Journalist Phan Thanh Thuy during a work trip to Truong Sa.
Ms. Phan Thanh Thuy, what led you to become a journalist?
Becoming a journalist was a stroke of luck for me, because I've loved journalism since I was a child. My generation probably didn't receive as much career guidance or make career choices as the current generation, so those who majored in Literature tended to choose fields within the social sciences.
I have a particular fondness for Journalism. In 7th grade, I contributed articles to the Thiếu niên Tiền phong (Young Pioneers) newspaper. In high school, I wrote for Hoa Học Trò (Student Magazine) and some of my articles were published. When an article was published, I received many letters and friend requests because they liked my writing. My first article was about students vandalizing railway tracks due to difficult circumstances; I wrote it in the style of a journalistic report. In 11th grade, while I was contributing to Hoa Học Trò, the "School Life" section featured some outstanding university students, including a student named Giang from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi. She shared her story about how much she enjoyed studying journalism and why she chose this university. Thanks to reading that article, I was determined to pass the entrance exam to the Faculty of Journalism and Communication, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.
The reason I chose Journalism as my first major was because of a childhood interest, and during my time at the Faculty of Humanities, most students aspired to become journalists. Back then, I studied under Professor Dinh Van Huong, who said: “Each type of journalism has its own strengths and interesting aspects, but for those who love words and writing, most still prefer print journalism, enjoying the freedom of words.” At that time, I thought I was suited to writing, so I chose to pursue print and online journalism. After graduation, my friends all chose to become journalists, and most of them worked in print and online journalism.
It has now been 15 years since graduation, and most of my friends and I remain committed to our initial career choice, accumulating a wealth of knowledge and experience in the profession. My passion for the field and the good fortune of studying in an environment where senior teachers and mentors encouraged me have made my studies and career path very smooth. After graduation, I was also fortunate to be offered internships by various media organizations. I met their requirements and received guidance and encouragement from the journalists, which motivated me to strive and succeed in my career.
Can you share some memorable moments from your journey as a journalist?
I have many memories. First, there's a memory I'll never forget from my final year of university, when I had the opportunity to study with leading experts in journalism and media research and training, such as Ms. Doan Huong, Mr. Vu Quang Hao, Mr. Dinh Van Huong, Mr. Duong Xuan Son… And among them was Mr. Tran Quang, who taught the course on "Genres of Political Journalism." This was one of the most difficult courses, but during his classes, the whole class was always lively, chatting and asking questions. Despite his leg injury and difficulty walking, he always carried a microphone around the classroom to discuss with the students. At the end of my fourth year, we heard that he had suffered a stroke. The image of him lying in a hospital bed was a far cry from when he was in class giving passionate lectures. After graduation, we still visited him regularly, but he had lost all his speech, had great difficulty speaking, and could no longer write much. Later, he made significant progress; he was able to walk again, practice typing, and speak simple sentences. Currently, he's also friends with students on Facebook and frequently interacts with all their posts. Each time, my classmates and I are very happy to see that he still cares about the student generation. These are feelings that I always cherish and value. During the 30th anniversary celebration of the Institute of Journalism and Communication, my class visited the school and had the opportunity to meet him again. The memories of Professor Tran Quang are the ones I remember most from my time at university, and I still deeply appreciate him to this day.
Throughout my career as a journalist, the most memorable experience I've had is with my first subject, my first article. During the summer break of my fourth year, a classmate encouraged me to try writing about bigger, more long-term issues. They sent me the contact information of a subject near my home in Cam Pha, Quang Ninh, so I could use my summer vacation to write an article.
That day, I cycled to the stone quarry where he worked to learn more about him. He was a death row inmate who had been pardoned. When I met him, I was extremely surprised: He was thin and small, with white hair, an intelligent face, and very open when sharing his story. I realized that this was a character who had gone through many hardships in his life, so when writing, I had to carefully consider every detail. This character had been explored by many others before, so I focused on the aspect of happiness in someone who had once gone astray. The article was published and praised by the editor-in-chief, who said that the writing, from the perspective of a young reporter, had something good and fresh. At that time, I also thanked the friend who introduced me to the character, and he said something that I still remember to this day: "In journalism, you can't be lazy." Even now, when mentoring young people, I always say that, emphasizing that you have to meet the person, listen to their story, in order to gather enough material and emotion to write an article.
