If asked about the most memorable stories and memories during the process of composing traditional songs for Lao Dong Newspaper, how would you tell them?
- I had the opportunity to work with Lao Dong Newspaper from the program " Glory of Vietnam " held for the first time in 2004. Twenty years have passed, but I still remember my memories and impressions when reading about the history of Lao Dong Newspaper.
When I took on the responsibility of composing the song for "Vietnam's Glory" and was in charge of the artistic part of the awards night, I spent time researching the history of the Newspaper.
Lao Dong Newspaper is one of the earliest newspapers born in the history of Vietnam's revolutionary press (1929). Comrade Nguyen Duc Canh laid the foundation and was also the first Editor-in-Chief of Lao Dong Newspaper.
Born in 1929, Labor has accompanied the country on a very long journey, from the long revolutionary march with two great patriotic wars to the time the country restored peace, carried out innovation and development. economy.
I think that Lao Dong Newspaper has a very special historical journey, becoming a newspaper that speaks for the working people, and at the same time a friend of the people of the whole country.
During the 20 years of working with Lao Dong, I composed the song "Glory of the Fatherland", and later, "Glory of the Vietnamese Fatherland" for the program "Glory of Vietnam".
I still remember the first issues of "Vietnam's Glory", Lao Dong Newspaper still at Hang Bo headquarters. At that time, I worked with Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Hien. We also went to VTV together to discuss and work on the "Vietnam's Glory" award night.
I am very impressed with Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Hien, because of his dynamism, determination and vision in journalistic thinking. "Glory of Vietnam" is an awards program, but is considered a journalistic product, associated with events, pervasiveness, social impact - like a journalistic work.
When celebrating the 90th anniversary of the first issue of the newspaper, 5 years ago, Mr. Hien told me, The newspaper is missing a traditional song. After a long time of working together and understanding each other, I feel like I have received a new mission, which is to compose traditional songs for Lao Dong Newspaper.
Honestly, composing a traditional song for a newspaper - is it easy or difficult for you?
- I had to think and consider for a long time. How can you "encapsulate" 90 years of history with such a great tradition in about 10 verses? The structure of a song usually only has about 10 literary sentences (lyrics). Very difficult!
I took the time to once again research the history, the 90-year journey of the Lao Dong Newspaper, the influence, spread, operating guidelines... of the Newspaper.
Lao Dong Newspaper has spent 90 years with generations of talented journalists and reporters with sharp pens and clear hearts who have succeeded each other to create a brand for the newspaper. When electronic newspapers were not yet on the throne, Lao Dong's print newspapers were close friends of workers in particular and of the entire population in general.
Looking at 90 years of history, I also see generations of journalists who have fallen for the revolutionary cause of the Fatherland, I see generations of journalists who are not afraid of danger, and are passionate about investigating and fighting. Compete with the inadequacies in the new era, contributing to building a better society.
Encapsulating all of that in more than 10 sentences, I had to research and refine it very carefully.
I started with the song "We were born from the first day of the Revolution", to say how Labor pioneered the Revolutionary movement in the years 1929 - 1930, after the revolution, the newspaper "grew up with the country". ", growing strong with the country...
From verse 1 leading to verse 2 of the song, I mentioned the image of "golden starlight illuminating the way". Next to the word Labor on the newspaper's cufflinks there is always a star. This star is like light, like a newspaper brand recognized by the country and people. The star of Lao Dong Newspaper was formed from a long journey of history, recognized from orders and medals.
The sentence "when mentioning my name, the golden starlight illuminates the way" leads to the second lyric of the song "proud to be a journalist today", "starlight" is the continuity and transfer between generations of journalists, from the Revolution to the time of peace, construction and development.
Labor should be a star in the hearts of readers.
“The golden star illuminating the way” is also a symbolic image on the national flag of the Fatherland, to show the leadership of ideals and the Party in journalism activities in Labor.
Lao Dong is the newspaper of the Party and the working people, but with its vision and influence, the newspaper has gone beyond the function of an industry newspaper to show its position to readers all over the world. water. It was a huge success.
What is your main feeling when reading about the history of Labor and when composing traditional songs for the newspaper?
- It's pride. I'm just an outsider, but I put myself in the position of reporters, editors, and people working at the Newspaper. Surely, everyone will be proud to work for a newspaper with such a rich historical tradition.
Of course, I myself am also very proud, because I have worked for 20 years, attached to the newspaper, and participated in the art part of important programs of the newspaper.
So, the rich history, representative voice of working people, resonant investigative articles or what factors will help you decide to read a newspaper among many different press agencies?
- This will have to be analyzed in depth, because at each stage in life - we will tend to read different information.
Labor had periods of great prosperity. However, at this time, I was still very young, at that time I would read Student, Hoa Hoc Tro...
Later, when I became more mature, Lao Dong Newspaper had a great influence with many investigative and reportage articles related to the rights of workers. I myself come from a working-class family. When I read articles about workers and laborers, I see myself in them. The articles of Lao Dong Newspaper are associated with the voices, thoughts, and concerns of the working class, protecting the rights of workers. That's why I chose to read Lao Dong Newspaper.
The newspaper has gone beyond the function of an industry newspaper thanks to the great influence and spread of its articles.
In our music field, for example, the song "Ha Giang, my hometown" was only composed about Ha Giang province but is loved by the whole country because of its beautiful melody. Or, the song by musician Tran Tien, "Why are you in a hurry to get married?" was composed to propagate the Population - Family Planning movement, but was loved by a large audience.
I just had the song "New Road Inspector" too, which was sung by many different audiences.
That is success!
Today's press is facing great changes of the times. From your perspective, can you position Lao Dong Newspaper in the modern press system?
- Technology develops, social networks today seem to be becoming another life that develops in parallel with each of us's real lives. The online world and the real world.
In particular, the world of social networks is also a huge world of information, with a lot of fake news. Along with that, news sites also sprang up, stealing titles and attracting views.
Labor together with mainstream newspapers need to strongly promote their orientation function. If the official newspaper cannot promote its full function, fake and untrue news will be flooded.
I often read the electronic Lao Dong Newspaper. I know that Lao Dong has had an electronic newspaper very early. I evaluate this as quickness and timely grasping of readers' reading trends. Digital platforms and electronic spaces are tools to bring news to readers quickly.
Today's reading trends have changed dramatically, readers are afraid to read long articles, and mainly like to read news. That's why TikTok has a living when it only makes videos of a few seconds. Life is increasingly urgent and hurried.
I think that mainstream newspapers are facing a huge challenge, having to compete in the information "war" with social networks, having the right orientation, the right goals and principles, and also having to attract attention. , attractive to readers, to earn and pay for themselves.
Each era has its own challenges. The market economy era is posing new difficulties for journalists. Print newspapers are gradually losing their strengths. Bringing technology to develop journalism will not be a simple race.
I wish Lao Dong Newspaper to always be a star in the hearts of readers. Wishing the Newspaper to continue its glorious tradition, overcoming difficulties to always be the voice of workers in particular and the people of the country in general.
It seems you have an appointment with the 100 year milestone of Lao Dong Newspaper?
- On the 95th anniversary of the first issue of Lao Dong Newspaper, I made an appointment with Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Hien and Mr. Nguyen Duc Thanh, that by the 100th anniversary, I will have a work dedicated to the special day. This special from the Newspaper.
Promises are not easy to keep, but if you keep the promise in your mind, I think, ideas may suddenly come to you.
