80 years of VNA: A priceless and authentic resource about Vietnam

Researcher Kyril Whittaker said that it is VNA's power to transmit information that has helped bring realistic and valuable news about Vietnam to a wide audience.

Vietnam News Agency (VNA) brings timely and accurate news to readers around the world , and is the first and important source of information to learn about Vietnam and new developments in the country.

This is the assessment of Mr. Kyril Whittaker, a researcher on Vietnam and a member of the Communist Party of Great Britain, in a recent exchange with a VNA reporter in the UK, on ​​the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the founding of VNA (September 15, 1945 - September 15, 2025).

Mr. Whittaker emphasized that VNA is not only a news agency but also a “historical archive,” a source of information based on truth and a cultural bridge, contributing to refuting false arguments, bringing to the world a true image of the country.

According to him, publications and information sites such as Vietnam News, VietnamPlus, and Vietnam Pictorial help readers update the political , economic, social, and cultural situation of Vietnam, and are also valuable sources of reference for research projects.

Mr. Whittake appreciated the friendly interface, clear presentation and easy access to information on VNA's platforms.

According to the British scholar, with 80 years of operation, VNA has accompanied the country's important historical events, honestly reflecting and spreading reliable and accurate information to international friends in the context of social networks spreading a lot of fake and toxic news.

Following President Ho Chi Minh's journalism ideology, VNA is the national news agency of the Vietnamese State - a state of the people, by the people and for the people. VNA's journalism always aims to educate , build and take revolutionary ethics as its core.

News and articles are delivered in accordance with this principle, ensuring accuracy and guiding values, thereby creating a difference compared to many other press agencies in the world.

Today, VNA, together with revolutionary press agencies such as Nhan Dan and Lao Dong newspapers, has been playing the role of a forum to convey the Party's policies, a bridge between the Party, the State and the people, a "sharp weapon" of the working class, helping the international public learn about Vietnam and the country's development accurately and promptly. Journalists who follow the example of President Ho are politically trained, write purposeful, easy-to-understand, truthful articles and serve the people.

Researcher Kyril Whittaker gives an interview to a VNA reporter in the UK. (Photo: Phong Ha/VNA)

Regarding the foreign information sector, Mr. Whittaker said that with publications such as Vietnam News Daily, Vietnam Pictorial, Vietnam Plus, Le Courier du Vietnam, VNA plays an important role in promoting the image of Vietnam to the world and fighting against false information about the country. VNA publications have become the main publications shared when it comes to news about Vietnam.

He said that it is the information transmission power of VNA that has helped bring practical and valuable news about Vietnam to a wide range of readers.

According to Mr. Whittaker, the main challenge that researchers interested in Vietnam face is the ability to find and access Vietnamese and foreign language publications on the content that interests them.

In this respect, VNA publications in many languages ​​have truly become a daily source of accurate news on all aspects of Vietnam, clearly demonstrating the role of the Vietnamese media as a pioneer in reaching out to the public worldwide and promoting the image of Vietnam through culture, cuisine, art, architecture, history, politics and many other fields.

Mr. Whittaker emphasized that the VNA correspondents stationed abroad are “cultural ambassadors,” helping international friends access information and better understand Vietnam, while contributing to promoting diplomatic and cultural relations between Vietnam and the host country. At the same time, these reporters also help create new cultural connections between countries through enhancing understanding, connecting history and playing an important role as a bridge between researchers on Vietnam and their own country.

Assessing VNA's adaptability in the digital age, Mr. Whittaker said that VNA's publications have adapted very well, with websites such as VietnamNews, VietnamPlus and Le Courier du Vietnam being beautifully designed, simple, easy to access, easy to find information, while avoiding problems such as being flooded with advertisements, content overload...

Mr. Whittaker pointed out that, in the current digital age, young people in many countries are hardly interested in reading newspapers, especially printed newspapers. They often access online publications, but the information is sometimes inaccurate, unimportant and "clickbait." Therefore, the digital publications of VNA further affirm their value.

Specifically, VNA has cleverly avoided the common limitations of digital journalism, while deploying many creative communication campaigns to attract readers. Typical examples are the special publication of Vietnam News with a collage model of the legendary tank 390 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2025), or the graphic set of Vietnam map celebrating the 80th anniversary of National Day (September 2, 1945 - September 2, 2025). All have received the attention and love of young people.

Besides traditional challenges such as ensuring credibility and maintaining readers, VNA also faces many non-traditional challenges from the development of new technology and fake news on social networks.

However, with its rich archives, extensive network of reporters and commitment to reporting authentically from the field, VNA has the foundation to overcome challenges in the digital age.

According to Mr. Whittaker, during 80 years of revolutionary journalism, VNA has continued the fine tradition of previous generations of people's journalists, practicing pure and purposeful journalism, contributing to the people and the Vietnamese revolution./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/80-nam-ttxvn-nguon-tai-nguyen-vo-gia-va-chan-thuc-ve-viet-nam-post1061266.vnp