The Party Newspaper has proactively participated in the new media space, innovating thinking and methods of journalism.

Conference scene. Photo: Duc Anh

Dear Comrade Vo Van Thuong - Member of the Politburo, Permanent Secretary of the Central Party Secretariat;

Dear Central Party Committee members, leaders of central departments, ministries and branches, and local leaders;

Dear delegates!

Dear Conference!

First of all, I warmly welcome the leaders of the Party, Central Committees, Ministries and Branches, leaders of provincial and municipal Party Committees, delegates representing press management and direction agencies, and Party journalists who have attended the National Conference on Improving the Quality of Party Newspapers - the first conference to be held on a national scale and of great significance to the Party newspaper system nationwide.

I welcome the People's Newspaper's coordination with the Central Propaganda Department and the Vietnam Journalists Association to organize this meaningful event. The conference will listen to the team of Party journalists nationwide discuss a very important and practical topic, especially in the context of strong development of social media as today, which is: How to improve the quality of Party newspapers, enhance the position and role of Party newspapers to be worthy of the trust and expectations of Party committees at all levels, the government and the people; effectively implement the requirements of propaganda work, contributing to the successful implementation of the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress, the Party's guiding views on the press and the Resolution of the 11th National Congress of the Vietnam Journalists Association, term 2020-2025.

Comrade Nguyen Trong Nghia - Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Head of the Central Propaganda Department spoke at the Conference. Photo: Duc Anh

Dear comrades!

Over the years, Party newspapers and the team of Party journalists nationwide have made constant efforts to affirm their important position and role as a sharp ideological weapon of the Party, an effective means of information and propaganda for Party committees and authorities at all levels; and a trusted forum for Party members and the people. Many Party newspapers have a long history and many achievements, making important contributions to the development of the country and localities.

Entering the period of innovation, promoting the glorious tradition of the Vietnamese revolutionary press, Party press agencies have pioneered in the work of informing and propagating the Party and State's guidelines, lines and policies; affirming their role as a source of official, reliable and accurate information; affirming their strengths in staying close to the grassroots, closely attached to the people in the locality, promptly discovering and praising positive factors, typical advanced models, at the same time, reflecting concerns, worries, and urgent issues arising from life in the locality and unit; actively participating in the work of protecting the Party's ideological foundation, fighting against and refuting incorrect and hostile information and viewpoints.

Faced with the strong development of media types, especially social networks, many Party newspapers have proactively participated in the new media space; innovated thinking and reporting methods, strived to grasp modern journalism trends, mastered technology, to both fulfill the requirements of information and propaganda work and meet the diverse needs of readers, contributing to orienting public opinion and creating public trust. The team of Party newspaper cadres and reporters is increasingly steadfast in ideology and politics, good at professional skills, deeply understanding the local situation, enthusiastic in contributing and serving the development of the country and locality.

However, in addition to important contributions, we must frankly admit some limitations and shortcomings in the activities of Party newspapers in recent times. It is easy to see that there are still times when some press agencies have not performed well the functions, tasks, missions and responsibilities of Party newspapers and magazines (tools and weapons: Ideological orientation, public opinion; reflecting reality; criticism; fighting to protect the Party's ideological foundation); information and propaganda methods are still not vivid and attractive; the forecasting and orientation of complex and sensitive local issues are still passive; some local Party newspapers are still slow and confused in carrying out digital transformation of the press; there is a lack of close connection and coordination with each other to create a unified, strong information battlefield with high influence in social life. Some Party press agencies still report in a one-sided manner, with low levels of discovery, combativeness, and criticality, especially regarding “hot” issues in the locality; shortcomings, limitations, and violations in the direction and administration of local Party committees and authorities...

Delegates exchanged on the sidelines of the Conference.

Dear comrades!

According to the Program, our Conference will last for one day with many diverse topics. This afternoon, Comrade Vo Van Thuong - Politburo member, Standing member of the Secretariat, on behalf of the Party and State leaders, will give a speech directing the Conference. On behalf of the Central Propaganda Department, I would like to discuss some suggestive contents for you to discuss at the Conference.

The first,On the basis of thoroughly understanding the viewpoint: Vietnamese revolutionary press is under the direct and comprehensive leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, what must the Party press do and how should it continue to preserve and promote its glorious tradition, continue to strive to maintain its role and position as the main force in information, propaganda, and orientation of public opinion (promoting the strengths and unique identity of the Party press system compared to the press agencies of ministries, branches, socio-political organizations, professional social organizations, etc.?).

