Responding to innovation

(Baonghean) - Implementing Directive No. 42-CT/TU dated August 25, 2004 of the Central Party Secretariat on "Improving the overall quality of publishing activities", over the past 10 years, publishing - printing - distribution activities in Nghe An province have had positive changes: Closely following the reality of social life, promptly and fully serving current events, politics, economics, and society of the province; meeting the increasingly high and diverse needs of readers, actively contributing to the propaganda and dissemination of Party policies and State laws...

Over the past 10 years, publishing - printing - distribution activities (hereinafter referred to as publishing activities) in Nghe An have had positive changes, closely following the reality of social life, promptly and fully serving current events, politics, economics, and society of the province; gradually adapting to the market mechanism, meeting the increasingly high and diverse needs of readers, actively contributing to the propaganda and dissemination of the Party's policies and the State's laws; improving people's knowledge, developing the economy, culture... Under the direction of the Department of Information and Communications, Nghe An Publishing House has maintained its orientation, promptly serving the political tasks of the province, completing assigned targets and plans. In 10 years, Nghe An Publishing House has published 1,133 books, with a total of 716,600 copies, 107,490,000 printed pages on all topics of politics - law, culture - society, science - technology, children... Many valuable book series have been published such as: "Nghe An - Famous relics", "Nghe An - History and culture", "Nghe An - Proud song", "Nghe An parallel sentences", "Uncle Ho - an immense love", "Uncle Ho's letters, articles, speeches to his homeland Nghe An".

Printing line of Nghe An Newspaper Printing House. Photo: Sy Minh

In accordance with the spirit of Directive 42, publishing - printing - distribution activities in the province have implemented the motto of focusing on the grassroots and on the workers. Currently, in Nghe An, there are 153 distribution establishments, of which, the School Equipment and Books Joint Stock Company has 21 establishments in the districts, the Book Distribution Joint Stock Company has 17 establishments... As a state management agency for publishing activities, the Department of Information and Communications has advised on the issuance of many highly effective documents on strengthening publishing - printing - distribution activities in the province. Leaders of publishing, printing and distribution units have also demonstrated their autonomy and self-responsibility in orienting development and implementing the 5 tasks and 6 solutions stated in Directive 42, creating a clear change in awareness, leadership, management and implementation, contributing to improving the overall quality of publishing activities.

Folding products at Nghe An newspaper printing house. Photo: SM

In particular, the Department of Information and Communications has advised the Provincial People's Committee to promulgate the "Nghe An Publishing Development Plan for the period 2010 - 2020", in which, thoroughly implementing the principles and criteria set out in the spirit of the Resolution of the 9th National Party Congress, Directive No. 42 of the Secretariat and in accordance with the actual situation of the locality; in which, paying attention to building the potential and capacity of publishing activities; improving the economic efficiency of publishing; building new models and structures, suitable for the development of the modern publishing industry. To support publishing activities, the Department has also advised on promulgating appropriate and effective management mechanisms for publishing activities, such as: land tax exemption and reduction for publishing establishments; subsidizing prices and fees for publishing publications for ethnic minorities in mountainous areas; advising the Provincial People's Committee to publish ordered and subsidized books to preserve traditional cultural values... From 2009 to present, the Provincial People's Committee has approved 52 books with a quantity of 15,600 copies, including valuable books such as: "Typical examples of Nghe An province in 40 years of implementing Uncle Ho's Testament", "Folklore address of Nghe Tinh, Mrs. Hoang Thi Loan - Genius mother of Ho Chi Minh"...

Directive 42 also highlighted the role of the private sector in joint ventures and associations in publishing activities. Over the past 10 years, there have been 444 printing establishments operating in the province, of which 17 have been granted printing licenses, the rest are inkjet, digital printing, photocopying establishments... Private printing companies have caught up with the rapid development of the market mechanism, creating a healthy competitive market that promotes the development of the publishing industry in general. The application of scientific and technical advances has been of interest to units, focusing on investing in modern equipment and machinery to better serve production and business. Printing and publishing companies have gradually transformed into joint stock companies, diversifying their business forms in line with the development of the market economy. In the past 10 years, the revenue of each unit was higher year after year, typically units such as: Form Printing and Distribution Joint Stock Company: 60 billion VND; Printing Joint Stock Company: 115 billion VND; Nghe An Newspaper Printing House: 200 billion VND; Nghe An Book Distribution Joint Stock Company: 200 billion VND; Book and School Equipment Joint Stock Company: 500 billion VND.

Awareness and responsibility of Party and government levels, sectors, organizations, agencies and units in implementing Directive 42 have been increasingly enhanced. District Party Committees and People's Committees of districts, cities and towns have also taken Directive 42 as the basis and basis for implementing many contents in local publishing work. The Department of Culture and Information of districts, cities and towns has directed the dissemination of documents on the grassroots radio system such as: Publishing Law, Directive 42... Guiding printing and distribution establishments to carry out procedures for registering business licenses and conducting business in accordance with the provisions of law. Along with publishing activities and management of publishing activities at the local level, the District Party Committees and People's Committees of districts, cities and towns also focus on directing relevant sectors to take care of developing the reading needs of people of all walks of life, combining the forms of electronic and traditional library activities; bringing books and newspapers to remote areas; Building libraries and bookcases in villages and hamlets to best serve the reading needs of the people. Therefore, reading culture is increasingly improved in both quality and quantity.

However, after 10 years of implementing Directive 42, there are still some limitations that need to be overcome, namely: There are not many types of publications in the fields of entertainment, literature or magazines of a research nature, life sciences, the quality of some works does not meet the requirements. Reading culture is gradually fading away in the face of the strong development of entertainment from modern audio-visual media. The scale and capacity of publishing activities have not met the increasingly large and diverse needs of society for providing information, knowledge and enjoying literature and art in the renovation period. There are not many types of books to popularize knowledge to serve the masses; research books, summarizing practices are still few, and the quality is still limited. Books written about the renovation process, new factors, new people are still few and lacking in depth and vividness.

To continue to effectively implement Directive 42, it is necessary to innovate and improve the effectiveness of the Party's leadership and direction in the publishing sector, while strengthening State management of publishing activities; innovate research, printing, publishing and distribution of publications to meet the requirements of innovation, integration and development; focus on training and improving the quality of the publishing staff in the province; promote socialization and mobilize resources to promote the development of publishing, printing and distribution activities in line with the development trends of the times, contributing positively to the socio-economic development of the province.

Nguyen Ba Hao- Deputy Director of Department of Information and Communications