Over the past century, Vietnamese revolutionary journalism has continuously matured and grown, making significant contributions to the cause of national liberation, building and defending the Fatherland. On this historic journey, President Ho Chi Minh was not only the founder of Vietnam journalism, but also a distinguished role model of an outstanding journalist. Studying and creatively applying Ho Chi Minh’s journalistic style holds profound significance today, as it helps to reinforce the pioneering role of the press on the ideological and cultural front, contributing to the realisation of Vietnamese aspirations for the new era of national development.

Ho Chi Minh – the Founder and a great journalist of Vietnamese revolutionary journalism

In the historical flow of Vietnamese revolutionary journalism, 21 June 1925 marks a special milestone - the birth of Thanh Nien newspaper, founded by our beloved leader Nguyen Ai Quoc. This was not only the starting point of Vietnamese revolutionary journalism but also a symbol of his sharp political vision and strategic mindset, in using journalism as a lever to enlighten the people, awaken national consciousness, and promote revolutionary action. From an early stage, President Ho Chi Minh realised that journalism was not merely a tool for conveying information, but above all, a weapon in the ideological struggle - a critical instrument to propagate revolutionary ideals, gather the masses, and lead the revolutionary movement. He affirmed: journalism is a battlefield; journalists are revolutionary soldiers; their pens and pages are their sharp weapons. This awareness shaped his entire journalistic career - from the time he was Nguyen Ai Quoc in France, to becoming Ho Chi Minh, the founder and leader of the Party and the government, and at the same time, the mentor and inspirational person for Vietnamese revolutionary journalism.

President Ho Chi Minh, the founder and a great journalist of the Vietnamese revolutionary journalism (Photo: VNA)

Not only was President Ho Chi Minh an outstanding leader, he was also an outstanding journalist, with a profound influence in terms of ideology, method and professional ethics. Throughout his revolutionary life, he authored thousands of articles under hundreds of different pen names, in many diverse genres, such as political commentary, commentary, reportage, short stories, poetry, satire, etc. His journalistic works not only conveyed the revolutionary ideology and guideline with clarity and accessibility, but also reflected a simple yet profound linguistic style, always close to the people. From the newspapers he founded - such as Le Paria (The Miserable) in France, Thanh Nien in Guangzhou, China, Viet Nam Doc Lap in the Viet Bac resistance zone, to the articles published in the newspapers Cuu Quoc, Su That, Nhan Dan,... and regardless of any period, from the revolutionary climax of 1930 - 1945, the resistance war against colonialism and imperialism, to the construction of socialism, the press under the pen of President Ho Chi Minh has always been closely associated with every step of the Vietnamese revolution, become the red thread connecting ideology with action, shaping public opinion, fostering revolutionary faith, and awakening, uniting, and promoting the strength of the entire nation, making an enormous contribution to the ultimate success of the revolution.

The journalistic legacy left behind by President Ho Chi Minh is not only of historical value but also of epochal significance - a timeless treasure trove of ideology and exemplary journalistic style that continues to accompany the development of Vietnamese revolutionary journalism. From guiding ideology, approach methodology to professional ethics, all are consistently demonstrated throughout his writing journey as the great journalist of the Vietnamese people. With his role and mission as a pioneering journalist, President Ho Chi Minh laid the foundation, opened the way, and shaped a uniquely revolutionary style of journalism - the Ho Chi Minh’s journalistic style, which stands as a compass and guiding light for generations of revolutionary journalists in Vietnam, today and into the future.

Journalistic style of Ho Chi Minh - simple yet profound, combative yet humane

From his rich and long-term practice in journalism, President Ho Chi Minh developed a uniquely revolutionary style of journalism, a crystallisation of sharp political thinking, noble humanistic spirit and refined yet simple linguistic artistry. His journalistic style not only reflects the intellectual stature of a great revolutionary but also sets a professional and ethical standard for Vietnam’s revolutionary journalism.

First and foremost, Ho Chi Minh’s journalistic style bears a strong combative spirit, marked by clear objectives and targeted audiences, always aligned with specific revolutionary missions. Writing for him was never about showcasing knowledge or expressing personal ego, but about “serving the people, serving the revolution”. His journalist style was rich in political purpose, orientation, organisational value, and practical impact. In every historical period, from the founding of the Party, the struggle for national independence, to the resistance wars and the building of the nation, Ho Chi Minh consistently used journalism as a means of organisation, mobilisation, enlightenment, and education for the masses. His writings were not only informative but also served as sharp weapons to expose the schemes and nature of the enemy, while shaping public opinion, igniting patriotism, and rallying revolutionary spirit and unwavering faith in victory. He masterfully combined theory with practice, strategic thinking with mass language, criticism with construction, making journalism a true vanguard force on the ideological and cultural front. Many of his articles were written during the most challenging times for the nation, yet they always radiated unwavering confidence in the strength of the people and inspired revolutionary momentum.

