Hanoi (VNA) – Every April, the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) hosts its annual press award ceremony, honouring reporters and editors who have worked tirelessly and creatively to produce impactful, high-quality works that resonate with the public and strengthen the agency’s standing as a key pillar of the national media landscape.
The year 2024 was marked by numerous significant domestic and international developments, offering rich material for news coverage. VNA journalists have effectively harnessed this to deliver outstanding works, capturing all aspects of political, social and cultural life, affirming the agency’s key role in Vietnam’s information flow.
Fulfilling targets towards a new era
On September 16, 2024, Party General Secretary and then State President To Lam released an article titled “Continuing to Strongly Innovate Party Leadership – An Urgent Need of the New Revolutionary Stage.” In response, VNA launched a special series gathering public perspectives on Party leadership renewal, reflecting the vision laid out in the article.
A four-part series titled “Party reforms propel the country to rise” by Nguyen Thi Hong Diep and Dinh Thi Thuan (Department of News for Internal Affairs), and Nguyen Thi Lan Phuong (VietnamPlus), delved into this theme.
Drawing from the Party General Secretary’s message, the series emphasised that reforming leadership methods and enhancing governance is both a crucial task and a long-term priority for Party building, vital to preserving its integrity and effectiveness.
According to Diep, head of the department’s Science-Education Desk, the group sought to underline that while every locality or institution may approach reform differently, all must remain aligned with the Party’s core principles.
The series also explored the Party’s oversight and disciplinary frameworks, underlining their role in maintaining internal unity and order, as well as preventing moral and ideological degradation among officials and Party members, thereby protecting the Party’s guidelines and mission.
A symbol of solidarity between soldiers and civilians
VNA journalists have long been present on the frontlines, whether in political hotspots or disaster zones. In 2024, when Typhoon Yagi (Storm No. 3) caused devastating loss in the northern region, particularly in Lang Nu village (Phuc Khanh commune, Bao Yen district, Lao Cai province), VNA reporters were again among the first to arrive.
A series featuring village's journey of overcoming the disaster consequences by Tran Thi Thu Van, Dinh Vu Nhat Hong, and Nguyen Thi Le Huong (Viet Nam News) captured both the human loss and emotional resilience through two written reports and two accompanying videos.
The journalists spoke with soldiers of Regiment 98, Division 316, who worked in harsh conditions to recover bodies and support survivors. For 14 days, they battled floods, cold weather, and exhaustion with limited dry clothes and clean water.
Before leaving, the troops held a solemn farewell for the victims. A red flag gifted by villagers, marked “LANG NU 10–24/9/2024”, became a symbol of military-civilian solidarity.
Meanwhile, rebuilding efforts have been completed. A new resettlement area with 40 traditional Tay-style stilt houses and essential infrastructure has been built, helping families regain stability.
A shift in audience engagement
This year’s entries reflected not only journalistic integrity but also a growing emphasis on practical, solution-driven reporting that contributes to policymaking. The new “Creative Journalism” category was introduced to encourage the use of technology to produce multimedia content in line with changing audience habits, particularly the preference for visual and interactive content.
One standout submission, “Celebrating 70 Years of Hanoi’s Liberation – A Sacred and Elegant Capital” by a team from VietnamPlus employed an interactive 3D experience at vietnamplus.vn/70namhanoi.
The project takes readers through the country’s historic milestones, including President Ho Chi Minh’s Declaration of Independence in 1945, the call for national resistance in December 1946, and the historic 1954 Dien Bien Phu Victory.
The innovative format allows readers to explore landmarks like Hanoi’s Flag Tower using vivid visuals and audio narration, offering a immersive multimedia storytelling experience. Complementary mega-stories on history, the economy and culture paint a powerful portrait of Hanoi as both a sacred symbol and a living, evolving capital.
Recognising commitment and courage in journalism
The 2024 VNA Press Awards once again honour the dedication, courage and sacrifice of its journalists, those who go to great lengths, often in the most challenging environments, to deliver timely and meaningful news.
VNA General Director Vu Viet Trang praised the agency’s reporters for their sense of responsibility and professionalism, noting how they have consistently stood shoulder to shoulder with frontline forces to capture a dynamic, ever-changing Vietnam.
“These contributions,” she said, “are a testament to VNA’s leading role as the main national multimedia agency.” /.
