The first thing to do is to bring the newspaper to a wide readership.

For a vision at the top

+ In recent years, it can be seen that Hai Duong Newspaper seems to be constantly moving in the flow of digital transformation of journalism. Sir, as a local Party newspaper, how did the initiative to innovate to be closer to the public begin?

- What worries me the most is how to bring the voice of the Party Committee and the government to the people and how to let the people speak their voices in the provincial Party Committee's newspaper, so that the Provincial Party Committee Executive Committee and provincial leaders know what the people think and need? With that in mind, we determined that the first thing to do is to bring the newspaper to a large number of readers. The more people access the newspaper, the more those voices will spread, the more they will blend together, and the more they will contribute to creating consensus in society.

In particular, we set out the ambition, determination, and vision to be one of the leading newspapers in the local Party newspaper system. There are many criteria, the most important of which must be the number of newspaper readers, position in the index rankings, and position in the hearts of the public.

Editor-in-Chief of Hai Duong Newspaper Nguyen Quy Trong discussed at the meeting with collaborators. Hai Duong Newspaper always cares about the team of collaborators to develop the writing force outside the editorial office.

+ So how did Hai Duong Newspaper implement to achieve this goal, sir?

- We have come up with a specific strategy and immediately implemented a number of tasks. One is to change the way information is conveyed, paying attention to understanding the needs of readers to guide reporters in deploying information to meet those needs. Readers here include provincial leaders, cadres, party members and the masses. Two is to keep up with new trends by developing digital products and distributing their products on platforms, posting on Google News, cooperating with new newspapers, promoting the development of Zalo, Facebook fanpage (in mid-2022, Hai Duong newspaper fanpage was granted a blue tick)...

Not only expanding the coverage of news, we also improve publications to improve quality. On the e-newspaper, we build digital products, integrated products with new genres such as Emagazine, podcast, graphics, video, online... Starting from mid-2022 to the first quarter of 2023, the number of readers increased exponentially. From only a few hundred thousand readers per month, it has increased and maintained a stable level of about 1 million two, three million readers, ranking 5th, 8th in the national Party newspaper system.

As soon as the online newspaper became better, we promoted the innovation of the printed newspaper. Linking publications to support each other's development. Especially strengthening the political section, every issue, every day there is a political article in the news and reflections section, weekend cafe... discussing current issues happening locally and nationally to orient public opinion and surprisingly, there are many readers because of the closeness, going into issues of public concern.

Efforts to provide multi-dimensional, fair and balanced information

+ I agree that attracting readers in a context where the public has many channels to access news is a very commendable effort. But the large number of readers also creates a big challenge in enhancing the Party spirit and orientation of local Party newspapers, Editor-in-Chief?

- That's right. To solve this problem, Hai Duong Newspaper chose a slightly opposite approach, which is to provide information aimed at the mass and ordinary readers first. We are fortunate that the provincial leaders are very interested in information, and secondly, the Newspaper often proactively approaches, consults, and proposes "correct" issues with the province's policies and guidelines. All the pressing issues of the people that the Newspaper has raised so far have been paid attention to and directed by the provincial leaders to be handled. The provincial leaders even encouraged the Newspaper to increase the detection of shortcomings and negative aspects, thereby helping the provincial leaders have accurate and objective information sources to direct and rectify.

I would also like to reveal that one of the first readers to read Hai Duong newspaper every day is the Secretary of the Hai Duong Provincial Party Committee. Every day, the newspaper is sent to the Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee first. There were even days when at 7am, relevant units received information that today Hai Duong newspaper reflected this or that issue, and by 9am or 10am that morning, the grassroots had a plan to handle the issue raised by the newspaper... Clearly, this is a very effective and practical interaction between the Party Committee, the government and the people through the press.

+ That interaction is understood as creating a two-way consensus… But it is not always “good food, sweet soup”. To orient public opinion, to advocate policies that please the people… propaganda work must also require flexibility and initiative, sir?

- The ultimate goal of propaganda information is like that. I remember around the end of 2022, Hai Duong province had a policy of increasing tuition fees, Hai Duong Newspaper published the information in the newspaper and on the fanpage, many people read it, but there were many opinions that disagreed...

The information from the Newspaper is an important basis for the province to hold a meeting and decide to stop this policy. The provincial budget will support it, not collect it from the people. Or recently, Hai Duong Newspaper published information about a farmer's family with 40 tons of unsold potatoes. The information was posted on the fanpage, and after only a few days, people from all over the country came to buy and support. Readers also gave advice to help farmers distribute their products effectively. Or recently, an article in Hai Duong Newspaper about the phenomenon of Thich Minh Tue aimed at orienting ideology, which was of interest to the public all over the country, with ratings and shares increasing rapidly...

Our viewpoint is not to lean towards the Party Committee to only propagate policies and not to just listen to the complaints of the people and put pressure on the province and the government. The effort to provide multi-dimensional, fair, balanced, and oriented information without being preachy has helped the Newspaper develop and become more trustworthy.

+ Becoming a trusted address for the Party Committee, the government and the people requires great efforts. What is the key factor that creates this momentum for the newspaper, sir?

- The important thing is to have a team. With so many people in hand, the staff is getting smaller and smaller, how to make you guys better than before is not an easy problem.

Hai Duong Newspaper regularly organizes online programs to attract young readers and viewers. In the photo: Hai Duong Newspaper reporters coordinate with guests to organize a livestream of Tue Tinh food street (Hai Duong City)

Over the years, we have opened many training courses, invited excellent lecturers to teach, organized exchange and study trips with other newspapers, and importantly, self-trained, set specific targets and included them in breakthrough tasks... Hai Duong Newspaper values ​​transparency, democracy and fairness in the use, promotion and arrangement of personnel. At the same time, there are three pillars that we are interested in implementing and will continue to aim for: one is to constantly innovate and develop the newspaper, two is to build forces inside and outside the editorial office, and three is to invest in facilities and build policies and mechanisms.

The consensus factor within the agency is also very important. How to develop the editorial office so that everyone sees their own benefits in it, sees their efforts recognized. With that resonant strength, the editorial office develops, becomes known to many people, leaders trust, reporters go to work more conveniently, are more respected by the base, and prestige increases. From there, the propaganda and implementation of policies into life as well as the Party spirit of revolutionary journalism are preserved and promoted when the position of the newspaper becomes increasingly solid in the hearts of the Party Committee and the public.

+ Yes, thank you very much!

An Vinh (Implementation)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/nha-bao-nguyen-quy-trong--tong-bien-tap-bao-hai-duong-dieu-truoc-tien-phai-lam-la-dua-to-bao-den-duoc-voi-dong-dao-ban-doc-post299568.html