Media of Cambodia

The Cambodian media sector is vibrant and largely unregulated. This situation has led to the establishment of numerous radio, television and print media outlets. Many private sector companies have moved into the media sector, which represents a significant change from many years of state-run broadcasting and publishing.^[1]

Since emerging from the communist governments of the Khmer Rouge and the Vietnam-backed People's Republic of Kampuchea regime, the Cambodian media sector has become one of Southeast Asia's liveliest and most free, although a lack of professional journalism training and ethics, and intimidation by both government and private interests, limit the Cambodian media's influence.

History

In 1987, the state controlled print and electronic media and regulated their content. The most authoritative print medium in 1987 was the ruling KPRP's biweekly journal, Pracheachon (The People), which was inaugurated in October 1985 to express the party's stand on domestic and international affairs. Almost as important, however, was the weekly of the KUFNCD, Kampuchea. The principal publication of the armed forces was the weekly Kangtoap Padevoat (Revolutionary Army). During the Vietnamese occupation in 1987, Cambodia had no daily newspaper.^[2]. Though this situation changed swiftly after the withdrawal of Vietnamese troops and the UNTAC supervised general election in 1993.

Radio and television were under the direction of the Kampuchean Radio and Television Commission, created in 1983. In 1986 there were about 200,000 radio receivers in the country. The Voice of the Kampuchean People (VOKP) radio programs were broadcast in Khmer, Vietnamese, French, English, Lao, and Thai. With Vietnamese assistance, television broadcasting was instituted on a trial basis in December 1983 and then regularly at the end of 1984. As of March 1986, Television Kampuchea (TVK) operated two hours an evening, four days a week in the Phnom Penh area only. There were an estimated 52,000 television sets as of early 1986. In December 1986, Vietnam agreed to train Cambodian television technicians. The following month, the Soviet Union agreed to cooperate with Phnom Penh in the development of electronic media. Cambodian viewers began to receive Soviet television programs after March 1987, through a satellite ground station that the Soviet Union had built in Phnom Penh.^[2]

Beginning in 1979, the Heng Samrin regime encouraged people to read official journals and to listen to the radio every day. Widespread illiteracy and a scarcity of both print media and radio receivers, however, meant that few Cambodians could follow the government's suggestion. But even when these media were available, "cadres and combatants" in the armed forces, for example, were more interested in listening to music programs than in reading about "the situation and developments in the country and the world or articles on good models of good people."^[2]

Television

Cambodia launched a test television station, its call sign is XUTV, which began broadcasting in 1966. The station was part of state-owned Radio dffusion Nationale Khmere in 1970, operating 12 to 14 hours daily, with advertising as its primary income. Its studios were destroyed by the Khmer Rouge in 1975, halting the role of television during the Khmer Rouge era.

In 1983, the government launched another station, TVK, under the Vietnamese-backed People's Republic of Kampuchea regime. TVK was initially launched on 1 March 1985. It began broadcasting in color from 1986. There was only one station until the late 1990s, when private companies began to launch their own stations.

All of these stations have local programming, including serials, variety shows and game shows. Thai soap operas (dubbed in Khmer) were extremely popular, until a backlash following the 2003 Phnom Penh riots, after which Thai programs were banned.

Cable television, including UBC programming from Thailand as well as other satellite networks, is also widely available in Cambodia. Many people in Cambodia do not watch Cambodia-produced television, instead applying for UBC from Thailand to view Thai programs. Cambodians living abroad can watch Khmer television content via Thaicom from Thailand, Myanmar, and Vietnam.

Most television networks in Cambodia shut down in the evening. Since 2008, the government have allowed TV channels to close at 12.00 a.m. (midnight) and resume at 6.00 a.m.^{[citation needed]}.

During March 1, 2010 to February 28, 2011, under the logo of TVK will have text "25ឆ្នាំ", which is pronounced as "25 Chnam", which means "25 Years", is 25 years of TVK.

List of terrestrial television stations

There are 11 TV stations nationwide, including two relay stations with French, Thai and Vietnamese broadcasts, as well as 12 regional low-power stations (as of 2006). They include:

Native Khmer stations

There are Nine terrestrial television stations in Cambodia

• TV3 Cambodia
• Apsara Television (TV11)[4] - Broadcasts each day from 4:30am to 10:00pm.
• Bayon Television (Channel 27) - Cambodia's only UHF channel. Based in Kandal Province, it is managed by Hun Mana, daughter of Prime Minister Hun Sen.
• Cambodian Television Network (CTN); formerly Television Cambodia Network (TCN)
• Khmer Television (CTV9)
• National Television of Cambodia (TVK)
• Royal Cambodian Armed Forces Television (TV5) - Broadcasts 17.5 hours from 6.30 a.m. to midnight.
• MYTV
• SEATV (South east Asia Television)

Other countries' stations available relaying through embassies

• TV5 France (French embassy)
• TV3 Thailand (Thai embassy)
• TV7 Thailand (Thai embassy)
• Modernine TV (Thai embassy)
• Thai PBS (Thai embassy)
• VTV3 (Vietnamese embassy)

There are also regional relay stations for various channels in Mondulkiri, Preah Vihear, Ratanakiri, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville. But TVK does not have the relay stations, instead, they made the local stations.

