Developing multimedia and multi-platform
journalism is a common trend in the world today. The Vietnam News Agency has
taken concrete steps in recent years, and in fact has become a multimedia
agency, developing all types: print, radio, television, online newspaper and
books. With all kinds of information on modern technical platforms, the Vietnam
News Agency constantly strengthens the position of a news agency to provide
original/source information to domestic and international press agencies and
provides information directly to the public.
The VNA operates under the consortium model with 16 news units for domestic and
foreign service (consisting of five editorial departments including domestic
news, world news, news for foreign service, economic news and press
photography, two news centres including a television centre and a
database-documentation and infographic centre and eight editorial offices
including Tin Tuc (The News) newspaper, VietnamPlus e-newspaper, The thao &
Van hoa (Sports & Culture) newspaper, Ethnic Minority and Mountainous
Region Pictorial, Vietnam Pictorial, Viet Nam News, Le Courier du Vietnam, and
Vietnam Law & Legal Forum), along with five news support centres, a
publishing house, two printing companies, the VNA representative office in the
south, the VNA representative office in the central – Central Highlands region;
and functional units to support the VNA General Director.
With representative offices in all 63 cities and provinces nationwide and 30
overseas bureaus across the five continents, the VNA has a strong contingent of
reporters working across the country and in most of the key areas around the
world. This is a unique advantage that no other press agency in Vietnam has.
The launch of VietnamPlus online newspaper in 2008 and the official broadcast
of Vietnam News
Channel (Vnews) in 2010 were steps towards the aforementioned
target, reflecting the vision of the Vietnam News Agency Board at that time.
Later, to adapt to changes in information needs, in 2017, Vietnam News Agency
established the Database-Documentation and Infographic Centre, which provides a
wide range of materials systematically summarised from official sources
regarding major current events at home and abroad on the portal vnanet.vn, and
produces a number of TV shows. On September 15, 2015, VNA brought VNA's
information and news to social networks, starting with promoting Vietnamese
information, then developing in other languages such as English, French,
Chinese and Spanish.
In
the face of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, how has the Vietnam News Agency
invested in developing multimedia information products?
The Vietnam News Agency is well prepared to catch the trend of the Fourth
Industrial Revolution, and we have many products of this revolution.
VietnamPlus Chatbot application is an example. Along with that, there are data
journal products using Big Data and Voice to Text system. As for how much we
invest in information products, it depends on each stage of the development of
communication technology and the ever-changing needs of the audience.
With agility and focus on investment, up to now, the Vietnam News
Agency has had many newspapers and websites successfully
applying modern technologies for the production of press products like
VietnamPlus, Tin Tuc newspaper, The thao Van hoa (Sport and Culture) newspaper
and Vnews. We have mega stories, Rap News, live, podcasts, infographics,
timelines, 360 photos, Audio. The creativity and investment in professionals,
as well as technology, is well received and appreciated by readers.
In addition, in recent years, Vnews has created a breakthrough in the application
of new technologies and techniques for production to ensure stable round the
clock broadcasting. At the end of 2019, Vnews invested in a new modern newsroom
system, deploying the 10Gb network infrastructure system. At the same time, it
successfully built an information storage system and put into operation the MAM
online TV operating system, which is a professional working support system that
ensures transparent workflow, quick and accurate information.
What
measures will VNA take to strengthen its strengths and its extremely important
role?
The project 'Developing Vietnam News Agency into a major multimedia agency of
the national media system' is a name that we have considered both on a legal
and practical basis. In the era of digital media thriving under the impact of
the Fourth Industrial Revolution, along with the increasing and diverse
requirements from the public, the Vietnam News Agency‘s development in the
model of multimedia, on the basis of multi-platform to promote the strengths of
various types of journalism is an inevitable trend.
Regarding solutions, every solution must ensure effective implementation of the
following specific functions and tasks:
- VNA is the only Vietnamese news agency that provides information for the
domestic and foreign press system.
- VNA is the only press agency to provide reference information on the
situation in the country and the world, serving the leadership of the Party and
the Government, research and policymaking agencies.
- The Vietnam News Agency is the only press agency tasked by the Secretariat to
publish press publications in the languages of all ethnic minority groups in
Vietnam.
