From established imprints

From highland villages and hamlets to construction works transforming the homeland’s appearance, the footprints of Điện Biên journalists remain ever-present in the daily rhythm of life. Stories of poverty reduction efforts, cultural identity preservation, and the resolution of grassroots-level bottlenecks are vividly and truthfully conveyed across print pages, radio waves, television broadcasts, and digital platforms. These accomplishments reflect the connecting and creativity-inspiring role of the Association.

Currently, the provincial Journalists’ Association features 3 chapters with 144 members. During the tenure, the Association admitted 32 members and coordinated the organization of 9 professional training courses, drawing nearly 500 participants; the curriculum emphasized multimedia journalism skills and the application of new technologies. The movement to produce high-quality journalistic works achieved numerous positive results. Across 4 reviewed provincial journalism award seasons, over 500 entries competed, with 172 works receiving prizes; concurrently, the Association provided funding support for 124 high-quality journalistic works totaling VND 477.9 million. Many members’ works earned accolades at central journalism awards. A notable milestone was the merger of Điện Biên Phủ Newspaper and Điện Biên Radio and Television Station into the Điện Biên Newspaper, Radio, and Television Station starting June 15, 2025. This consolidation enables converged newsroom operations, optimizing the comparative advantages of each journalistic medium.

Vũ Văn Thượng, Director of the Điện Biên Newspaper, Radio, and Television Station, affirmed: “The key is shifting the journalistic mindset toward taking a single topic and developing it across multiple products tailored to each medium and audience segment. Technology helps news travel faster, but content quality ultimately determines the enduring vitality of a work.”

These results lay the foundation for the provincial Journalists’ Association to enter its new term. Nonetheless, intensifying competition from social media and the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence place increasingly stringent demands on the accuracy, depth, and persuasiveness of journalistic reporting.

Innovating from within every journalist

For the 2026-2031 tenure, the provincial Journalists’ Association identifies cultivating a contingent of politically steadfast, professional, humanistic, and modern journalists as its core mission. Alongside this, the Association aims to foster a professional environment encouraging creativity, investigative dedication, and social responsibility. Phạm Ngọc Hân, President of the provincial Journalists’ Association of Điện Biên, emphasized: “Our overarching goal in the new term is to build a robust association where every member matures professionally. The Association must truly serve as a shared home where journalists receive support, protection, and fresh creative inspiration. The ultimate measure of Association performance must be reflected in the quality of the press corps and works that deliver substantive social value.”

Grounded in that orientation, the Association set specific professional targets: organizing at least 2 professional training courses annually; ensuring 100% of grassroots-level chapters meet strong standards; having at least 15% of members achieve the title of excellent grassroots-level journalist; and striving annually to have a minimum of 30 high-quality works competing in central journalism awards.

A valuable journalistic piece does not merely reflect facts accurately, but uncovers issues, analyzes root causes, and suggests actionable solutions. This holds profound significance for Điện Biên, where ethnic minority life and popular development aspirations present rich subject matter demanding thorough, meticulous reporting. Journalist Hoàng Út from the Thematic Division under the Điện Biên Newspaper, Radio, and Television Station, shared: “I believe what journalists need most in the coming period is to never easily settle for what they have already done. Heading to the grassroots level is not merely to fetch news or write articles, but to understand what the people are thinking, what they need, and where problems persist. A piece might not create instant sensation, but if it helps the people’s voice be heard and prompts action to resolve an issue, that represents the enduring value of our profession.”

To spark that drive, the Association continues innovating professional development, fostering peer exchanges, and supporting members in creating high-quality works. Journalism awards will continue honoring exemplary achievements while motivating reporters to invest in depth and boldly tackle challenging topics. Parallel to elevating output quality is mastering modern technology. As artificial intelligence and digital platforms reshape production and distribution workflows, journalists must harness these tools while firmly safeguarding factual verification and accountability for published content.

Journalist Phạm Dương from the Editorial and Secretarial Division under the Điện Biên Newspaper, Radio, and Television Station, noted: “Digital transformation is not simply posting news across multiple platforms; it demands altering our mindset and workflow so that press products genuinely resonate with the public. Technology can accelerate production and make presentation formats more engaging, but it can never substitute for a journalist’s honesty, firsthand field experience, and social responsibility.” Concurrently, the Association maintains emphasis on professional ethics education, cultivating a cultured media environment, and protecting members’ lawful rights. The established goal is that 100% of members and reporters strictly avoid violating professional codes of ethics and social media usage regulations for Vietnamese journalists.

The new tenure unfolds amid immense opportunities and challenges. Anchored by solid groundwork, the provincial Journalists’ Association of Điện Biên aims for substantive enhancements in organizational efficacy and staff competency. Journalistic standing is validated through uncovering issues, providing dependable information, defending positive values, and addressing genuine public needs. This serves as the clear pathway for Điện Biên journalism to actively advance the province’s rapid, green, smart, and sustainable development.