Cable television providers

• DTV STAR Co., Ltd (TV, Internet, IP Phone)
• Cambodian Cable Television (CCTV)
• Phnom Penh Cable Television (PPCTV)
• Teesat (joint venture with Europe)

Cambodian Television in the future

In 2015, Cambodian televisions will be switched to DVB-T from suggestion by ASEAN.

Radio

Cambodia has two AM stations and at least 52 FM stations ^[3]

List of radio stations

• Phnom Penh Radio FM 103 MHz
• Radio Love FM 97.5 MHz - Cambodia's only local full-time English-language western pop music radio station.
• Radio Australia 101.5 FM Phnom Penh & Siem Reap available 24 hours a day
• BBC World Service Radio FM 100. Broadcasting 24 hours a day. Available in and around Phnom Penh (2007).
• Apsara Radio FM 97 MHz
• National Radio Kampuchea (RNK) AM 918 kHz and FM 96
• Radio Beehive FM 105 MHz
• Radio FM 90 MHz
• Radio FM 99 MHz
• Voice of America(VOA):www.voanews.com/khmer
• Radio Free Asia
• Radio Khmer FM 107 MHz
• Radio Sweet FM 88 MHz
• Royal Cambodia Armed Forces Radio FM 98 MHz
• Women's Radio FM 102 MHz of Women's Media Centre of Cambodia- Using media to promote social change in Cambodian society.
• Sarika FM 106.5 MHz

Newspapers

There are more than 100 newspapers in Cambodia, however few maintain regular publication schedules and have paid staff. Many newspapers are run by political parties or individual politicians, so coverage is often slanted. Reporters will sometimes demand payments from their sources to keep unfavorable stories, whether true or not, out of the paper.

However, reporters for the established vernacular dailies and journalists working for wire services and the foreign-language press, generally keep to a standard of ethics.

List of newspapers

National mass-circulation dailies

• Chakraval Daily
• Kampuchea Thmei Daily
• Kampuchea Thnai Nes (Cambodia Today)
• Kanychok Sangkhum
• Koh Santepheap (Island of Peace) [5]
• Moneaksekar Khmer (Khmer Conscience) - Published by the Sam Rainsy Party.
• Rasmei Kampuchea (Light of Kampuchea) - Cambodia's largest daily, it circulates about 18,000 copies.
• Samleng Yuvachun (Voice of Khmer Youth)
• Udomkate Khmer (Khmer Ideal)
• Wat Phnom Daily

English-language newspapers

• Business News
• The Cambodia Daily - Cambodia's first English-language daily with selected Khmer translations.
• The Mekong Times - English (week) daily paper with Khmer translations. Publication of this paper has ceased temporarily, as advised by email to its subscribers on 19 August 2008.
• The Mirror - Published by Open Forum of Cambodia, this is a weekly English-language overview of the Khmer-language press. Also publishes a weekly Khmer summary called Kanychok Sangkhum. [6]
• Phnom Penh Post - Cambodia's oldest English-language paper. Originally fortnightly, it is now daily.

English-language magazines

• Lady Penh - handy weekly event guide for Phnom Penh (December 201). High circulation. [7]
• Bayon Pearnik - Mixes humor and satire about current affairs in Cambodia with critical commentary and adventure-travel information. [8]
• Visitors Guide - Publishes separate guides for Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville. [9]
• Cambodia Pocket Guide - a series of pocket-sized tourist guides that includes articles relating to travel, entertainment, nightlife and so forth. [10]
• Southeastern Globe - A monthly magazine covering Cambodia and Southeast Asia.
• AsiaLIFE Guide Phnom Penh - A monthly lifestyle magazine for Phnom Penh and regional Cambodia with sections on food, drink, the arts, travel, shopping, leisure and business.[11]
• Economics Today - A bi-monthly publication focusing on business and economics in Cambodia.
• Coastal - a free 6-monthly publication with tourist information about Cambodia's coastal tourist towns. [12]
• Voucher Guide - A handy booklet with maps of 7 towns, discount coupons, a calendar, note book, ... [13]

French-language newspapers

• Cambodge Nouveau - Published monthly.
• Cambodge Soir - Established in 1995 and published weekly but recently closed down.

Chinese-language newspapers

• Cambodia Sin Chew Daily
• Jian Hua Daily

See also

Cambodia portal

• Communications in Cambodia
• Agence Khmer Presse
• Cinema of Cambodia
• Current events in Southeast Asia
• Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, Cambodia

References

1. ^ Cambodia Cultural Profile, Ministry of Culture and the Cultural Profiles Project, February, 2008 [1]
2. ^ ^{a b c} Shinn, Rinn-Sup. "The Media". A Country Study: Cambodia (Russell R. Ross, editor). Library of Congress Federal Research Division (December 1987). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.[2]
3. ^ Radio stations in Cambodia on asiawaves.net, retrieved 11, november, 2008 [3]

• Cambodia Cultural Profile

External links

• 2005 report by Reporters Without Borders
• Television stations in Cambodia