The first day of the capacity-building course for young journalists.

The "Capacity Building Program for Young Vietnamese Journalists," organized by the Faculty of Journalism and Communication with the support of the U.S. Embassy, ​​officially commenced on November 5, 2011.From the applications received, the program organizers selected 80 participants, including young journalists and journalism students from the Academy of Journalism and Communication, the Diplomatic Academy, the Faculty of Journalism and Communication - University of Social Sciences and Humanities, and several other agencies and organizations, who met the eligibility criteria for the course. A new feature of this course is that, in addition to improving writing skills, it will focus on training and developing journalistic skills in photo editing and processing. A photo exhibition with attractive prizes for participants will also be held at the end of the course.In the first session, the trainees had the opportunity to exchange ideas with Mr. David Frogier de Ponlevoy - a proofreading expert and training expert for VOV5 and VOV1 channels of the Voice of Vietnam Radio, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Minh Son (Head of the Department of International Relations - Academy of Journalism and Communication).

Things to keep in mind when writing feature stories.

In his presentation, David Frogier de Ponlevoy emphasized that the most important part of a news report is the opening and the first sentence. Think of it like the first person steering a boat or train; if the locomotive doesn't accelerate and move forward, the entire train must stop. Therefore, a news report must capture the reader's interest from the very first one or two sentences. There are many ways to begin an opening for a news report. The speaker suggested several approaches, such as: starting by describing the destination – a good idea as it creates a captivating context for the reader. Or, starting with something surprising or with a story, if the reader already understands the entire story or has heard it…

Another important point to note when writing a feature story is that people need to be included; a feature story without people will be very dull. However, we don't need to describe too many details about the characters; one or two interesting or typical details are enough. Several other points were raised and analyzed in detail by the speaker, such as: Using adjectives: Adjectives are important in describing things and events, but they can also be a trap. In feature stories, avoid using adjectives like "beautiful" or "good," as this will make the reader feel that the reporter is lazy and unable to describe things in a more detailed and engaging way. Using numbers: Numbers are often difficult to remember, so when using numbers, don't overuse them and use units of measurement that readers can easily visualize, trying to compare them to familiar things. The speaker illustrated the effective use of numbers with examples of memorizing the area of ​​several famous places for comparison, making the numbers much more impressive and easier to remember. Many practical examples were given to illustrate how to begin an article and the things to keep in mind when writing one. At the end of the presentation, David Frogier de Ponlevoy once again emphasized: to make an article engaging and attractive to readers, never try to write about everything; choose a topic and perspective before you begin, use all your senses to be creative, use simple sentences, and be careful with adjectives and numbers.

Next opportunities

Following the presentation by Mr. David Frogier de Ponlevo, the trainees participated in discussions with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Minh Son on the topic of "Journalism in the Context of Globalization and International Relations"; and on "Professionalism and Professional Ethics in Vietnamese and International Journalism" with journalist Tran Le Thuy - Journalism Research Scholar (Oxford University, UK). They also discussed the distinction between "media sources and social media" and performed practical exercises on modern journalistic practices with journalist Vu Lan Huong - Editorial Secretary of the Vietnam Economic Forum (Vietnamnet).

The instructors and presenters for the upcoming sessions will continue to be renowned journalists and experts with extensive practical experience in the field of journalism, such as: Ms. Do Minh Thuy (Media Project Manager at Le Media Group), Mr. Le Quoc Minh (Editor-in-Chief of VietnamPlus), photographer Doan Bao Chau - who has photographed for major news agencies and newspapers worldwide, and journalist Huy Duc - a veteran journalist with many years of experience working at Tuoi Tre and Saigon Marketing newspapers… Ms. Do Minh Thuy (Program Coordinator, currently Media Project Manager at Le Media Group) said: The course takes place on Saturdays and Sundays every week, expected to last from November 5th to December 3rd. In addition to classroom discussions and practical exercises, students will have hands-on learning sessions and complete assignments. In addition to the valuable knowledge gained throughout the course, participants will also receive a certificate upon completion, and outstanding students will be introduced to and supported in internships at Vietnamese media organizations.