Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính with Vietnam News Agency's leaders and reporters who won the 19th National Press Awards. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI – The revolutionary press holds a particularly important role in the nation’s new era – inspiring development, creating noble values, and transforming collective aspirations into actions to build a stronger and more prosperous Việt Nam, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính said.

At the 19th National Press Awards ceremony held in Hà Nội on Saturday, where he presented the highest honours, PM Chính stressed that drawing from the glorious 100-year tradition, the revolutionary press must serve as an honest and objective voice with multifaceted, comprehensive, and inclusive reflections of the flow of life while being an efficient bridge linking the Party and State with the people.

It must courageously fight against evil and negative phenomena, as well as promote and spread exemplary models and profound humanistic values throughout society.

He paid solemn tribute to President Hồ Chí Minh, the national liberation hero and cultural figure who founded Việt Nam's revolutionary press, and extended congratulations to veteran journalists, successive generations of media professionals, and award recipients on the 100th anniversary of the Việt Nam Revolutionary Press Day (June 21, 1925–2025).

Tracing the remarkable century-long journey that began with the Thanh niên (Young People) newspaper set up by the late leader, PM Chính highlighted how Việt Nam's revolutionary press had continuously evolved and strengthened, affirming its role as a sharp and vital political, cultural, and ideological weapon serving the Fatherland and the people in the glorious revolutionary cause of the Party.

Throughout history, regardless of circumstances, the revolutionary press consistently stood on the side of truth and justice, and affirmed the correct guidelines, policies, and directions of the Party, State, and people, he underscored.

The PM said that the press had demonstrated its leading role in providing accurate and timely information, guiding public opinion, and boosting social consensus while helping consolidate the great national solidarity and the people's trust in the Party and State leadership.

It had contributed to protecting the Party's ideological foundation, rebutting wrong and hostile viewpoints, and preventing corruption, negative phenomena, and wastefulness, thereby helping promote the nation’s stature and prestige in the international arena.

Praising the National Press Awards, which honour journalism and media activities, the Government leader said over 19 editions, the awards had attracted tens of thousands of high-quality entries, with thousands of outstanding pieces receiving recognition. Many award-winning authors matured to assume leadership positions and important responsibilities in press agencies and key Party and State institutions.

While congratulating the award recipients, he acknowledged the challenges journalists and press agencies were facing, particularly the explosive development of social media, new communication methods and formats, and fierce competition in the information and communications sector. He expressed his confidence that journalists and press agencies would continue their efforts and determination to adapt and excel, with more journalistic works imbued with the breath of life and showing high spillover effects.

The Party, State, Government, and PM always direct functional agencies to review and devise appropriate mechanisms and policies to promote stronger development of the revolutionary press to better serve the revolution, he stressed.

He said the revolutionary press must pioneer in grasping and applying modern technology to enhance communications effectiveness, proactively implement digital transformation, develop multimedia journalism, and capitalise on the power of the internet and social media so as to deliver timely, accurate, and meaningful content, thus shaping up a healthy, humanistic, and people-centred media ecosystem.

As the nation is stepping into a new era – that of the nation’s rise, he laid stress on the unwavering trust that the Party, State, and people place in the revolutionary press, which will carry forward its tradition with the spirit of “a bright mind, a pure heart, and a sharp pen" to fulfil its noble mission and contribute to building and defending the Fatherland.

He expressed his hope that each journalist and media professional would maintain the spirit of dedication and contribution to the country, overcome all hardships, and walk alongside the people to build a strong, democratic, equitable, and civilised nation with wealthy people standing shoulder to shoulder with powers of the five continents as President Hồ Chí Minh once aspired. VNS