Publishing Development in the Digital Age: Many Advantages but Also Many Challenges

Digital transformation and the application of scientific and technological achievements are inevitable trends, and at the same time, opportunities for the Vietnamese publishing industry to develop to new heights, becoming one of the spearheads of the national cultural industry. However, the digital age also poses many challenges for the publishing industry.

This is the common opinion of many experts, researchers, and publishers at the National Scientific Conference “Orientation for the development of Vietnamese publishing in the digital age”. The conference was organized by the National Political Publishing House Truth in collaboration with the Vietnam Publishing Association, the Academy of Journalism and Communication in Hanoi on the afternoon of October 10.

The workshop is an activity contributing to summarizing 5 years of implementing Directive No. 44-CT/TW dated April 16, 2020 of the Secretariat on innovation, improving the quality and efficiency of publishing, distributing, researching and studying theoretical and political books, commemorating the 73rd anniversary of the Traditional Day of the Publishing, Printing and Book Distribution Industry of Vietnam (October 10, 1952 - October 10, 2025). Associate Professor, Dr. Vu Trong Lam, Director, Editor-in-Chief of the National Political Publishing House Truth; Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Minh Tuan, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Communist Magazine, Chairman of the Vietnam Publishing Association; Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Minh Son, Director of the Academy of Journalism and Communication chaired the workshop.

National scientific conference "Orientation for development of Vietnamese publishing in the digital age".

In his opening speech, Associate Professor Dr. Vu Trong Lam, Director and Editor-in-Chief of the National Political Publishing House, stated that publishing is an activity in the field of culture and ideology, directly contributing to building the cultural and intellectual foundation for society, protecting the ideological foundation and political regime of the country, building ethics, lifestyle and comprehensively developing the personality of Vietnamese people; contributing to training human resources, nurturing talents, and forming a learning society. Publishing is also a cultural industry, contributing to the overall achievements of the national economy .

According to statistics, in 2024, the country had 57 publishing houses that published 51,443 books, with a total of 597 million copies printed. The e-publishing sector has made remarkable progress, with 54.3% of publishers participating, an increase of 29.1% over the previous year. These positive figures show that, in the new context, with fierce competition from audio-visual media and social networks, the publishing industry has been active, proactive in innovating and creating for development.

Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Minh Tuan, Chairman of Vietnam Publishing Association, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Communist Magazine spoke at the Workshop.

Director, Editor-in-Chief of the National Political Publishing House, Truth, emphasized that the digital age (or digital age) is the period in which digital technology, especially the internet, artificial intelligence, big data and digital platforms become important foundations in all areas of social life. The digital age marks a comprehensive revolution in the way people connect, create and operate society; besides opportunities and advantages, the digital age also poses many intertwined challenges for the publishing industry, changing reading habits, distribution methods as well as readers' tastes.

Associate Professor Dr. Pham Minh Tuan, Chairman of the Vietnam Publishing Association, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Communist Magazine, also affirmed that publishing development in the digital age needs to be viewed at the national strategic level, associated with the process of industrialization and modernization of the country, development of the cultural industry and building a national brand of Vietnamese knowledge. This conference is not only a forum for exchange, but also the beginning of a new development stage - a stage in which Vietnamese publishing affirms its pioneering role on the cultural, ideological, intellectual and creative front; making worthy contributions to the cause of building an advanced Vietnamese culture imbued with national identity in the spirit of the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress.

Prof. Dr. Dinh Xuan Dung spoke at the workshop.

At the workshop, delegates analyzed and clarified core theoretical issues on digital transformation, development trends of the publishing industry and international lessons for Vietnam; requirements on human resource quality and application of artificial intelligence in publishing activities.

Many papers analyzed the current state of the Vietnamese publishing industry in recent times, pointed out the difficulties, limitations, and opportunities for development in the digital age, and proposed orientations and a system of key viewpoints and solutions for the development of the Vietnamese publishing industry in the coming time. In particular, Prof. Dr. Dinh Xuan Dung, former Vice President of the Central Council for Theory and Criticism of Literature and Art, said that in order for the country's publishing industry to truly grow, meet the demands of the new situation, and soon integrate into the world publishing flow, it is time for us to have a new approach to the model and types of current publishers - an approach based on inheritance and development.

The workshop was attended by many researchers, managers and publishers.

Dr. Tran Tri Dat, Director and Editor-in-Chief of the Science - Technology - Communication Publishing House, said that digital transformation has been creating fundamental changes in the entire value chain of the publishing and distribution industry in Vietnam. Not only helping to shorten the process, reduce costs, and improve management efficiency, digital transformation also expands the distribution space, bringing knowledge to a wide audience at home and abroad. New distribution models such as e-books, audiobooks, print-on-demand books, or multi-channel distribution are shaping a new face for the publishing industry. However, it is necessary to overcome the shortage of high-quality digital human resources, unsynchronized technology infrastructure, and widespread copyright infringement...

The Organizing Committee of the Workshop said that the presentations and opinions of the delegates will be an important basis for building orientations and solutions for the development of the Vietnamese publishing industry in general, and the publishing of theoretical and political books in particular, in the era of national growth and international integration.

Source: https://cand.com.vn/Chuyen-dong-van-hoa/phat-trien-xuat-ban-trong-ky-nguyen-so-nhieu-thuan-loi-nhung-cung-khong-it-thach-thuc-i784268/