Milestones of Vietnamese Revolutionary Journalism after 99 years of development

Visitors visit the Vietnam News Agency's booth at the 2024 National Press Festival, held last March in Ho Chi Minh City. (Photo: Thu Huong/VNA)

In 99 years of formation and development, the Vietnamese revolutionary press has made important contributions to the cause of national liberation; contributing to great achievements in building and developing the country.

Over 99 years of formation and development, the Vietnamese revolutionary press has made important contributions to the cause of national liberation; contributing to great achievements in the cause of national construction and development.

Let's look back at the historical milestones of our country's journalism industry.

On April 15, 1865, the first Vietnamese newspaper - Gia Dinh Newspaper - published its first issue in Saigon, marking the beginning of Vietnamese journalism.

On June 21, 1925, Thanh Nien Newspaper, the mouthpiece of the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth Association, published its first issue, paving the way for the formation and development of the Vietnamese revolutionary press.

In May 1888, the monthly magazine Thong loai khoa trinh - the first private national language newspaper - published its first issue.

In January 1918, Nam Phong Magazine with a special issue labeled “Tet Issue 1918” on the cover opened the tradition of making spring newspapers in the Vietnamese press. On February 1, 1918, Nu Gioi Chung weekly - the first Vietnamese newspaper specializing in women - published its first issue in Saigon.

On June 21, 1925, Thanh Nien Newspaper, the mouthpiece of the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth Association, published its first issue, founded and directly directed by leader Nguyen Ai Quoc, paving the way for the formation and development of the Vietnamese revolutionary press.

At the request of the Vietnam Journalists Association , on February 5, 1985, the Central Party Secretariat issued Decision No. 52-QD/TU to take June 21 every year as "Vietnam Revolutionary Press Day." And on June 21, 1985, for the first time, the press nationwide held a ceremony to celebrate Vietnam Revolutionary Press Day.

On August 5, 1930, the Communist Review - the theoretical and political review of the Communist Party of Vietnam - was established, initially named Red Review. Although the name of the Review has changed at times, the Review has always excellently fulfilled its functions and tasks as the theoretical and political agency of the Central Party. It has actively contributed to the propaganda, application, development, and struggle to protect Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought, and has made an important contribution to the work of political and ideological education, theoretical research, summarizing practices, and developing theories of the Party.

On February 5, 1985, the Central Party Secretariat issued Decision No. 52-QD/TU to designate June 21 of each year as "Vietnam Revolutionary Press Day."

Also in the period 1930-1945, many revolutionary newspapers were born, actively propagating the Party's revolutionary line, accompanying events and movements of national liberation struggle, typically such as Hammer and Sickle Newspaper, Red Newspaper, Struggle Newspaper, Proletarian Flag Newspaper, Bolshevik Magazine, Independent Vietnam Newspaper, National Salvation Newspaper, Liberation Flag Newspaper and newspapers of national salvation organizations at the Central level such as Workers, Students, Culture, Self-Defense...

After the founding of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (1945), two important press agencies were established, namely the Voice of Vietnam (September 7, 1945) and the Vietnam News Agency (September 15, 1945). After 79 years of accompanying the nation, from the first 90-minute broadcast, the Voice of Vietnam (VOV) has now covered the country and the world; and the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) has become a modern, multi-media national media complex; a trusted strategic information agency of the Party, State and people; a prestigious news agency in the region and the world.

National News Center Building at 5 Ly Thuong Kiet, Hanoi. (Photo: VNA)

On December 27, 1945, the Vietnam Press Union was established - the predecessor of the current Vietnam Journalists Association, with journalist Nguyen Tuong Phuong as Chairman. On April 21, 1950, the first Congress of the Vietnam Journalists Association was held in Diem Mac commune, Dinh Hoa district, Thai Nguyen province. This was the milestone of the birth of the Vietnam Journalists Association.

In April 1949, the first journalism class in the history of our country, named Huynh Thuc Khang, was opened by the Resistance Press Group to train press cadres, attracting nearly 60 students. This was the first journalism class in the history of Vietnamese journalism.

In July 1950, the 3rd Congress of the International Organization of Journalists (OIJ) held in Finland admitted the Vietnam Journalists Association as an official member of this organization.

On October 20, 1950, the People's Army Newspaper, the mouthpiece of the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defense, published its first issue. Over the past 74 years, the People's Army Newspaper, with the nature of "Uncle Ho's soldiers," has always strived to overcome difficulties, set an example, and honestly and vividly reflected the lives, combat, and production of our armed forces and people in the cause of building and defending the Fatherland and deeply integrating into the world.

