Wearesocial’s 2024 statistics show that 83.3 percent of Vietnamese users access the Internet to read press content, down 4.3 percent compared with 2023. 

Meanwhile, 96.1 percent of Vietnamese Internet users use social media, and 84 percent use the Internet to watch streaming content.

In 2024, Vietnamese spent an average of 1 hour and 47 minutes each day reading online newspapers, or 15 minutes less than in 2023.

The average time spent on social media platforms was 2 hours and 25 minutes. The figures indicate that Vietnamese newspapers have gradually become inferior to social media.

Nguyen Hoang Nhat, deputy Editor in Chief of Vietnam Plus online newspaper, noted that press agencies are facing big challenges.

"Two or three years ago, when attending some international workshops, I heard from media experts that traditional forms of journalism were 'in decline.' But this year, they've replaced 'decline' with 'collapse.' The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) has contributed to accelerating the trend, which is irreversible," Nhat said.

Readers have tended to gradually move away from traditional platforms and migrate to digital ones. The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism and Oxford University, in publications released in June 2024, pointed out that young people in Southeast Asia tend to prefer watching news over reading it.

With these groundbreaking changes, if newsrooms do not shift their focus and expand to digital platforms, it will be difficult to attract readers.

The key is technology

In recent years, technology has changed many industries, including communications and journalism. The rapid development of new technologies has not only changed how information is created and distributed, but also reshaped the entire media ecosystem.

Bui Cong Duyen from Nekotech JSC, who has worked for over 30 press agencies, commented that technology has played a key role in modern journalism development, not only in Vietnam but globally.

“The fastest and most effectively developing newspapers all have extensive collaborations with technology companies or have strong technology teams,” Duyen said.

Indeed, technology has been playing a pivotal role in developing modern journalism, improving content production processes through automation, big data analysis, and effective management using advanced CMS systems.

Technology also helps distribute content more smartly with personalized algorithms, SEO optimization, and multi-platform integration.

When newsrooms quickly adopt new technologies, their readers can experience lively content through videos, podcasts, virtual reality, and many other convenient mobile applications.

Digital subscription systems, digital advertisements, and data monetization bring more sustainable revenue sources for press agencies.

“For example, previously, newspapers had to spend a lot of time on proofreading, editing manuscripts and checking spelling when producing print newspapers. Today, print newspaper production is easier thanks to software and automation,” he said.

Newspapers once had to struggle to coordinate content, design, and programming teams for an e-magazine piece. But now, reporters can easily create e-magazines and megastories with attractive effects, readable on both PCs and mobiles, without any technical staff involved,” Duyen explained.

Globally, many technology giants have entered the journalism field, creating revolutionary changes. Google with Google News and Microsoft with MSN News are examples.

In 2013, the global journalism industry was shaken when Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon, spent $250 million to acquire The Washington Post. 

After the deal, The Washington Post transformed its content management product (Arc XP) into a commercial platform provided to global media agencies. From a long-established newspaper, The Washington Post has become a technology partner, supporting and shaping the future of other journalism organizations.

In Vietnam, Bao Moi (new newspaper) owned by Epi Tech JSC and VCCorp’s news websites is an example,

The crossroads

In the digital technology era, news agencies have been placed at the crossroads, with more than one choice for the path they need to follow. And they have to choose to transform into tech firms to exist and develop.

Nhat noted the The New York Times and Sydney Morning Herald, one of the biggest press agencies in Australia, launched a food app which indicate a growing trend called ‘spin offs’. 

In order to do this, press agencies need to invest in technology. They need to become a ‘media tech’ first before thinking of spin-offs. 

Trong Dat - Van Anh