A delegation of Lao propaganda, training, and media officials led by Mr. Somsack Sakounkham, Deputy Director of the Press Department under the Central Propaganda and Training Committee of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, visited Sai Gon Giai Phong (SGGP) Newspaper in Ho Chi Minh City on the afternoon of October 26 to exchange professional experience and learn about the newspaper's operations.
The delegation was received by Mr. Nguyen Khac Van, Deputy Director General of the Ho Chi Minh City Media Group (HMG), Secretary of the Party Committee and Editor-In-Chief of SGGP, along with members of the editorial board and representatives of various departments.
Introducing the newspaper, Mr. Nguyen Khac Van outlined its history, development, and key milestones. He also discussed the responsibilities of SGGP journalists in the current media landscape and the role of a Party newspaper in carrying out political duties, disseminating information, and reporting on socioeconomic developments.
Mr. Nguyen Khac Van shared the newspaper's experience in producing print and digital editions and developing content across its digital ecosystem. SGGP's digital platforms currently generate more than two million visits and interactions daily, he said.
From a local Party newspaper, SGGP has expanded its reach nationwide and strengthened its presence in the digital sphere through accelerated digital transformation and efforts to meet readers' increasingly diverse needs.
In recent years, the newspaper has expanded multimedia journalism, adopted artificial intelligence and developed content for multiple platforms to broaden its audience. It has also stepped up efforts to build a sustainable media business model while maintaining its political responsibilities.
Mr. Nguyen Khac Van said this transition posed a major challenge, requiring journalists to embrace substantial changes and continuous innovation while upholding their political mission and improving the quality of information for readers.
Despite the rapid growth of social media and mounting challenges facing traditional news organizations, SGGP remained committed to safeguarding its political mission and resisting the commercialization of journalism, he said.
During the meeting, Mr. Somsack Sakounkham outlined the management of the press in Laos and the challenges facing the country's media sector. He said the visit aimed to exchange experience, gain insight into SGGP's operations and, in particular, learn from its efforts to develop a sustainable media business model.
Thanking SGGP's leadership for sharing its experience, Mr. Somsack Sakounkham described the insights as valuable lessons that Lao media organizations could study and apply. Media economics, he noted, was a shared concern for news organizations in both countries as they sought to adapt their operating models to audiences' increasingly diverse information needs.
The visit took place as Vietnam and Laos continued to strengthen their longstanding ties of great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation. Exchanges between media organizations contribute to information sharing, professional development, and greater mutual understanding between the two peoples.
