspection and supervision of Party organizations to seriously and effectively implement the Politburo and Secretariat's policies on purchasing and reading Party newspapers and magazines; continue to innovate newspaper distribution work.

Saturday, the Propaganda, Information and Communications sector, the Journalists Association at all levels and ministries, departments and sectors continue to research, review, promptly amend, supplement and perfect mechanisms and policies, remove difficulties and obstacles in the operation of the press system, including the Party newspaper, ensuring the effective operation of the press. Timely orient and provide information on various fields for the Party newspaper to proactively propagate and spread positive information, overpowering negative and false information. Pay attention to training, fostering and providing knowledge for Party press officials and reporters, especially fostering political, professional, information processing skills and modern journalism.

Dear comrades,!

In response to the requirements of Party building and rectification and the political system, and national development in the new period, the Party's press system continues to promote its tradition, better recognizes its position and role as the "backbone" of Vietnam's revolutionary press, constantly innovates, proactively informs and propagates, contributes to maintaining political stability, strengthens unity within the Party, consensus in society, and the people's trust in the Party and the State, and actively contributes to the cause of building and defending the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland. I hope and believe that after today's conference, the Party's newspapers will be of better quality and have more readers.

Wishing all delegates and the Party's press team good health, happiness and success.

Thank you comrades.