Growing pressure in a highly competitive environment
For Dang Viet Anh - a reporter at the Multimedia Communication Center (Lao Dong Newspaper) - his fate with the profession began from a internship when he was a Multimedia Communications student. The dynamic working environment and the guidance of predecessors helped him find his passion and decide to stick with journalism.
However, the early years of working in the profession were not easy at all. Pressure about work intensity, the requirement to pursue the topic to the end, and adapting to a constantly moving environment were the first challenges that the male reporter had to face. "Being an introverted person, I never thought I would be suitable for a dynamic and volatile press environment. In the early days of working, I was under quite a lot of pressure regarding the workload and the ability to pursue topics," Viet Anh confided.
If Viet Anh came to the profession from a multimedia media platform, reporter Nguyen Thi My Ly (Lao Dong Newspaper) started her journalism journey from admiration for her family members.
For me, that flame of passion is ignited from the ideal model of my aunt in the family - a passionate journalist. That admiration has motivated me to learn, nurture my dream and be determined to pursue a professional journalism career," My Ly shared.
As a Bachelor of Literature, My Ly entered the profession with a linguistic advantage but also faced no small pressure when digital journalism developed strongly.
I entered the profession as an "amateur". In the early stages, when digital journalism transformed strongly, I faced no small pressure due to a lack of many core skills. Because the only foundation I had at that time was traditional writing thinking" - My Ly said.
On another stage of the journey, Giap Thi Thu Thao - a final year student majoring in Anthropology and Journalism, University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Vietnam National University, Hanoi), is preparing to enter the profession with early practical experiences.
From local newspapers she read as a child, Thu Thao gradually nurtured her love for journalism. Before practicing at press agencies, the female student built a social networking site sharing secrets to studying Literature with more than 21,000 followers. This is both a space to pursue personal interests and helps Thu Thao practice skills in choosing topics, telling stories and interacting with the public.
The internship process helped me understand that professionalism lies not only in writing well, having good ideas, but also in meticulousness, ability to withstand pressure, spirit of receptiveness and responsibility for each information I impart" - Thu Thao shared.
Mastering technology, maintaining the value of journalism
If the common point of young people is to grow up under pressure, then their greater challenge today is to work in a constantly changing technology environment.
For reporter Viet Anh, being trained in multimedia communication helps him quickly adapt to the modern news production process. However, according to him, in the context of constantly changing media forms, each young reporter must proactively innovate their profession.
Mastering technology and new platforms is not only a mandatory requirement but also an opportunity for journalists like me to convey information to readers in a more vivid and attractive way," Viet Anh shared.
Reporter My Ly also said that just writing well is not enough, young journalists today must possess many different skills to meet the requirements of multi-platform journalism.
Unlike the previous generation who were strong in writing and photography, young reporters today must possess many skills and understand technology. Change is inevitable, but the nature of journalism through generations has not changed. It is a journey of continuous learning and using the pen to serve the community, serve people," reporter My Ly said.
Meanwhile, studying bi-discipline helps Thu Thao have more perspective when approaching social issues. "Humanity teaches me to see people not as an information object, but as a world that needs to be listened to and explained in their cultural context. And Journalism gives me a quick sensitivity to the times," Thu Thao explained.
Along with the requirement of multi-skills, the increasingly clear appearance of AI continues to pose new problems for young journalists.
“From the perspective of a young reporter, I see the development of artificial intelligence as more opportunities than challenges. In fact, I have used AI as a powerful assistant to optimize the working process from finding information to suggesting new creative directions to help news articles have more depth” - reporter Viet Anh shared.
However, Mr. Viet Anh believes that technology cannot replace real-life experiences, the ability to interact with characters and the humanistic perspective of journalists.
The way we communicate directly to exploit information or deploy problems with emotions are core values that no tool can copy" - the male reporter said.
Thu Thao also uses AI in learning and content production, but considers it a support tool instead of an alternative tool.
I always see AI as a supporting tool. Verifying information, assessing the reliability of information sources and deciding the final content is still the responsibility of the user," the female student shared.
Meanwhile, reporter My Ly is more cautious about the risk of dependence on technology. According to her, AI can improve work efficiency but can also cause writers to gradually lose independent thinking if abused.
AI can process data and write a newspaper article in a few seconds, but only humans can locate whose pen is writing for whom, for what. Sincerity, compassion and dedication placed in each person's fate, each page of writing is the boundary shaping the value of a journalist," Ms. Ly shared.
AI can change the way journalism is done, helping young people learn faster, work more efficiently and reach the public in many new ways. However, technology cannot replace the ability to detect problems, empathy with characters or social responsibility of the writer. In the digital age, those are still values that help young people find a foothold and continue to pursue journalism.
