Responsibility to workers
In the middle of a low-lying boarding house on the outskirts of an industrial park, a woman nearly 40 years old specializes in sewing, works without a contract, without insurance, and is carrying a seriously ill child. She talked about 5 months without getting paid, about unsuccessful requests for money, about sitting in the security room crying because there was no money to buy milk for her children.
That story is not uncommon in the career journey of young reporters at Lao Dong Newspaper. From construction works where workers have accidents but are not compensated appropriately, to factories where workers have their contracts terminated illegally, or night shifts where female workers face the risk of harassment... tragic, unfortunate, and abandoned situations often appear in the papers of young reporters.
Once, Minh Trang - a new reporter was assigned to investigate the group of workers who have been owed wages for many months. When arriving at the scene, instead of just recording the story, the young man stayed for more than 3 days to truly understand their lives: the meal was poured with fish sauce, the rent was contributed thousands, and the anxiety was rewarded when speaking out. After that journey, the young reporter understood that to write a true article, it takes time to look at and feel reality.
What young people learn from Lao Dong Newspaper is not only professional skills, but a sense of responsibility towards workers. Those are people who do not have many opportunities to speak up. Writing about them, it is impossible to write superficial because they are in need of help and protection.
Changing with the digital age
In the digital age, when news appears heavily on social networks, preserving legitimate press identity and spreading it on a new platform is a challenge and also an opportunity for young reporters at Lao Dong Newspaper.
In that process, young reporters are the leading force: Proactively learn how to make videos, make animated drawings, film - create - write - edit in the same product.
Young reporter Thu Lan shared: I used to think that I only needed to write well. But now I understand, I have to know more than that, from writing news, recording, making clips, making multimedia newsletters and not allowed to provide false information".
The most valuable thing is that the environment of the previous generation always wholeheartedly guides young people. Journalists who have been in the profession for many years are always ready to share experiences: Approach to characters, handle sensitive information, maintain a strong stance when facing pressure from many sides. They do not impose but accompany, do not direct but orient.
Many times, major news series are the result of coordination between generations: young reporters are concerned with producing multimedia, updating current developments, while the first-time reporters are consulting on perspective, supervising legality, and checking content ethics. It is this resonance that has created the quality and depth of many lines reflecting life most realistically.
For young reporters, working at Lao Dong Newspaper is not just a job, but a great opportunity to grow up. They come here with the ambitions of youth: Want to write the right thing, want to be told on behalf of the disadvantaged, want to contribute their small part to the journey to improve life.