- The Vietnam News Agency is the only press agency tasked with announcing the
official opinion of the State on topical issues, adjusting information that is
not in line with national interests when it is necessary to issue a statement
to reject information that is intentionally misrepresented.
- VNA is the national key foreign information agency.
- VNA is the only press agency with a network of permanent correspondents
spread across 63 provinces and cities and is also the press agency with the
most resident agencies abroad (30).
- VNA manages the largest national image archive in Vietnam.
To always perform well the above functions and tasks, the human factor is
decisive. Therefore, the development of the Vietnam News Agency's human
resources must ensure a sufficient quantity and attach importance to improving
the quality through strengthening training and retraining so that Vietnam News
Agency journalists have enough political quality and modern journalism
capacity./.
All comments [ 21 ]
Ninety-five years ago on June 21, 1926, the first issue of Thanh nien (Youth) newspaper representing the voice of Vietnamese Revolutionary Youth League founded by Nguyen Ai Quoc (aka Ho Chi Minh) was published, marking the birth of Vietnam’s revolutionary press as the country remained under the yoke of French colonial rule.
During the renewal process, the national press has made significant achievements, contributing greatly to the national development. Vietnam News Agency, a governmental agency, is the official state news provider of Vietnam.
Currently, there are more than 36,000 people working in nearly 850 press agencies.
VNA is the first press agency awarded the titles 'Labour Hero in the renewal period' and 'Hero of the People’s Armed Forces'. In the photo: National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong presents the Ho Chi Minh Order to Vietnam News Agency at its 65th founding anniversary.
The Vietnamese revolutionary press has upheld the revolutionary banner, conveyed the will and aspirations of the nation and guided the Vietnamese in the fight for independence, freedom and pursuit of socialism.
Over the past time, the agency’s leaders have directed relevant units to collect items and meet witnesses to record stories related to artefacts and photos about the history of the Vietnamese Press as well as the tradition of the Vietnam News Agency.
It is a symbol of press freedom!
The VNA is willing to share valuable artefacts and photos it has with the museum to introduce to people at home and abroad.
The revolutionary press incorporated political struggle with armed struggle, contributing to the building of armed forces towards the general uprising to seize back power for Vietnamese in August 1945.
I hope that in the coming time, besides traditional exhibits, the Vietnam Press Museum will focus on displaying modern media products in the digital era. With this content, the VNA will contribute many of its innovative and pioneering information products.
The Vietnamese press even reached the overseas audience of like-minded parties and friends around the world, helping the world understand the righteousness of Vietnamese people’s struggles and revolution.
While social media has shown its positive impacts, it has also aided in the spreading of disinformation, unverified and fake news that are threatening to overtake mainstream media.
The mainstream press has become a robust and trusted force of the State and the Party on the forefront of information and communication.
Discovering and combating corruption, wastefulness, bureaucracy, political perversion and moral decline, especially among Party members and Government officials also need to be among the press’ highest priorities.
Fighting against negative phenomena must be done in a constructive manner and the press has the responsibility to highlight exemplary models to spread the positive, promote consensus in the public, nurture the ambition of a strong and thriving country.
I send best gratitude and regards to the contributions made by generations of members of the press around the country and congratulated all the prize holders this year.
With 18,000 accredited press members who boast high degrees of professionalism, knowledge, skills and can keep up with modern trends, Vietnamese reporters and journalists have lived up to the late President Ho Chi Minh’s teachings, who said “your pens are the sharpest weapons in the combat against evils and the sustenance of the good.”
Over the decades, the revolutionary press has matured considerably in all aspects, becoming a “sharp instrument” of the Party and the State in propaganda, advocacy and education of the whole Party and State to help unite the people to overcome hardship and bring victories to the revolution.
At all times, the Vietnamese revolutionary press has been the fastest and most popular information instrument, the means to keep in touch with the people and help solve emerging problems.
Press activities have helped maintain political stability, sustaining the cause of innovation, gradually building new people and new lifestyles..
The press has fulfilled its duties as a bridge between the Party and the State and the public, becoming an important information channel for the Party and State in the making of policies and mechanisms that can respond to the interests and demands of the people.
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