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The impersonal nature of the Internet
medium can make posting English news in Vietnam feel
like a thankless job.
But the following
letter from Paul Adams, professor emeritus of Mass
Communication and Journalism at California State
University, Fresno, makes doing our job these days a
little easier. The following is what he had to say in an
email.
To the editors and
reporters of Thanh Nien online news
site,
Well over a year
ago, I found out that I would be coming to Vietnam to
teach during the spring semester of 2006 with the
Journalism faculty at the University of Social Sciences
and Humanities in Hanoi. Part of my preparation was to
find a good website, in English, so I could begin
learning about Vietnam. I looked and looked and finally
found Thanh Nien online news site. I made this my
homepage for some time in the US, and came to know it
pretty well.
I am very
impressed with the Thanh Nien site. I am judging
it based on my work as a teacher of journalism in the US
for more than 20 years, as a former newspaper editor,
and as a teacher of journalism and technology.
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Paul Adams
is professor emeritus of Mass Communication and
Journalism at California State University, Fresno.
Previously, he had taught at the University of
Texas, Baylor University, Louisiana State, and the
University of Portland. He received his PhD and
Master’s Degree from the University of
Texas.
At Fresno
State, he was head of the Public Relations
sequence and originator of the Desktop Publishing
course. He taught other courses as well, including
New Technology, Research Methods, History of Mass
Media, and Media Issues. His textbook, Writing
Right for Today’s Mass Media, is used in
introductory writing classes at more than 20 US
universities.
This spring
he was a visiting professor at the University of
Social Sciences and Humanities of National
University in Hanoi, Vietnam. He taught New
Information Technologies, Introduction to Public
Relations, and Applied Media Research. His
volunteer teaching in Vietnam was funded by Rotary
International, a worldwide organization of
business and professional leaders that provides
humanitarian service, encourages high ethical
standards in all vocations, and helps build
goodwill and peace throughout the
world. |
First of all, the
Thanh Nien online news site is good for NEWS. I
found the editors there to be courageous. Many times I
would read about something in Vietnam there first. These
news reports might be critical of the officials, for
example, and other sites would not carry such stories.
The other day I read a
commentary by the Editor-in-chief of the
newspaper and I better understood the philosophy of
Thanh Nien
I also liked the
mix of stories on the website. There were all kinds.
Some short, some long. Some serious, some not. There
were always some “good reads,” such as the story about a
mentally ill woman with nails. Only a few stories were
like this, of course. Most of the site is serious
journalism.
The organization
of the site is also really functional. “Top Stories” is
useful. I also like the home page with the news by
section. I can simply link to the kind of stories I
want.
The editing of the
stories is first-rate. I don’t know how the stories are
written before translation, but by the time they get
online, they are excellent. The first paragraph, the
lead, is well done and the organization is crisp and
concise. I like the fact that the first paragraph is set
in boldface type.
Contrary to
stories in Vietnamese newspapers (as have been reported
to me), stories on the Thanh Nien online news
site carry really strong attribution. Every sentence is
clearly tied to a source, either directly or by
implication. This is fine journalism.
The headlines
would be at home in any Western newspaper. I recall such
phrases as “humble pie,” “digs deep,” “cliffhanger,” and
“green lights.” The writer used “harp” in the headline
about music. Very nice. The only thing I recall that I
did not like is “eyes” as a verb in a headline. I saw
this twice in the same section one day.
Along with the
good headlines is good grammar. This is as good as in
any Western newspaper, perhaps better. Some stories were
perfect – and this comment comes from someone who has
taught editing for many years.
Overall, I must
say I am very impressed with Thanh Nien, so
impressed that when I visited Ho Chi Minh City, I asked
to meet with the editor, Thuc Minh. I just wanted to
tell her what I thought. She is a motivated journalist
with superior knowledge of what today’s online readers
want, and need. Congratulations, Thuc Minh, and everyone.
Sincerely,
Paul
Adams |
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