Journalist Phan Thanh Thuy on a reporting trip.
How have your views on journalism changed over time, now that you're both a journalist and a journalism lecturer?
Với tôi, quan điểm về nghề không thay đổi, nhưng tính chất công việc sẽ thay đổi theo sự phát triển của khoa học, công nghệ và nhu cầu tiếp nhận của độc giả. Báo chí ưu tiên tôn trọng sự thật, người làm báo luôn phải giữ gìn đạo đức nghề nghiệp, dù biến chuyển theo giai đoạn nào. Không có chuyện một nửa sự thật là sự thật, báo chí phải là sự thật. Nếu bạn không viết được một tin bài thực sự xuất sắc thì trước tiên, hãy viết một tin đúng sự thật và đầy đủ. Nhiều người cho rằng nghề báo bây giờ thay đổi quá nhiều, thực ra là đó thay đổi về hình thức thể hiện, còn quan điểm về nghề với những người làm nghề một cách nghiêm túc sẽ không bao giờ thay đổi. Báo chí là một nghề, không phải là một thứ quyền lực gì to tát. Muốn làm nghề, dù làm báo hay bất kỳ nghề nào khác, bạn đều phải nghiêm túc và yêu nó. Nếu muốn đi lâu và đi sâu được với nghề báo thì bạn phải có đạo đức.
Could you share some of the lessons you learned when you first started in this profession, and whether those lessons are still relevant today?
Điều gắn bó với tôi khi mới vào nghề và chắc chắn vẫn còn giá trị cho đến thời điểm hiện tại chính là sự học hỏi. Những bạn học truyền thông, báo chí có sự tự hào riêng, có cái tôi cá nhân mạnh mẽ, điều này đem đến rất nhiều lợi thế, nhưng đôi khi cũng trở thành nhược điểm của các bạn. Khi mới ra trường, tôi từng bị thư ký tòa soạn yêu cầu viết lại bài ngay trong lần thử việc đầu tiên. Mặc dù tự thấy bản thân viết không tệ, khi ấy tôi vẫn kiên nhẫn đọc thêm các tác phẩm và sửa lại cho phù hợp với phong cách của tòa soạn. Điều này giúp tôi có thêm trải nghiệm viết và cũng vỡ ra nhiều điều về thái độ khi đứng trước công việc. Lắng nghe, khiêm tốn học hỏi và thẳng thắn trao đổi để hiểu nhau hơn, đó là bài học mà đến tận bây giờ tôi vẫn nhớ dù đã qua nhiều năm làm nghề. Thậm chí, bây giờ tôi vẫn phải học hỏi các bạn trẻ trong việc ứng dụng công nghệ vào nghề làm báo. Dù mình có xuất phát điểm như thế nào thì sự học hỏi, khiêm tốn không bao giờ thừa.
Thời của tôi thì những người làm phóng sự báo in, phóng sự xã hội hoặc những người làm bản tin thời sự, những anh chị làm báo điều tra được biết đến nhiều hơn, có tiếng vang hơn. Bây giờ với sự phát triển của mạng xã hội và rất nhiều kênh, hiệu ứng truyền thông khác thì một vài thể loại báo chí trong thời của tôi đã dần ít đi rồi, chẳng hạn như bài phóng sự xã hội hay bài bình luận, phân tích, xã luận. Thay vào đó là tin và những thể loại báo chí mới như e-magazine, infographic, video… Nhìn chung các dạng đa phương tiện mà nội dung bao gồm đồ họa bắt mắt đang dần chiếm ưu thế. Bản thân những người làm báo thế hệ 8x như tôi đang phải học hỏi rất nhiều về các thể loại báo chí hiện đại từ các bạn phóng viên 9x, thậm chí cả thế hệ gen Z.
