Nguyễn Đức Lợi, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Journalists Association, and Vũ Việt Trang, VNA General Director, present the certificates to A-Prize winners. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The year 2024 was marked by numerous significant domestic and international developments that journalists of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) have covered extensively, delivering outstanding works, capturing all aspects of political, social and cultural life, affirming the agency’s key role in Việt Nam’s information flow.

Every April, the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) hosts its annual press award ceremony, honouring reporters and editors who have worked tirelessly and creatively to produce impactful, high-quality works that resonate with the public and strengthen the agency’s standing as a key pillar of the national media landscape.

Fulfilling targets towards a new era

On September 16, 2024, Party General Secretary and then State President Tô Lâm released an article titled "Continuing to Strongly Innovate Party Leadership – An Urgent Need of the New Revolutionary Stage." In response, VNA launched a special series gathering public perspectives on Party leadership renewal, reflecting the vision laid out in the article.

A four-part series titled "Party reforms propel the country to rise" by Nguyễn Thị Hồng Điệp and Đinh Thị Thuận (Department of News for Internal Affairs), and Nguyễn Thị Lan Phương (Việt NamPlus), delved into this theme.

Drawing from the Party General Secretary’s message, the series emphasised that reforming leadership methods and enhancing governance is both a crucial task and a long-term priority for Party building, vital to preserving its integrity and effectiveness.

According to Điệp, head of the department’s Science-Education Desk, the group sought to underline that while every locality or institution may approach reform differently, all must remain aligned with the Party’s core principles.

The series also explored the Party’s oversight and disciplinary frameworks, underlining their role in maintaining internal unity and order, as well as preventing moral and ideological degradation among officials and Party members, thereby protecting the Party’s guidelines and mission.

A symbol of solidarity between soldiers and civilians

VNA journalists have long been present on the frontlines, whether in political hotspots or disaster zones. In 2024, when Typhoon Yagi (Storm No. 3) caused devastating loss in the northern region, particularly in Làng Nủ Village (Phúc Khánh Commune, Bảo Yên District, Lào Cai Province), VNA reporters were again among the first to arrive.

A series featuring the village's journey of overcoming the disaster consequences by Trần Thị Thu Vân, Đinh Vũ Nhật Hồng, and Nguyễn Thị Lê Hương (Việt Nam News) captured both the human loss and emotional resilience through two written reports and two accompanying videos.

The journalists spoke with soldiers of Regiment 98, Division 316, who worked in harsh conditions to recover bodies and support survivors. For 14 days, they battled floods, cold weather, and exhaustion with limited dry clothes and clean water.

Before leaving, the troops held a solemn farewell for the victims. A red flag gifted by villagers, marked "LÀNG NỦ 10–24/9/2024", became a symbol of military-civilian solidarity.

Meanwhile, rebuilding efforts have been completed. A new resettlement area with 40 traditional Tày-style stilt houses and essential infrastructure has been built, helping families regain stability.

A shift in audience engagement

This year’s entries reflected not only journalistic integrity but also a growing emphasis on practical, solution-driven reporting that contributes to policymaking. The new "Creative Journalism" category was introduced to encourage the use of technology to produce multimedia content in line with changing audience habits, particularly the preference for visual and interactive content.

One standout submission, "Celebrating 70 Years of Hà Nội’s Liberation – A Sacred and Elegant Capital" by a team from Việt NamPlus employed an interactive 3D experience at Việt Namplus.vn/70namhanoi.

The project takes readers through the country’s historic milestones, including President Hồ Chí Minh’s Declaration of Independence in 1945, the call for national resistance in December 1946, and the historic 1954 Điện Biên Phủ Victory.

The innovative format allows readers to explore landmarks like Hà Nội’s Flag Tower using vivid visuals and audio narration, offering an immersive multimedia storytelling experience. Complementary mega-stories on history, the economy and culture paint a powerful portrait of Hà Nội as both a sacred symbol and a living, evolving capital.

Recognising commitment and courage in journalism

The 2024 VNA Press Awards once again honour the dedication, courage and sacrifice of its journalists, those who go to great lengths, often in the most challenging environments, to deliver timely and meaningful news.

VNA General Director Vũ Việt Trang praised the agency’s reporters for their sense of responsibility and professionalism, noting how they had consistently stood shoulder to shoulder with frontline forces to capture a dynamic, ever-changing Việt Nam.

"These contributions," she said, "are a testament to VNA’s leading role as the main national multimedia agency." — VNS