Proactively issue short-term and long-term strategies on digital transformation

According to a report by the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC), by the end of 2024, more than 80% of newsrooms will have applied one or more digital technologies in their operations, such as CMS content management systems combined with data analysis, and applying AI tools to automate the news editing and publishing process.

9.93% of press agencies achieved excellent performance; 23.05% achieved good performance; 19.50% achieved fair performance; 8.87% achieved average performance and 38.65% achieved poor performance. Compared to 2023, the number of press agencies achieving excellent and good performance increased, while the poor performance decreased sharply to 24%.

At the National Press Conference summarizing the work of 2024 and deploying tasks for 2025, Nhan Dan Newspaper was in the top 10 central press agencies with excellent digital transformation, along with 9 other units: Lao Dong Newspaper, VnExpress Newspaper, VietnamPlus Electronic Newspaper, Tin Tuc Newspaper, Dai De Nhan Dan Newspaper, Thanh Nien Newspaper, Vietnamnet Newspaper, Nha Bao Va Cong Luan Newspaper, VTC News Electronic Newspaper.

It is known that in recent times, Nhan Dan Newspaper has continued to make important changes to meet the needs of readers in the digital age, maintaining its position as one of the leading press agencies of Vietnam's revolutionary press.

In addition to maintaining the right way of reporting, Nhan Dan Newspaper has applied many modern reporting methods to meet the requirements of the whole population to access Nhan Dan Newspaper, with special attention to the young generation, the future owners of the country. Nhan Dan Newspaper has actively applied digital technology to professional work, as well as operating very effectively on social networking platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, etc.

During the propaganda campaigns to celebrate major holidays in 2024, Nhan Dan Newspaper not only stopped at reporting a lot of news and in-depth content but also created many special products to attract readers, such as the Dien Bien Phu Victory panorama supplement or the Hanoi Flag Tower collage, thereby inspiring young people to approach the country's history.

Talking about the importance of digital transformation in journalism, comrade Le Quoc Minh, member of the Party Central Committee, Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper, Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda Department, President of the Vietnam Journalists Association, has repeatedly affirmed that digital transformation of journalism is an irreversible trend. For a press agency to successfully transform digitally, it must first transform its thinking, especially the thinking of its leaders.

“If the leader has a digital transformation mindset and wants to transform digitally, the success rate is already 60%. If the digital transformation mindset is spread to every corner and activity in the newsroom, digital transformation can be successful,” he emphasized.

According to comrade Le Quoc Minh, modern journalism must change its approach to adapt to readers' changes in "information consumption". Nhan Dan Newspaper and press agencies in general still need to make more efforts and constantly innovate to fulfill their tasks well, along with support from technology.

Assessing the interest of press agencies in digital transformation in the past year, Mr. Luu Dinh Phuc - Director of the Press Department (Ministry of Information and Communications) said: “In recent years, the leadership of press agencies and governing agencies has been raised compared to before. The rate we surveyed on the level of interest and the level of direct participation of press agency leaders in directing the digital transformation of press agencies has increased. Press agencies have proactively issued short-term and long-term plans and strategies to transform their units in a systematic and scientific manner.”

The spirit of digital transformation is spreading strongly from central to local levels.

In 2024, many press agencies have made great strides in digital transformation, forming and launching models and solutions for applying new, advanced technology that are 'shortcuts and pioneers'. Like the Total VTV model of Vietnam Television, this is a new model in developing and distributing multi-platform, multimedia content.

With traditional television, national digital television platform VTVGo, VTVTimes and social networks, Vietnam Television has mastered technology, data, and can easily analyze and understand users. Vietnam Television can almost reach any audience anywhere, both domestically and internationally.

These platforms and content models do not compete but complement and support each other, helping audiences make appropriate choices for each space, time, and different conditions. From short content on Tiktok, complete content on VTVGo, and even full articles, analysis, and quotes on VTVTimes.

As for the national digital television platform VTVgo, from June 15, 2024, through the process of coordinating to perfect the technology with all suppliers in the Vietnamese market, most smart TVs in Vietnam have integrated the VTVGo application. It is expected that from 2025, this button will be available on over 2 million smart TVs supplied to the Vietnamese market each year.

Mr. Do Thanh Hai - Deputy Director of Vietnam Television said, "In addition to innovation and improving the quality of program content, the Station is always interested in applying new technology. In particular, the Station attaches special importance to developing the national digital television platform VTVgo, this application will continue to be improved to further enhance the utility, experience, and interaction for viewers and VTV's digital ecosystem will also be further expanded."

Not only in major TV stations, in 2024 there will also be a model using a centralized data analysis platform of the VietnamPlus e-newspaper. The model of a digital content development center of Tuoi Tre Newspaper or a model of a data storage system and data storage tools, data analysis and processing of VnExpress Newspaper... and the good news is that the strong wave of digital transformation is also in central and local press agencies.

At Gia Lai Newspaper, in 2024, with the efforts of each staff member and reporter, the newspaper also had a breakthrough, becoming one of 25 units in the Local Newspaper Bloc to achieve a good level of digital transformation in 2024.

In particular, improving the interface, innovating the way news and articles are presented, SEO... have made it easier for readers, viewers, and listeners to access and search for information. In 2024, the newspaper launched new pages/sections to serve the needs of each group of readers, viewers, and listeners such as: Youth Movement, Euro 2024, Podcast "Gia Lai People's Stories", World News...

In particular, Gia Lai Newspaper also strengthens the implementation of live reporting, Livestreaming of major events that are of interest to readers, audiences and listeners on the website and social networking platforms of the Newspaper; organizes polls for events and issues that attract the attention of readers, audiences and listeners on Gia Lai Newspaper through the CMS system; innovates the way of posting information on social networking platforms (Facebook, Zalo, Youtube...).

Journalist Huynh Kien, Editor-in-Chief of Gia Lai Newspaper, Chairman of Gia Lai Provincial Journalists Association said, "To achieve this result, during the year, the Party Committee and Editorial Board of Gia Lai Newspaper always paid attention to leading and directing the promotion of the unit's digital transformation work. In addition to building strategies, plans, overall, phased and annual programs on the agency's digital transformation of the press. Focusing on ensuring information security as well as protecting the copyright of press works on cyberspace..., Gia Lai Newspaper also paid due attention to improving the experience for readers, audiences and listeners".