Nhà báo Phan Thanh Thủy tác nghiệp tại trường học
Khi quan sát và làm việc với các bạn trẻ, chị nhận thấy đâu là những điểm mạnh, đâu là những điểm cần học hỏi thêm?Nowadays, young people have excellent technological skills, allowing them to grasp issues very quickly. They are passionate about their profession and highly creative. Even with issues or individuals previously covered by the press, young journalists still approach them differently, enthusiastically meeting with the subjects, taking photos, and asking direct questions. With the development of technology, young journalists not only choose to write articles but also proactively use images and videos from the field, create infographics, and e-magazines. The thinking of young journalists is always fresh, diverse, curious, and eager to understand thoroughly. Young journalists always ask detailed questions and produce better multimedia content with the support of technology.
Tuy nhiên, khi làm báo, các bạn trẻ cũng gặp một số bất lợi. Bất lợi lớn nhất là chưa đủ sự trải nghiệm và sự nhạy cảm trong việc sử dụng ngôn ngữ. Các bạn trẻ rất nhanh nhạy với những hình thức thể hiện mới của báo chí, nhưng với một bài báo, nội dung là điều quan trọng nhất, phải chuẩn rồi mới đến đẹp. Trong bối cảnh cạnh tranh với mạng xã hội, một bài báo với hình thức đẹp sẽ lôi cuốn độc giả hơn. Nhưng nếu bài báo ấy có nội dung chưa chuẩn, vẫn sẽ nhận lời phê bình từ người đọc. Đôi khi, các bạn trẻ làm báo đã rất trau chuốt về hình thức nhưng lại quên chưa rà soát kỹ để đảm bảo sự chuẩn xác về nội dung (ví dụ: trong các lĩnh vực chính trị, xã hội, cần đủ trải nghiệm với chuyên môn, để nắm chính xác tên của các văn bản, chỉ đạo, tên và chức vụ của các tổ chức, cá nhân… theo đúng quy định). Đừng lấy hình thức để che đi nội dung còn sai sót.
Theo chị, một người trẻ mong muốn trở thành nhà báo cần có những phẩm chất gì?
Trước hết, để trở thành một nhà báo, chính các bạn trẻ cần phải có tố chất phù hợp với công việc và môi trường làm việc. Ít nhất cần có sự am hiểu, sẵn sàng học hỏi về vấn đề chuyên môn mình theo đuổi và có một số thế mạnh riêng như: viết tốt, sáng tạo, năng động…
Tuy nhiên, khi làm việc với người trẻ - những người thành thạo công nghệ và không ngần ngại bày tỏ quan điểm cá nhân, tôi cũng thay đổi tư duy của mình. Không thể dùng cách tiếp cận cũ để tiếp xúc với thế hệ hiện tại. Thái độ và trình độ là hai vấn đề quan trọng như nhau. Phóng viên trẻ có thể có cá tính mạnh, cái tôi cao, đồng thời có kỹ năng tốt, sẵn sàng cống hiện và học hỏi. Do đó, những bạn trẻ bước vào nghề báo nên gỡ bỏ định kiến, dù về hình thức, hay thái độ. Kỹ năng là điều giúp các bạn tạo ra sản phẩm tốt, còn thái độ là điều có thể góp ý, điều chỉnh cùng nhau trong quá trình công tác. Và điều quan trọng nhất là kỹ năng, cá tính của bạn phù hợp với công việc và môi trường làm việc mà bạn lựa chọn.
Nhà báo Phan Thanh Thủy trong chuyến công tác tại Hội An
So, what marks the maturity of a journalist, madam?For me, what marks a journalist's maturity is calmness and a lack of haste. This might sound counterintuitive at first, given that journalism is often associated with characteristics like speed and being "up-to-date." However, the development of social media and the competition among various forms of information dissemination have only reinforced the importance of not rushing for experienced journalists. When receiving information, a mature journalist always considers it carefully, asking questions such as: Is the information accurate? What is the basis of this information? Is the writing style appropriate?...
In many cases, information has spread rapidly on social media, but journalists have yet to officially speak out. This is because they have experience in handling information and know that questioning is necessary before drawing conclusions. Especially with negative information, one should never determine right from wrong without sufficient evidence; if reporting is necessary, it must be done with great caution. Therefore, the maturity of a journalist lies not in being able to write quickly or extensively, but in meticulousness, avoiding haste, and giving themselves time to assess the accuracy, relevance, and impact of the information.