Ho Chi Minh’s journalistic style is also outstanding in its simplicity, clarity, brevity, conciseness, ease of understanding, ease of remembering, ease of doing. He once advised: “When writing or speaking, always make sure that everyone can understand. Make the masses understand, believe, and be determined to follow your call. Always ask yourself: “Who am I writing for? Who am I speaking to?”.  Therefore, whether addressing major political-social issues or specific everyday events, he always chose familiar words, vivid images, concise expressions, easy to touch people’s hearts; he never indulged in flowery language or exaggerated achievements. It was the crystallisation of intelligence, emotion and practice. This people-centred approach allowed his journalistic works to resonate deeply with the masses, becoming a powerful spiritual force that inspired voluntary revolutionary action. Many of his articles contained only a few hundred words, yet carried profound ideas, strong messages, and great emotional impact. A typical example is his article Mass Mobilisation written in 1949, just over 500 words, but it encapsulates the core principles and profound guidance on mass mobilisation work. Even today, it remains highly relevant and impactful.

Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Thanh Man meets with leaders of press agencies (Photo: qdnd.vn)

One of the core values in Ho Chi Minh’s journalistic style is the harmonious combination of sharp theory with sincere emotions, rigorous arguments with vivid images. He employed a wide range of journalistic genres with great flexibility, masterfully utilising the art and power of communication. Notably, he often used dialogue, practical examples, or everyday stories to convey major issues, making them easier for the public to understand, remember, and follow. Ho Chi Minh’s journalism was not just theory; it always stemmed from real life, served practical purposes, and contributed to transforming reality. He advised journalists: “Don’t write only about good things and hide the bad. But criticism must be proper. When praising something, do it with moderation, don’t exaggerate. Say it as it is. Our soldiers and people have plenty of good qualities worth highlighting, there’s no need to make things up”, however, “speak with evidence, tell with proof”, that is, one must clearly state “where the event happened, how it happened, when it happened, how it developed, and what the outcome was”.

President Ho Chi Minh’s journalistic style also deeply reflects the ethics of journalists. Not only demonstrating the role of an outstanding journalist, President Ho Chi Minh also laid the foundation and was a shining example of journalistic ethics. He never separated political ideology from professional ethics, alway considered the cultivation of qualities - courage -  sense of responsibility as the very foundation of revolutionary journalism. According to Ho Chi Minh, a journalist must first and foremost possess firm revolutionary ethics and be absolutely loyal to the ideals of the Party and the nation. Journalistic ethics are not only expressed through sharp writing but also through political responsibility, honesty, objectivity and the spirit of serving the Fatherland and the people. He emphasised that journalists must tell the truth, nothing more, nothing less, without changing the facts for any personal gain or under any pressure. Revolutionary journalists, as he required, should not embellish reality or distort negativity, but must bravely reflect the truth, help correct mistakes, and contribute to building what is good and beautiful in society. For him, journalistic ethics are also exemplary in lifestyle, the spirit of continuous learning and training, the attitude of seeking knowledge, modesty, not afraid of difficulties, hardships, and not far from reality. Journalism only holds real value when writers stay close to the people, understand their thoughts, aspirations, and the realities of their lives. Thus, a revolutionary journalist is not only a soldier on the ideological and cultural but also a companion to the people, with serving the people as their highest goal.

As an outstanding journalist with thousands of articles of high ideological and artistic value, in addition to the above content, Ho Chi Minh’s journalistic style is also expressed in many other aspects, but in general, it is a journalistic style that takes the revolutionary cause as a compass; takes the effectiveness of action as the destination; takes the masses as the centre and takes truth and reality as an immutable principle.

In today’s new era, marked by profound transformations in politics, economics, culture, and science-technology, revolutionary journalism is facing both opportunities and challenges. Prominent among these are the Fourth Industrial Revolution, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), big data, social media, and digital communication technologies, which are reshaping the way information is produced, disseminated, and received; fierce competition in speed, accuracy, and content depth. The fierce competition between traditional journalism and social networks and cross-border digital platforms has created a lot of pressure on speed, quality, reliability and public opinion orientation. The rise of fake news, misinformation, and media manipulation poses serious threats to the leading role of revolutionary journalism in shaping societal awareness. To meet the requirements of developing revolutionary journalism in the era of national development, the application of President Ho Chi Minh’s journalistic style is extremely important, and needs to be implemented creatively, scientifically, and in accordance with new realities. In particular, focusing on the following contents:

