A whole new world
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.
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, state controlled printed and electronic communications 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's first television station, National Television Kampuchea (TVK), began broadcasting in 1966. Its studios were destroyed by the Khmer Rouge in 1975, but were re-established in 1979 under the Vietnamese-backed People's Republic of Kampuchea regime. TVK began broadcasting in color in 1986.
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.
List of terrestrial television stations
There are 11 TV stations nationwide, including two relay stations with French and Vietnamese broadcasts, as well as 12 regional low-power stations (as of 2006). They include:
* Apsara Television (TV11)
* Bayon Television (Channel 27) - Cambodia's only UHF channel.
* Cambodian Television Network (CTN)
* Khmer TV (TV9)
* National Television of Cambodia (TVK)
* Phnom Penh Municipal Television (TV3)
* Royal Cambodian Armed Forces Television (TV5)
* TV5 Monde (relay through French embassy)
* VTV3 (relay through Vietnamese embassy)
There are also regional relay stations for various channels in Mondulkiri, Preah Vihear, Ratanakiri, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville.
Cable television providers
* DIGI, The First Triple Play Service In Cambodia(DTV STAR Co., Ltd)
* Cambodian Cable Television (CCTV)
* Phnom Penh Cable Television (PPCTV)
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 Media Centre (WMC) Radio FM 102 MHz
Newspapers
There are more than 100 newspapers in Cambodia, but few of them actually keep regular publication schedules and have paid staffs.
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 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.
* Phnom Penh Post - Cambodia's oldest English-language paper. Originally fortnightly, it is now daily.
English-language magazines
* Bayon Pearnik - Mixes humor and satire about current affairs in Cambodia with critical commentary and adventure-travel information. [7]
* Cambodian Scene - Covers tourism and culture. [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.
* The Economics Today - A monthly magazine covering Cambodia and Southeast Asia's business and finances.
* Touch Stone - A bi-monthly magazine covering Cambodia'sculture and heritage.
French-language newspapers
* Cambodge Nouveau - Published monthly in electronic version only.
* Cambodge Soir - Established in 1995 and published weekly.
* Le Petit Journal - LePetitJournal.com Cambodia French-speaking online newspaper, and magazine - News, events, forum, classified and directory -
Number of subsribers (jan 09):
4,000
French-language magazines
* l'Echo du Cambodge - Published monthly in colour & black& white pages. Founded and managed by Mr. Marcel
Chinese-language newspapers
* Cambodia Sin Chew Daily
* Jian Hua Daily
All nationalities newspapers
* NewspaperDirect is now offering more than 700 titles from 70 countries