Journalist Nguyen Phu Trong is passionate, loves his job, and is eager to learn.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is not only an outstanding leader who has devoted his life to the country and the people, but he is also a professional journalist. Later, when he held a high-ranking position in the Party and State, Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong continued to write for newspapers, paid special attention to journalists and closely directed press work...

Journalists are not just “free to fly”

According to documents from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities – Vietnam National University, Hanoi, after graduating from the Faculty of Literature, Hanoi National University, class 8 (1963 – 1967), the young man Nguyen Phu Trong was assigned to work at the Study Magazine (now the Communist Magazine) – the theoretical and political agency of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam. At that time, he was completely surprised and could not help but wonder and worry, but as a party member, he had to obey the organization's assignments.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (second from left) when he was a student at the Faculty of Literature, Hanoi National University. Photo taken in February 1965 at Me Tri dormitory, Hanoi. Source: Hanoi National University

In the journalism environment, Nguyen Phu Trong grew up as an intern, doing documentation work before becoming a journalist. He worked in the Party Building Department of the Magazine and was promoted to Deputy Head of the Department (October 1983), Head of the Department (September 1987), Member of the Editorial Board (March 1989), Deputy Editor-in-Chief (May 1990) and then Editor-in-Chief of the Communist Magazine (August 1991).

With 29 years of working at the Communist Magazine, journalist Nguyen Phu Trong has experienced many jobs in journalism, so he has a firm grasp of the thinking and methods of journalism and understands the concerns and thoughts of journalists to produce good and timely journalistic works to serve the public.

Talking about his profession, journalist Nguyen Phu Trong said that when he was in high school, he liked journalism simply because of his feelings, because he felt he could "fly" and "go here and there". However, later on, through his actual work, he understood journalism more fully and deeply and loved it even more.

During his career as a professional journalist, journalist Nguyen Phu Trong has written and edited hundreds of theoretical articles in many different genres, from editorials, monographs, commentaries, skits to book introductions, practical experience introductions, criticism of wrong and negative manifestations... with all his experience and passion for the profession.

Speaking to journalists at the Communist Magazine, journalist Nguyen Phu Trong once shared: “Journalism is a noble profession, but extremely arduous and difficult. Journalists must correctly understand and firmly grasp the functions and tasks of the newspaper they serve and collaborate with. Those working at a political theory magazine like the Communist Magazine must make great efforts, have high determination, and be truly passionate, love the job, be eager to learn, and especially have the right working method.”

Journalist Nguyen Phu Trong has been closely associated with and has made many contributions to the process of building and developing the Communist Magazine, especially since he became Deputy Editor-in-Chief and then Editor-in-Chief. During this period, the Communist Magazine has made many innovations in both content and form. The articles have become less academic, more closely following life issues, and have more information content; many articles have gone deep into practice, serving the Party's guidelines and the State's policies and laws.

The careful and fair "brother"

Journalist Vu Lan (who worked at the Communist Magazine with journalist Nguyen Phu Trong) said that journalist Nguyen Phu Trong has a very careful and fair personality. That thoughtfulness has existed since he was the Editor-in-Chief of the Communist Magazine until he became the head of the Party and State.

Editor-in-Chief of Communist Magazine Nguyen Phu Trong and journalist Vu Lan on a working trip in 1996 to Tuyen Quang. Photo: Document

According to journalist Vu Lan, it has become a custom for newspapers and magazines to place articles under Mr. Nguyen Phu Trong's name. If the press presents the idea, article title, finds documents, writes, and is read and approved by him for publication, the preparation and writing department receives all royalties.

If the idea and title of the article are proposed by him, the secretariat provides documents, on that basis, the journalists and editors write it, he reads, edits, and approves it for publication, then when there is a royalty, it will be divided in half: the author receives half, the preparation and writing department receives half. As for articles and research works under Mr. Nguyen Phu Trong's name and approved by him for publication, the royalty will belong entirely to the author.

“All the articles under Nguyen Phu Trong’s name were written, proofread, and edited by him very meticulously. When he received royalties, he often invited editors in the Party Building Committee and some close journalists in the magazine to a restaurant to treat them to a meal,” journalist Vu Lan recounted.

According to teacher Nguyen Hung Vi, a former student of the 18th class of the Faculty of Literature, Hanoi University of Science, he had a two-year period from 1990 to 1991 when he met and worked with journalist Nguyen Phu Trong (then Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Communist Magazine).

According to teacher Nguyen Hung Vi, the most impressive thing for him was the closeness and friendliness of journalist Nguyen Phu Trong. When he came to meet him to invite the "old man" to come and teach for the Faculty, he immediately accepted with the words "If I could come back to serve our Faculty, there is nothing better, I am ready!"

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong visited and worked with Hanoi National University, 2012. Source: VNU

“He also invited me to come out early and eat with my brother and sister so that I could get to school on time and not have to worry about cooking. Because he knew my wife was busy working and wouldn’t come home at noon, and my 3-year-old son was in daycare, so it was a “cold rice” lunchtime scene,” teacher Nguyen Hung Vi recalled.

Because he did not have a motorbike, twice a week, Mr. Vi regularly rode his bicycle to pick up journalist Nguyen Phu Trong from Nguyen Thuong Hien Street to the lecture hall in Thuong Dinh. When Mr. Vi asked about the long-term transportation, he was answered: The fact that he went to class like this was because he had agreed to it privately with the faculty, in his personal capacity. And since it was a personal matter, he should not use a public vehicle (the position of Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Communist Magazine already had a car policy for pick-up and drop-off).

>>Next: A great colleague of the press

The Vu

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/tong-bi-thu-nguyen-phu-trong–nha-bao-say-me-yeu-nghe-ham-hoc-hoi-post304181.html