Firstly, maintain a firm political stance and remain steadfast in revolutionary goals. In the new era, with many revolutionary policies and strategies being implemented, affecting all aspects of social life, along with the development of the current complex and multi-dimensional media environment, revolutionary journalism must further promote fighting spirit, orientation, and clear Party spirit like the journalistic style of President Ho Chi Minh. The press must firmly uphold its role as the core force on the ideological and cultural front, helping to reinforce public trust, build social consensus and unity, and ignite a spirit of dedication among Party members, cadres, and the people, firmly protecting the Party’s ideological foundation; journalism should not merely reflect reality, but also actively shape reality - by creating and guiding social development. The fighting spirit of revolutionary journalism is demonstrated not only in its ability to counter false and hostile viewpoints, but also in its courage to highlight stagnation, conservatism, corruption, wastefulness, and other negative phenomena that hinder political system reform. In the current context where the Party, the government, all levels, sectors, and local authorities are streamlining personnel and structure, strengthening discipline, and promoting integrity in public service, revolutionary journalism must take the lead in, as prescribed by the Press Law, “propaganda, disseminate, and contribute to bring the Party’s guidelines and policies, the government’s laws into real life; discover and encourage new factors; fight against and prevent illegal and negative acts in society”. Thus, the fighting nature of revolutionary journalism is not only a political imperative, but also a professional criterion and a measure of the courage, intellect, and credibility of journalists in this transformative era of national development.

Secondly, stay close to reality while innovating content and methods of expression in a close, lively, and accessible direction. Revolutionary journalism must always take real-life practice as its fulcrum and the people as its central point, providing truthful reflections of life, especially urgent issues of the people, thereby spreading positive values ​​and inspiring action. One of the most urgent needs today is to enhance the effectiveness of policy communication, bringing the Party’s resolutions and the government laws to all levels of the population in a way that is easy to understand, easy to remember, and easy to follow. In the ongoing trend of administrative reform and government streamlining, long-winded, empty, and formal writing style is an obstacle to public service communication. Therefore, applying Ho Chi Minh’s journalistic style - concise, simple, yet profound - is not merely an artistic choice, but a strategic solution to renewing the effectiveness of political communication today. As the country moves toward modern national governance and builds a socialist rule-of-law government, press institutions must invest in presentation methods, adopt digital communication technologies, and strengthen interaction with audiences. Journalism should not just broadcast information in a one-way direction but create a multidimensional, oriented interactive space, so that the public becomes a companion, a dialogue partner, not just a recipient. Journalists must “speak so that the people understand, write so that the people believe”, using clear and accessible language structures, while combining them with digital media tools to deliver messages more effectively. The role of journalism goes beyond transmitting information, it serves as a vital bridge between the Party’s strategic vision and the people’s real-life needs.

Thirdly, honour professional ethics and build a team of journalists who are “morally upright and professionally competent”. In the process of building a socialist rule-of-law government, journalism must go beyond being a mere communication tool to become the force that directly participates in practicing democracy, monitoring, criticising, and shaping policies. To fulfill this mission, the political stance, professional ethics, and social responsibility of journalists must be emphasised more than ever. Imbued with the ideology and following the example of journalist Ho Chi Minh, media institutions must continue to train, foster, and build a team of journalists who are “both dedicated and visionary” with outstanding mindset. Every journalist should be a person of wisdom and social responsibility, using their pen to serve the nation and the people. At the same time, they must be capable of confronting technological challenges and resisting the temptations of interests. In today’s streamlined and disciplined political system, revolutionary journalists must be the ones to spread the fire of innovation, not only contributing to spreading what is right and good, but also being the “gatekeeper” for integrity and transparency in society.

Fourthly, preserve journalistic identity during the process of renovation. Currently, Vietnam’s revolutionary journalism is facing urgent demands for comprehensive restructuring to adapt to the evolving media environment. Modernising forms of presentation, innovating content production models, and engaging in real-time interaction are survival imperatives for media agencies in the national digital transformation process. However, the distinct identity of revolutionary journalism shaped by Ho Chi Minh’s thought, which is orientation, humanity, combativeness and social responsibility, must continue to be preserved and strengthened. Technology may serve as a tool, but ideologies, ideals and the goals of serving the people, protecting the regime, and accompanying the Party and government must remain the unwavering compass of all journalistic activities. This is how journalism contributes to realising strategic breakthroughs in “the era of national development” - where technology serves humanity, and media serves the nation.

The 100th anniversary of Vietnam Revolutionary Journalism Day is a moment for us to reflect on the glorious journey of our revolutionary journalism under the leadership of President Ho Chi Minh and the Communist Party of Vietnam. At the same time, it is a milestone of renewal, urging the journalistic corps to further uphold the legacy of Ho Chi Minh’s journalism, creatively apply his journalistic style, and reaffirm its pioneering role on the ideological and cultural front, contributing to the construction and firm defence of the Fatherland in the new era of national development.

Assoc. Prof., Dr. NGUYEN THI TRUONG GIANG, Vice President of Academy of Journalism and Communication