In your opinion, what responsibility do journalists have regarding the current social impact of journalism?Currently, journalism is being equated with fraudulent forms of journalism. Journalists need to be able to distinguish between newspapers, magazines, websites, social media, and other forms of fraudulent journalism. Furthermore, journalists themselves need to build their own reading base by staying updated on news from reputable news sources. With the current technological advancements, it's easy to create websites that mimic news sites. Most readers lack the skills to differentiate between legitimate journalism and fraudulent journalism. This means there will be a mix of genuine and fake information, with everyone being called a "journalist." In this situation, the role of journalists is to provide accurate information, enhance the credibility of legitimate news organizations, and disseminate well-researched articles to mitigate the spread of fake news. Journalists also need to share their knowledge with their readers, helping them distinguish between legitimate and fake news sources.
Journalism itself needs readers and must serve their needs; therefore, engaging writing techniques are still necessary. These techniques are only reprehensible when they violate professional ethics or diminish the clarity of the Vietnamese language. The primary purpose of an engaging headline is to help readers grasp the core of the article. Phenomena like "sensational headlines" or "clickbait" often appear in articles widely shared on social media and are mistakenly equated with journalism. Given this situation, journalists have a responsibility to differentiate and explain to the public the nature of their work.
With the development of readers' cultural level, I believe negative phenomena will be resolved. Meanwhile, journalists need to be meticulous first, building credibility through careful, beautiful, and well-invested works.
Journalist Phan Thanh Thủy at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.
On the occasion of Vietnam Revolutionary Press Day on June 21st, what message would you like to convey to young people who aspire to pursue a career in journalism?
Not all journalism students will become journalists, and not all journalism students can become journalists. The profession chooses the person, and especially in journalism, those who are suited to it and can pursue it will survive. Specifically regarding the students at the Institute of Journalism and Communication Training, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, most of you are like me in the past: you love the profession and enjoy journalism, you enjoy working in media, you enjoy traveling, you love freedom, you want to have a fresh perspective, you love words, and you want to contribute – that's why you chose to become a journalism student.
First, if you have passion, you've already achieved 50% of the commitment to the profession. The remaining 50% is the effort to pursue it. Many articles and reports have shown that many students drop out after their first or second year of university. These cases are often due to students realizing they chose the wrong school, lacking passion for the field, or being influenced by family choices. However, most students who choose to study journalism already have a passion for it, so their passion only intensifies during their studies.
Many people say that university education in Vietnam doesn't allow graduates to apply their knowledge when they start working. In my opinion, this isn't true. Just like reading a book, you can't read it today and apply it tomorrow. University studies are a time to build a foundation of skills for your initial passions, cultivating love and enthusiasm so you can commit to your chosen profession.
Journalism is a demanding profession. The first few years after graduation are the most difficult: challenging financially, in terms of experience, and health. It takes about two years for you to get used to and adapt to the job before you gradually achieve stability. For young journalists, the difficulty isn't a lack of skills, a poor attitude, or incompatibility with the organization's culture. The difficulty lies in the lack of experience and expertise. When young and experienced journalists work together, conflicts easily arise due to differences in experience and understanding. Differences in life perspectives and work ethics make it difficult to find common ground in the workplace. After a few such instances, your enthusiasm for the profession will diminish. You must be truly persistent, adapt to gain practical experience, prepare your health to cope with the demanding nature of the job requiring a lot of travel and exposure, and find a way to balance work and life in order to stay committed to the profession. Young people, don't rush. Journalism is often associated with keywords like "fast, hurried, and sensational," but you can't rush this profession. Maintain your love for the job and your continuous learning. The more you travel, the more you encounter unique situations and interview memorable people, the more you'll feel a renewed zest for life. That means you've truly committed to the work. Dedicate the first two years to facing challenges and setbacks; if you still have enough passion for the profession, you'll be able to pursue it and make a living from it.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, journalist Phan Thanh Thủy. Wishing you success in your future endeavors!
