Digital transformation of newspapers needs to be suitable for the newsroom, not follow world trends.

On August 9, in Hung Yen city, the Hung Yen Provincial Journalists Association organized a workshop with the theme "Digital transformation of journalism - Lessons and experiences learned". Attending the workshop were comrade Le Quoc Minh, member of the Party Central Committee, Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper, Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda Department, President of the Vietnam Journalists Association; leaders of press agencies, Journalists Association, Emulation Cluster of Journalists Associations of the Northern Delta and Coastal Provinces...

Newspaper number conversion should be suitable for the editorial office and should not follow the trend. Image 1 — Delegates attending the workshop “Digital transformation of journalism - Lessons and experiences learned”. Photo: Le Thu

At the workshop, Chairman of the Hung Yen Provincial Journalists Association Nguyen Cong Dan said that Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha signed a decision approving the Strategy "Digital Transformation of Journalism to 2025, with a vision to 2030," with the goal of helping press agencies fulfill their mission of information and propaganda to serve the Party's revolutionary cause and the country's innovation cause; ensuring the role of orienting public opinion and maintaining sovereignty in cyberspace.

The Digital Transformation Strategy for the press also sets a target that by 2030, all press agencies will operate a converged newsroom model, and 50% of press agencies will increase their revenue by at least 20%. Therefore, press agencies, especially local press agencies, need to change to keep up with technological trends and modern journalism.

At the workshop, delegates affirmed that digital transformation is an inevitable trend, a matter of survival for all areas of social life and the press is no exception. Digital transformation of the press is to fulfill the mission of information and propaganda.

However, digital transformation for journalism is not simply about digitizing data and upgrading the application of information technology in journalism activities, but rather a comprehensive change from human factors, organizational structure, production processes, working methods, transforming the editorial model, ways of approaching readers, data management and finally journalism products that meet the needs of readers, the need to orient public opinion and for journalism to compete with social networks.

Delegates shared information, difficulties and experiences for press agencies and the Journalists Association to effectively implement the digital transformation process such as: Training and using resources to serve digital transformation in journalism; investing in equipment for operations and digital infrastructure systems for storing documents, processing news and articles; building a converged newsroom model...

The conversion of newspaper numbers should only be suitable for the editorial office and should not follow the trend, picture 2. — Delegates attending the workshop. Photo: Le Thu

Representative of Thai Nguyen Provincial Journalists Association affirmed that digital transformation in the field of journalism is an inevitable trend, using digital technology to change management models, professions, operations, news production... Representative of Hung Yen Provincial Radio and Television Station shared experiences in investing in facilities serving digital transformation; staff, reporters working, editing news, articles through the application of information technology; using social networks to bring information to the audience. Representative of Hai Phong Journalists Association raised the issue of managing professional ethics of journalists in the digital age. Leaders of Nam Dinh Newspaper raised difficulties for local Party newspapers when implementing digital transformation...

At the conference, comrade Le Quoc Minh, member of the Party Central Committee, Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper, Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda Department, Chairman of the Vietnam Journalists Association, affirmed that digital transformation is the path of the whole country and the press is not out of this trend.

In the context of the digital age with many changes in technology and changes in the behavior of readers and audiences, there is no other way but to digitize and transform digitally.

According to comrade Le Quoc Minh, digital transformation is the inevitable path for all press agencies if they do not want to be eliminated. Therefore, digital transformation must start with a change in mindset, especially the mindset of the press agency's leaders, then start with technology transformation.

The conversion of newspaper numbers should only be suitable for the editorial office and should not follow the trend, picture 3. — Comrade Le Quoc Minh, member of the Party Central Committee, Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper, Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda Department, President of the Vietnam Journalists Association, spoke at the workshop. Photo: VNA

However, each press agency has a different way of digital transformation, the technology invested and applied must be suitable for the newsroom, should not follow the world trend. The important thing is that everyone must do it together, work and adjust at the same time to be able to effectively carry out digital transformation.

“The press should not compete with social networks for information, because the press has the strength of verifying and examining multi-dimensional information and creating professional content. This advantage will retain readers and audiences,” noted comrade Le Quoc Minh.

Source