That's absolutely right!

(Baonghean)In the past, before media was as developed as it is today, people recognized the danger of fabricated and false statements aimed at achieving a certain goal regardless of the consequences, and reminded each other that "words are like drops of blood." That warning remains just as relevant today.

Sadly, many people today still haven't fully grasped the wisdom of the ancients. This has led to a rather amusing and poignant saying for those in the writing profession: "Writers lie, journalists exaggerate." Of course, not everyone in these professions is like that. But there are some who are.

Therefore, at the National Press Conference summarizing the work of 2016 and outlining tasks for 2017, the Head of the Central Propaganda Department had to speak up and remind everyone that in 2016, there had been a number of incidents where journalists had become morally corrupt, exploiting their profession for personal gain, spreading false and negative information that affected national interests, and damaging the reputation and honor of genuine journalists…

It's true that never before have so many journalists and media outlets been penalized by authorities. And never before has the press caused such heartbreaking incidents for society and for those working in the profession. The false accusation of arsenic contamination in traditional fish sauce is a stain that is difficult to erase from the journalistic world. So much so that when discussing this incident, people have resorted to the phrase "unscrupulous media."

And the cause of this phenomenon, or rather, this widespread situation, is nothing more than profit. Profit from exaggerating and lying to attract readers and earn money. Profit from helping others benefit and receiving kickbacks. Because of profit, some people have forgotten the honor of being journalists. They sell their personal and professional honor for money. This is a huge, difficult, and complex challenge that the revolutionary Vietnamese press is currently facing.

As the Head of the Central Propaganda Department stated, the profound influence of businesses and vested interests on the press is distorting the revolutionary press. The recent fish sauce scandal is cited as a prime example, but it is a very small case of vested interests infiltrating the press. Many more serious incidents exist, but there is insufficient evidence to prosecute them. This highlights the need for each governing body and newspaper to review its staff.

And it's not just each newsroom and media organization that needs to review its staff; each journalist must also self-examine. From there, they must determine that, as writers in revolutionary journalism, honesty must come first. Only then should they consider other aspects of the profession. They must adhere to the journalistic motto: "Accurate, relevant, engaging, and compelling."

Whatever you write or say, first and foremost, you must write and speak truthfully, only then consider the elements of appeal and attractiveness. It is absolutely essential not to do the opposite—prioritizing appeal while neglecting the element of truth. As the year draws to a close, let us, fellow writers and writers, discuss and debate this together, and collectively decide that in the coming year, we will practice and conduct ourselves according to the principle: Truthfulness above all else!

Duy Huong