MondayHow can Party newspapers maintain information, propagate political tasks, fulfill their function as sharp and effective ideological weapons, and affirm their great role in social life, meeting the increasingly diverse and rich tastes of readers?

Tuesday, the Party newspaper system is lacking close connection, has not created a unified and strong front for information and propaganda work on issues at the regional level and even larger, on the national level. We lack a conductor to lead, create unity, and coordinate operations. This is the first issue for the Central Propaganda Department, Nhan Dan Newspaper, Ministry of Information and Communications, and Journalists Association in orienting and leading information and propaganda. So what should be done to better solve this problem?

Wednesday,How can the Party newspaper system implement the digital transformation of the press quickly and effectively? It is necessary to clearly define the role and responsibility of the Ministry of Information and Communications as the State management agency of the press, the agency assigned to preside over the implementation of national digital transformation? Is it the responsibility of local Party committees and authorities as the press management agency? How will Nhan Dan Newspaper, the leading press agency in digital transformation in the Party newspaper system, support local Party newspapers? And above all, first of all, it is the mindset and readiness of the press agency, of the team of local Party journalists, especially the head of the press agency. We need to research, discuss thoroughly, thoughtfully and responsibly about this content to be able to come to scientific and sustainable solutions. Human resources for Party newspapers need to be professional, humane and modern.

ThursdayThe first National Conference on Improving the Quality of Party Newspapers was held as a meaningful activity, an opportunity for Party committees at all levels, press managers, Party newspaper agencies and reporters and editors of Party newspapers to exchange and discuss important and urgent topics, in order to contribute to improving the quality of Party newspaper activities, helping Party newspapers seize opportunities, overcome difficulties and challenges, perform well the task of information and propaganda, and maintain the trust of cadres, party members and people. We need to consider organizing this Conference annually; determine the theme for each year in accordance with the specific situation and new task requirements.

I believe that the 6 topics raised by the Organizing Committee for discussion in the discussion sessions of today's Conference will clarify the issues I have just raised. These are very accurate and true topics for the Party newspaper today. There are issues that have been pointed out and identified for a long time, discussed many times, at many seminars and conferences, but we still do not have fundamental, long-term solutions. There are new issues that need to be discussed and discussed to find a suitable approach and grasp. Seeing these issues and finding solutions to implement in practice, the Party newspaper will certainly continue to maintain its position and role in the Vietnamese revolutionary press system, worthy of the trust and expectations of the Party, the State, all levels of government and especially the People.

Dear comrades!

The Party newspaper system is an important part of the Party's ideological work. I hope that the press agencies in the system will become increasingly stronger, with publications of high quality information and propaganda, continuing to strongly arouse national pride, the desire to rise up, the will to be self-reliant, self-reliant, and strive to build an increasingly prosperous and happy country. Together with propaganda agencies at all levels, the Party newspaper system must make ideological work "go ahead and go together" with the people's lives; be close to and closely connected to reality, proactively grasp, evaluate, and forecast developments, orient public opinion, and promptly advise the Party Committee on policies and measures for leadership and guidance on ideology, creating unity in action. In information and propaganda work, it is necessary to focus on contacting and dialogue with the people, accompanying, sharing, and listening to the people, thereby orienting ideological work according to the motto of being specific, practical, concise, easy to understand, and suitable for each subject to reach the right perception.

Party press agencies need to proactively coordinate closely and synchronously with units doing ideological work, coordinate with sectors and levels in the political system, constantly innovate propaganda work in the direction of "being positive, proactive, linking theory with practice", strengthen "building together with fighting", use "the good to eliminate the bad", attach importance to education, persuasion and setting an example. More than ever, Party press agencies and the team of Party journalists must, together with propaganda agencies at all levels, truly master the role of orienting public opinion, especially in the context of increasingly developing social networks leading to too many information streams and ways of accessing and sharing information that are diverse and quick like never before.

I wish that Party journalists across the country will always be full of enthusiasm and creative aspirations, promote the fine traditions of Vietnamese revolutionary journalism, continue to innovate more strongly, master modern journalism technology, enhance the combativeness, humanity and noble mission of revolutionary journalism in the new era, and make worthy contributions to the cause of building and defending the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland.

Once again, I wish the leaders of the Party, Central Committees, Ministries and Branches, local leaders and delegates good health, happiness and success. I wish our National Conference on Improving the Quality of Party Newspapers a great success.

Thanks a lot!

*Title by Nghe An Newspaper