Journalism Today The dilemma between “Views” Pressure and the Core Value of in-depth reporting

As algorithms and readers’ short-term preferences increasingly become the measure of revenue, many media organizations have fallen into the trap of superficiality. However, reality has shown that “views” are merely the visible tip of the iceberg. The true survival of a modern news organization lies in its ability to balance economic demands with the quality of its content. To solve this dilemma, financial autonomy should not be viewed as a burden, but rather as a driving force to elevate in-depth journalism and affirm the distinctive role of the press amid the overwhelming sea of information.

In the current context, as financial self-sufficiency becomes an inevitable requirement and pressure from digital platforms continues to intensify, Vietnamese journalism is standing at a major turning point: it must strike a balance between generating revenue through audience traffic and preserving the core value of the press through high-quality, in-depth reporting.

In the digital era - The age of big data, social media, and artificial intelligence, journalism is not only facing tremendous opportunities for innovation, but also confronting a series of unprecedented shortcomings and challenges. From once serving as the “gatekeeper of information,” journalism must now share that role with millions of individuals across social media platforms.

One of the most significant challenges is the decline in public trust in traditional journalism. As audiences are overwhelmed by fake news and AI-generated content of unclear origin, the press struggles to maintain its credibility, quality, and professional identity. Many news organizations find themselves caught between preserving journalistic ethics and chasing short-term public tastes. Meanwhile, financial pressures sometimes make parts of the media vulnerable to the influence of interest groups, gradually weakening the independence and objectivity of journalism.

However, hidden within these challenges is also an opportunity for profound transformation. Journalism must redefine itself not merely as a place that delivers information, but as an institution that creates trust. In the rapid flow of digitalization, readers do not simply need more information, they need guidance, verification, and in-depth analysis. These are the core strengths that only authentic and professional journalism can truly provide. From this perspective, journalists are no longer merely storytellers; they are also inspirers and guardians of professional ethics amid constant change.

In such a volatile environment, journalism is striving to shift away from the era of “gambling” on traffic metrics, driven by sensationalism and artificial views, toward an era that values direct readership and authentic audience data, similar to the traditional model of newspaper circulation. Throughout this transition, revenue pressure remains a heavy burden, as many newsrooms struggle to achieve financial autonomy while online advertising revenues are increasingly dominated by cross-border digital platforms.

At the same time, the role of artificial intelligence in journalism cannot be denied. AI has become a foundational tool that supports automation, yet it also requires news organizations to redesign content strategies capable of retaining readers’ attention. This is by no means a simple task, but it is an unavoidable one.

Reality has shown that quality is the key to the survival of any news organization. Therefore, instead of merely chasing breaking news, many newsrooms are focusing on investigative, analytical, and in-depth reporting in order to build credibility and attract paying readers. Media organizations are also seeking to diversify revenue sources through digital subscriptions, paid content, event organization, and user data services.

However, this alone is not enough. From a policy perspective, during a question-and-answer session at the National Assembly on November 12, 2024, former Minister of Information and Communications Nguyễn Mạnh Hùng emphasized that the press should not be left to “struggle entirely on its own” in the market. Instead, the State should introduce mechanisms for commissioning and supporting journalism. In other words, the role of the State needs to be strengthened in supporting the press in fulfilling its political mission and ensuring sustainable development under current conditions.

For every news organization, the dilemma between “Views” (traffic) and “In-Depth Quality” (content excellence) is essentially a struggle between economic survival and core professional values. To address this contradiction, many media organizations today are applying a “three-pillar strategy,” specifically:

1. The “Content funnel” Model: Instead of choosing one over the other, newsrooms divide content into layers: The broad layer consists of fast, trending, and easy-to-read news that attracts traffic and maintains visibility on digital platforms. This layer mainly generates advertising revenue; Investigative reports, exclusive analyses, and in-depth features serve as premium content that builds credibility and converts casual readers into loyal audiences.

2. Diversifying revenue sources (Reducing dependence on views): When media organizations are no longer under constant pressure that “no views means no money,” in-depth journalism gains room to thrive. Revenue diversification may include: Reader subscriptions: Audiences are willing to pay for analyses they cannot find elsewhere; Brand-sponsored content written in a professional journalistic style, especially in specialized fields, to create additional revenue streams.

3. Changing measurement indicators (KPIs): Instead of focusing solely on page views, modern newsrooms are shifting toward measuring: The actual time readers spend on an article; Reader return frequency; Genuine engagement and sharing rates. This is because an article with 1,000 views but an average reading time of five minutes may have far greater brand value than an article with 10,000 views where readers stay for only ten seconds.

4. Using technology to “popularize” in-depth content: Media organizations are increasingly using tools such as infographics, data visualization, short videos, and podcasts to make complex or dry topics more engaging and accessible. This approach allows in-depth journalism to still achieve strong viewership through modern and attractive forms of presentation.

Ultimately, the solution is not for “Views” and “In-Depth Quality” to eliminate one another. Rather, views should serve to sustain the operational system, while in-depth journalism should be used to affirm prestige, build long-term trust, and retain loyal audiences.

Solutions aimed at enhancing the value of in-depth journalism focus on shifting from merely providing information to delivering knowledge and multidimensional perspectives. In the context of the explosion of fast news, in-depth journalism affirms its position by prioritizing content quality through formats such as investigative reporting, data analysis, and multimedia storytelling. The key solution groups include:

1. Renewing content thinking: Media organizations should focus on niche topics, addressing issues at their root causes and providing forward-looking analysis rather than simply following daily events. Superficial or “meaningless” news content should be minimized in favor of stories that deeply reflect social realities and carry strong critical and educational value.

2. Applying technology: Data journalism and visualization tools should be used to transform dry statistics into vivid and accessible stories. Artificial intelligence can also be leveraged to identify trends, personalize content, and analyze audience behavior.

3. Improving human resource capacity: Journalists should be trained not only in professional reporting skills but also to become experts in the fields they cover. News organizations should develop versatile reporters capable of taking on multiple roles and continuously improving their professional skills in order to produce high-quality journalistic works.

4. Building sustainable business models: Media organizations need to shift toward subscription-based models or sponsored-content mechanisms in order to secure the financial resources necessary for long-term and costly investigative projects.

Enhancing the value of in-depth journalism not only helps news organizations retain loyal readers, but also contributes to guiding public opinion and reaffirming the social responsibility of the media in the digital era.

In resolving the dilemma between revenue pressure and content quality, it becomes clear that financial autonomy and core journalistic values are not parallel lines moving in opposite directions. On the contrary, they are two sides of the same coin within a sustainable development strategy.

An in-depth article rich in knowledge and analytical value may not generate explosive traffic within a few hours, but it is the key to building trust and reader loyalty - the most valuable asset of any newsroom. The journey to solve the “view” dilemma will continue to face many challenges. Yet, when quality becomes the foundation of media economics, that is when news organizations will find their own path: not merely to survive, but to lead and shine through the genuine value they create. n