(Source: Nhan Dan Newspaper)

On March 11, 1951, Nhan Dan Newspaper, the mouthpiece of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, published its first issue. Over the past 73 years, Nhan Dan Newspaper has continuously developed and matured, becoming a sharp ideological weapon of the Party, successfully fulfilling its role as the Central organ of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the voice of the Party, State and People of Vietnam.

On September 7, 1970, Vietnam Television broadcast its first program, marking the birth of television journalism in Vietnam. After 54 years of development and growth, Vietnam Television (VTV) has now become the largest and most prestigious television station in Vietnam with 11 broadcast channels and a nationwide cable TV system. In addition, many VTV programs are also broadcast in countries around the world via satellite and online viewing applications.

On December 28, 1989, the 6th Session of the 8th National Assembly passed the Press Law, effective from 1990. On June 12, 1999, the 5th Session of the 10th National Assembly passed the Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Press Law.

Then, on April 5, 2016, the 11th Session of the 13th National Assembly passed the Press Law (amended). There were up to 9 new points in the regulations on freedom of the press, freedom of speech in the press of citizens, subjects of establishing press agencies, especially new points related to connections in press activities, professional ethics of journalists...

In 1990, along with enhancing responsibility, the Vietnam Journalists Association honored journalism and journalists by awarding the Medal for the Cause of Vietnamese Journalism.

In 1991, the traditional Spring Press Festival of the Vietnamese press was held for the first time. The National Press Award was established, annually voting and awarding prizes to the best press works of the year.

Head of the Central Propaganda Department Nguyen Trong Nghia presented the A prize of the 17th National Press Awards 2022 to the representative of the group of authors of VietnamPlus Electronic Newspaper under the Vietnam News Agency Journalists Association. (Photo: Minh Quyet/VNA)

The National Press Awards have gone through 17 seasons accompanying the press life, becoming a truly useful professional activity, spreading widely in all levels of the association, in the press community and increasingly affirming its reputation as the most prestigious professional award for journalists nationwide.

The 18th National Press Awards will be presented on the occasion of the 99th anniversary of Vietnam Revolutionary Press Day on June 21, towards the milestone of 100 years of Vietnam Revolutionary Press in 2025.

In April 1995, the Vietnam Journalists Association officially became a member of the Confederation of Journalists of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (CAJ).

On February 6, 1997, the electronic Homeland Magazine under the Committee for Overseas Vietnamese of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs published its first issue, marking the birth of electronic newspapers in Vietnam.

Up to now, the whole country has about 140 electronic newspapers belonging to central agencies, ministries, branches, localities, schools, hospitals, etc.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Head of the Central Propaganda and Education Commission Nguyen Trong Nghia presented the First Prize of the 9th National External Information Awards to a representative of the group of authors of Le Courrier du VietNam newspaper under the Vietnam News Agency. (Photo: Duong Giang/VNA)

In April 2000, Vietnamese press directly printed and distributed in Europe with the first pilot newspaper being Le Courrier du Vietnam of Vietnam News Agency.

On February 3, 2017, the first National Press Award on Party Building named Golden Hammer and Sickle was presented to the most outstanding press works on Party building in the following aspects: politics, ideology, organization and ethics; in the fields of work: organization, propaganda, inspection, mass mobilization, foreign affairs, anti-corruption, etc. Through 8 awards, the Golden Hammer and Sickle Award has made practical contributions to the work of building and rectifying the Party and the political system.

On April 3, 2019, the Prime Minister signed Decision 362/QD-TTg approving the National Press Development and Management Plan until 2025, with the goal of arranging the press system associated with innovating the organizational model, improving the effectiveness of press leadership and management to develop the system of printed newspapers, television newspapers, radio newspapers, and electronic newspapers.

Building a number of key, multimedia press agencies as the core, playing a role in orienting public opinion and foreign information. Building a team of managers, reporters, and editors with sufficient qualities and capacity to meet the requirements of press development in the new situation...

On June 9, 2023, the first Dien Hong National Press Award for the National Assembly and People's Council was held. The organizing committee selected 67 outstanding works to award. The second Dien Hong Award ceremony took place on the evening of January 5 with 79 works honored./.

(Vietnam News Agency/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/nhung-moc-son-cua-bao-chi-cach-mang-viet-nam-sau-99-nam-phat-trien-post960094.vnp