Journalist Huu Tho: A lifetime of journalism with 'bright eyes, pure heart, sharp pen'

Journalist Huu Tho: To be a journalist, one must have "clear eyes, a pure heart, and a sharp pen". Photo archive

Journalist - revolutionary activist

Journalist Huu Tho was born on January 8, 1932 in Hanoi . His real name is Nguyen Huu Tho and he has many pen names when writing for newspapers such as Huu Tho, Nhan Nghia, Nhan Chinh. He was a student at Buoi School - now Chu Van An High School (Hanoi). He participated in the August Revolution of 1945 in Hanoi. After that, he left his family to join the resistance war from December 19, 1946, working as a liaison for the Self-Defense Forces of Tong Duy Tan neighborhood, Hanoi front.

He was a member of the Executive Committee of the Youth for National Salvation in Thu Tri district, Political Commissar of the Cam Hon Guerrilla Platoon in Tien Hung district, Thai Binh province; Political Commissar of the Army Company, Left Bank of the Red River; participated in the takeover of Hai Duong town, Standing Committee Member of the Town Party Committee in 1955.

Journalist Huu Tho has been a professional journalist since August 1957. He is a writer of investigative reports on agriculture , rural areas and current affairs sketches that have left an impression on readers. He was the former Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper, Head of the Journalism Department of the Academy of Journalism and Propaganda, former member of the Party Central Committee of the 7th and 8th terms, member of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs Committee of the 9th and 10th terms, former Head of the Central Ideology and Culture Committee (1995-2001); former Assistant to the General Secretary (2001-2006).

Journalist Huu Tho's career as an intellectual has been marked by many awards. Along with 8 First Prizes awarded by the Vietnam Journalists Association as a journalist, he also received the Golden Lotus Award at the first Vietnam Film Festival (1970), a Certificate of Honor and a Gold Medal from the International Organization of Journalists (OIJ); First Class Resistance Medal; Medal "For the Cause of Vietnamese Journalism"; Medal "For the Cause of Nhan Dan Newspaper".

He retired in January 2007, is a veteran journalist in Vietnam but continues to write articles, exchange opinions, hold columns "Business stories", "Contributing to life" in Nhan Dan Weekend Newspaper with the pen name Nhan Nghia, "Life stories" in New World Magazine...

Journalist Huu Tho (far left) at an exchange session organized by Vietnam Television on January 28, 2000. Photo courtesy

Journalism "must have bright eyes, a pure heart, and a sharp pen"

Journalist Huu Tho is always considered by friends and colleagues to be a veteran and excellent writer in the country's journalism industry. The name Huu Tho is familiar and close to readers even when he has entered a "rare" age, still a key writer in many columns and on forums with a truthful and straightforward pen - still immersed in writing pages bearing his own unique mark.

During his career in journalism, journalist Huu Tho became famous for a series of journalistic works in many different genres, from commentary, sketches, memoirs, dialogues to criticisms... which were received with interest by readers, because they truly reflected all aspects of life, frankly reflecting the negative aspects of society to warn, adjust, and make society better and better. Therefore, these works always bring readers many different emotions.

Colleagues of many different generations as well as the press public respect and admire journalist Huu Tho for his diligence, perseverance, pioneering spirit, creative qualities, and mettle as a writer, a press leader, and an ideological and cultural worker.

Even when he was in the position of Head of the Central Ideology and Culture Committee and Assistant to the General Secretary, his journalistic qualities still shone brightly. That is the spirit of looking straight at the truth, stating the truth, protecting the truth and justice.

Journalist Huu Tho is famous for the saying “Bright eyes - pure heart - sharp pen”, which was later used as the title of one of his books. Throughout his life as a journalist, he acted in that spirit.

“Bright eyes, pure heart, sharp pen” is a collection of articles and speeches by journalist Huu Tho about journalism. Although each article in the collection addresses a different issue surrounding journalism, deep down they have a common purpose: a profound and heartfelt message to young journalists about the courage, ethics and conscience of journalists, his concerns about journalism in the face of social issues, concerns about what journalists need to overcome in the process of finding the truth; posing for journalists thoughts and responsibilities in the new development period of the country.

Explaining the title of the book, he affirmed: A journalist must have “clear eyes, a pure heart, and a sharp pen”, meaning he must have courage, ethics, and conscience, must be honest, have a fighting spirit and professional capacity…

Journalist Ho Quang Loi, former Permanent Vice President of the Vietnam Journalists Association, once wrote: “Although journalist Huu Tho is no longer in this world, journalists and the press public of our country can still see his image and hear his inspiring voice in passionate dialogues about social life, about Party building and rectification, about journalistic ethics, about social responsibility and conscience of writers. He and famous veteran journalists of his generation are encouraging the fighting spirit and the flame of dedication to the country and people in generations of Vietnamese journalists today”...

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/xa-hoi/202506/nha-bao-huu-thomot-doi-lam-bao-mat-sang-long-trong-but-sac-3ee0519/