A life of being attached to a small newspaper stall in the heart of the city
Without signs, no invitations, the old newspaper stalls are lying in the heart of the bustling city.
Talking to us, Ms. Anh said that when she was young, she bought and sold from her mother, and because she loved her mother's hard work, Ms. Anh tried to study and went with her mother to work everywhere. After that, she was hired to work as a book distributor in Binh Thanh District. After a while, she started opening a small stall selling stationery with books, newspapers, and school supplies. Gradually, she became addicted to the profession of selling newspapers and considered it a daily joy.
Every morning, she wakes up at 2am, runs on an old motorbike to get the newspaper and then returns to open the stall at 4am, when the city had not yet awakened. She sees work as a part of her blood, an unconditional attachment, not just a livelihood.
Im used to it, I dont find it too bad if I stop selling, so regular customers dont know where to buy it, she said with a smile, in a gentle voice.
It has become a habit that people around Thi Nghe market visit her stall every morning, buy a newspaper, ask a few questions, and then continue the new day. Many people watched it as a special moment of the day, a slow, peaceful beat in the rush of the city.
There were mornings, when some "hot" newspapers were quickly sold out, she was willing to give back the only newspaper to keep for customers late. "Like before, a young man came to ask to buy a newspaper that had a map of Vietnam's administration after the merger, I gave him the only remaining newspaper that I planned to keep and read. I consider it a memory between me and my friend, she said without hesitation.
Ms. Anh confided that over the years, she has always felt grateful to the publishing houses of major newspapers such as Saigon Giai Phong, Lao Dong, Thanh Nien, Tuoi Tre... for helping her maintain the newspaper's stall to this day.
Print newspaper - a trustworthy friend in the digital age
In the modern flow, the era of rapid development of information from the internet and print newspapers seems to have slowed down a step, but still exists steadfastly as a meticulous and trustworthy friend.
For many people, reading printed newspapers every day is a habit that cannot be abandoned. Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Vinh, a long-time resident of Binh Thanh District, shared that she still reads the newspaper regularly every morning.
Showing up to buy a newspaper, talking a few sentences with Ms. Anh, I felt at peace in the midst of the troubled days, said Ms. Vinh.
Ms. Nguyen Thuc Quynh Anh (residing in Binh Thanh District) also shared a similar belief, she started reading newspapers in college and has been in the habit of reading newspapers for more than 20 years.
Paper newspapers are not noisy, reading newspapers is like talking to the writer. I thank people like Ms. Anh and reporters and editors for selecting and writing good articles, bringing them to readers like us every day" - Ms. Quynh Anh said.
In fact, amidst easily disrupting information signs, print newspapers play the role not only as a channel of accurate information but also a fulcrum to orient public opinion. In-depth analysis, thorough verification information and meticulous presentation are what make print newspapers always retain the trust of readers, helping the public not to easily be led by false rumors or unverified news spreading on social networks.
On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Vietnam Revolutionary Press Day (June 21,25 - June 21, 2025), the story of Ms. Tran Thi Ngoc Anh, a simple newspaper seller in the heart of the city, is like a slice of the forest but is profound in the hundred-year journey of the country's press. Ms. Anh, although not directly holding a pen or camera, is a person who silently contributes to preserving the core values of journalism: honesty, humanity and perseverance with the times.
