Journalist Huu Tho with journalistic skits

(Baonghean.vn) -Growing up as a “backpacker, barefoot” reporter with nearly 50 years of experience, besides many famous articles, receiving many journalism awards, journalist Huu Tho also has thousands of journalistic short stories that are enjoyed by many readers, he has written since 1987 until now.

Taking 1987 as the benchmark because since that year, journalist Huu Tho has paid much attention to the genre of short stories. On VTV, the newspapers Nhan Dan, An ninh the gioi, The gioi moi... he wrote and maintained the short story column for many years. Let's go into a little more detail. On July 17, 2001, on Nhan Dan newspaper, journalist Huu Tho with the pen name Nhan Nghia wrote the first short story in the column "Discussing life's affairs". The first article was "Nguoi gia", which immediately showed his decisive attitude. The topic, the issues raised, especially the way of analysis, the critical attitude coincided with the thoughts and assessments of many people, so they were responded to, welcomed by readers, they even commented more... The pen name Nhan Nghia quickly became familiar to readers. Many people knew Nhan Nghia was Huu Tho, they rushed to send letters of encouragement, sharing, sometimes even "giving tips" to the journalist.

Portrait sketch of Journalist Huu Tho (painter Choe)

The special features of Huu Tho's journalistic sketches are that they are fast, concise, sharp, rich in practicality based on solid, new, flexible theories and always linked to the fate of the people, the country and our Party. Therefore, in his journalistic career, his sketches were highly appreciated, right at the time when the whole country was on the path of innovation, with many good things but also many things to observe and discuss, in his words, "discussing and contributing to life's affairs".

Please take the bookRun, first published in 2004, by 2012 it had been reprinted for the fourth time, as an example. Society exists with “fake” things: fake goods, fake money, fake degrees, fake titles, fake knowledge,... all of these things, although cleverly hidden in the real, have contributed to creating “fake people”. And these “fake people” are easily trusted and promoted if they are not checked by their actions, results or honest assessments from the people. And according to author Huu Tho, the problem of fake people is still the most dangerous of all “fake” things (Short story “Fake People”).

A cadre who does propaganda, goes down to the people to talk, talks at length, speaks correctly but in a very general way. What the people need to hear is not mentioned by him, so what he says is correct but not accurate? Our people have a custom of speaking in reverse, speaking for the "people to know" but if they don't "know the people", then when will they continue to speak? Huu Tho commented with great insight: "That speaking in reverse is so profound, so profound that it is embarrassing" (Short piece "Speaking in Reverse").

Let's talk about the indifference and apathy of some officials, leading to forest fires, land grabbing, reckless construction, and even encroachment on national relics! Through some specific heartbreaking stories, journalist Huu Tho further discussed: "Therefore, listeners still find them indifferent and apathetic! Meanwhile, the responsibility for management in the territory, within the scope of the responsible field, has been clearly stated. If one does not fulfill the responsibility for management, one should not be allowed to hold the responsibility for management, that is also common sense. If responsibility for a few cases is strictly handled from top to bottom, then everyone holding responsibility will take care of their own responsibility...". Since 2002, Huu Tho has raised the issue of resignation culture: "If one does not fulfill one's responsibility and resigns, what a shining example it will be for those who are responsible" (Sketch "Indifference")... It can be said that the ideas raised in his journalistic sketch seem small but in fact are not small at all!

Some journalistic works of Journalist Huu Tho have just been republished.

Opening the column “Contributing to life” in Nhan Dan newspaper, with the pen name Nhan Nghia, Huu Tho seemed to state a “manifesto” for his political pen: “The country is in renewal, with rapid changes in material and spiritual life. Many new things are happening, sometimes bright and straight, sometimes dark and twisting. I also want to contribute a few words to discuss what is happening in life, together reaching for Truth-Goodness-Beauty, fighting against the fake, the evil, the bad for a better life”. That is also the consciousness, the mind, the heart of a journalist devoted to the people, the Fatherland on the long, arduous path for the ultimate goal of a rich people, a strong country, a democratic, fair, civilized society.

In real life, for a long time, journalist Huu Tho was a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, for many years he was the Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan newspaper, Head of the Central Ideology and Culture Department, thanks to which he had a position and position to speak, especially to speak and discuss important matters. Once, speaking before the National Assembly, he frankly said: "Running" now often happens, causing some people to not want to run at first, but when the whole village runs, we cannot help but run. That is bad, it is chaos, first of all it is standard chaos. Those who buy positions must have a place to buy, to eradicate is to eradicate this position-selling person first. And he expressed this strong idea in a few short pieces directly or indirectly titled "Running". "My personality is that when I understand something, I want to understand it thoroughly" - that is journalist Huu Tho, when I see something or find it convincing, I try to do it thoroughly.

He really liked the saying of the famous person Tran Thu Do: "A hundred people who obey, are not equal to one person who speaks frankly". Huu Tho, also a journalist and politician, shared with Professor Nguyen Duc Nam, a Western literature expert, before his death: "Intellectuals must speak frankly, but if they speak frankly, their superiors will not trust them. Intellectuals do not like status, but without a bit of status, it is difficult to publish their ideas!"

The journalistic skits written by journalist Huu Tho after the 9th Party Congress, as journalist-poet Nguyen Si Dai said, can be considered a "pulse diagnosis", and to some extent, antibiotic "prescriptions" that contribute to nurturing the mind, making the body, soul, and personality of each person, and more broadly, the majority of society...

In recent years, the work of Party building and rectification has been more drastic than ever, associated with the Resolution "Some urgent issues on Party building at present". General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, in his opening speech at the 4th Conference of the 9th Party Central Committee (December 26, 2011), expressed his high awareness and determination: "Party building and rectification is a very difficult and complicated task, because it is related to organization building, human building, is human work, and easily touches on the honor, interests, and relationships of people. It is difficult, but it cannot be avoided, because it is related to the life of the Party and the existence of the regime". At such vibrant and sensitive times, the type of journalistic short stories and talented and virtuous short story writers have more conditions to flourish and exert their influence on mass media channels, especially print media. At the same time, short stories with lasting value like those by journalist Huu Tho, although published a long time ago, due to reader demand, are still continuously reprinted and "re-read" with many deep and interesting thoughts and associations!

Such a veteran journalist is worthy of respect and learning!

Kim Hung