"Conductor" guides public opinion

(Baonghean) - Improving content, form, enhancing the quality of information to attract readers, combined with promoting the work of publishing and using are very valuable results in recent years, especially in 2014, contributing to making Nghe An Newspaper become the "conductor" in orienting public opinion in the area...

By the fourth quarter of 2014, Nghe An Daily had published 15,342 copies/issue, an increase of 1,300 copies/issue compared to 2013 and an increase of over 5,000 copies/issue compared to the beginning of the term; Nghe An Weekend publication increased rapidly with 15,200 copies/issue, 3,600 copies/issue higher than the same period last year. Nghe An Newspaper publications have "covered" almost all villages and hamlets in the coastal plains and remote, border villages in Nghe An. Readers of the province's party newspaper, in addition to cadres and party members, also include teachers, students in schools, union members, youth, ethnic minorities, cadres and soldiers of the armed forces...

Not only are party journalists in the beloved homeland of Uncle Ho proud of this achievement, but their colleagues in the party newspaper "village" in other provinces are also very happy. A colleague from Ha Tinh Newspaper shared: "In the context of the information technology boom, the print newspaper system is facing fierce competition from online newspapers, many famous print newspapers in the country and the world have seriously decreased in circulation, the outstanding growth in circulation like Nghe An Newspaper is admirable". Up to this point, Nghe An Newspaper is one of the three local party newspapers with the highest circulation in the country (after Ha Noi Moi Newspaper and Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper).

Inspecting the distribution of party newspapers at Chau Thon Commune Post Office (Que Phong).

In fact, in recent times, Nghe An Newspaper has organized many special topics with profound social effects. In 2014, the newspaper's publications were always bustling with "hot" and attractive events, such as: China illegally placing the Haiyang 981 drilling rig on Vietnam's continental shelf; the war situation in the Middle East, Ukraine, developments in the world situation, the domestic situation and especially activities, typical examples in the emulation movement, issues that people are interested in such as: environment, new rural construction, administrative reform, investment attraction, job creation, site clearance, land management, mineral resources, Party building work, building a team of cadres, party members, civil servants... were clearly reflected by the newspaper. In the process of organizing propaganda, the Editorial Board always adheres to the viewpoint of ensuring timeliness, objectivity, accuracy, reason, emotion, increasing criticality and attractiveness, respecting readers' information needs, bringing the highest quality and most practical information to readers.

The editorial board is also fully aware that: Although the quality has been improved, but the press publications have not reached a large number of readers, the information about the good and the good in the newspaper has decreased in value, the newspaper has difficulty fulfilling its role, function and task of "collective propaganda, collective agitation and collective organization" and the position of "conductor" guiding public opinion in the area that cadres and people in the province have entrusted. Therefore, along with improving the quality, the editorial board attaches great importance and strives to innovate the work of distributing and using publications. Specifically, many solutions have been implemented to distribute newspapers to many subjects inside and outside the province, focusing on doing a good job of distributing to cadres, party members, prestigious people, veteran cadres, reporters, cadres in charge of political organizations, teachers... Thereby, the content of the newspaper is conveyed to union members, association members and the masses, creating a spreading effect.

In particular, in 2014, the Editorial Board implemented a working program with the Standing Committees of 20/21 City Party Committees, Town Party Committees, District Party Committees and related agencies, departments, branches and units to discuss and share difficulties, grasp the situation of the grassroots, agree on the contents that need to be focused on propaganda, coordinate in handling and responding to issues raised by the press in accordance with the Press Law and the Law on Complaints and Denunciations, contributing to improving the quality of propaganda content and doing well the distribution and use of party newspapers in the political system. At a number of key departments, branches, units and localities such as: Nam Dan, Vinh City, Cua Lo Town, Department of Education and Training, Party Committee of the Enterprise Bloc, Tax Department, Nghe An Electricity Company and Vinh University,... The Editorial Board organized the signing of a coordination regulation to increase the duration of propaganda associated with promoting the distribution and use of Nghe An newspaper in accordance with the spirit of Directive 11 of the Politburo and Directive 03 of the Provincial Party Standing Committee. Since then, the shortage of newspapers in some party organizations such as rural party cells, schools and health stations has been gradually overcome.

Comrade Vi Van Thoai - Secretary of the Party Cell in Lam village, Chau Thon commune (Que Phong) discussed the use of Nghe An newspaper in Party cell activities. Photo: VAN DOAN

The editorial office of Nghe An Newspaper also pays attention to distributing to organizations outside of society, aiming to continuously expand the audience of readers and followers of the newspaper. In 2014, the editorial office effectively distributed to restaurants and hotels, especially restaurants and hotels in the coastal tourist city of Cua Lo. This result was highly appreciated by the leaders of the province and Cua Lo Town from two perspectives: Firstly, in the context of the economic downturn, tourism and service businesses in the area faced many difficulties and had to cut many expenses, but thanks to the close coordination with agencies and units (cultural departments, post offices of districts and towns) to do a good job of propaganda, most businesses and accommodation facilities in Cua Lo Town allocated funds to buy the newspaper. Second, when the newspaper is distributed to restaurants, hotels, and readers who are tourists, it will both promote the image of the country and people of Nghe An to tourists and contribute to raising awareness and renewing thinking in building a culture of sea tourism business. In addition, the editorial board proactively coordinates with the Provincial Ethnic Committee to distribute the newspaper to village elders and prestigious people among ethnic minorities so that they have the opportunity to grasp the Party's policies and the State's laws, helping the grassroots effectively implement the movement to build a new life in residential areas.

To improve the effectiveness of the publication work, the replication of effective newspaper usage models and the inspection and supervision of the allocation and use of funds for purchasing newspapers and magazines of the Party according to Decision 99 of the Central Executive Committee and the emulation and reward work are given attention. At the same time, units and localities that have not complied well with the purchase and ineffective use of newspapers are detected, reminded and promptly corrected. Thanks to that, up to now, nearly 100% of Party cells, organizations such as: Party Committee, People's Committee, People's Council, Youth Union, schools, medical stations in the province have purchased and used Nghe An newspaper relatively well. Most Party cells have used Nghe An newspaper as an important document in Party activities.

In addition, the Editorial Board also coordinated with the Provincial Post Office and post offices of districts, cities and towns to promptly overcome weaknesses, especially the situation of slow delivery, incomplete delivery, automatic newspaper cutting that often occurred in the past; organized newspaper storage, promptly served the individual newspaper subscription of the subjects and overcame difficulties to ensure newspaper delivery to readers on the same day. In 2014, through the introduction of Nghe An Newspaper, organizations and individuals supported and helped disadvantaged situations, poor households and policy families with an amount of about 700 million VND.

In order for Nghe An Newspaper to truly be the main agency in information and propaganda work, the "conductor" guiding public opinion, in 2015 and the coming years, Nghe An Newspaper determines to make greater efforts and determination, continue to innovate, improve the quality of publications, and promote distribution to ensure sustainable development, bringing the newspaper to a large number of readers inside and outside the province.

Article and photos:Hai Yen