While CTN's motto proclaims: "CTN TV belongs to you", the latest removal from the air by CTN of a program criticized by prime minister Hun Sen seems to indicate that, in fact, "CTN TV belongs to Hun Sen". Furthermore, Mr. Khieu Kanharith, the government's spokesman, claims that Soy Sopheap, a popular CTN anchor and host and also a CPP supporter, is "Hun Sen's representative to solve land issue." Too busy juggling his anchorman job at CTN, Mr. Soy Sopheap must not have much time solving land issue lately, that is why the number of illegal evictions is skyrocketting in Cambodia. That's really too bad for the poor evicted people who must rely on Mr. Soy Sopheap to "solve land issue."Friday, August 4, 2006
CTN Pulls News Program Criticized by Hun Sen
By Yun Samean
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
A day after Prime Minister Hun Sen singled out CTN's news coverage of a report by the Economic Institute of Cambodia, which he blasted on Wednesday as inaccurate and politically motivated, the station's daily "News Reading" show was pulled.
CTN News Department Director Sorn Chhaya said the timing of the current affairs program's Thursday removal was purely coincidental and was not related to prime minister caustic remarks about the station's news content.
"Samdech [Hun Sen] has criticized CTN many times already," Sorn Chhaya said. "We wanted to improve the program a long time ago, it was not because of Samdech's statement," he said.
In a speech broadcast on radio Wednesday, Hun Sen discharged a volley of verbal attacks on the recently released EIC report on poor tax collection in Cambodia and the institute's director, well-known independent economist Sok Hach.
Hun Sen also rounded on CTN for reading out Cambodian newspaper articles dealing with the EIC report.
Referring to the station by the highly derogatory "Ah-CTN," Hun Sen said the station must now broadcast his comments on the EIC report.
"Ah-CTN, please try to help broadcast [the report]. But you must also broadcast my words. CTN broadcast it and I didn't prevent it. But if you broadcast it you must also broadcast my mind," the prime minister said.
Well-known CTN anchor and host of the newspaper-reading show Soy Sopheap declined to comment.
Government spokesman and Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said that Hun Sen's comments were not intended to intimidate CTN, particularly as Soy Sopheap is a strong government supporter.
"He is pro-Hun Sen. He is pro-government," said Khieu Kanharith, adding that Soy Sopheap and Hun Sen are particularly close and frequently exchange telephone calls.
"He is Hun Sen's representative to solve land issues," he added.
Khieu Kanharith said that CTN dropped the news show to improve the quality of its programming.
CTN News Department Director Sorn Chhaya said the timing of the current affairs program's Thursday removal was purely coincidental and was not related to prime minister caustic remarks about the station's news content.
"Samdech [Hun Sen] has criticized CTN many times already," Sorn Chhaya said. "We wanted to improve the program a long time ago, it was not because of Samdech's statement," he said.
In a speech broadcast on radio Wednesday, Hun Sen discharged a volley of verbal attacks on the recently released EIC report on poor tax collection in Cambodia and the institute's director, well-known independent economist Sok Hach.
Hun Sen also rounded on CTN for reading out Cambodian newspaper articles dealing with the EIC report.
Referring to the station by the highly derogatory "Ah-CTN," Hun Sen said the station must now broadcast his comments on the EIC report.
"Ah-CTN, please try to help broadcast [the report]. But you must also broadcast my words. CTN broadcast it and I didn't prevent it. But if you broadcast it you must also broadcast my mind," the prime minister said.
Well-known CTN anchor and host of the newspaper-reading show Soy Sopheap declined to comment.
Government spokesman and Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said that Hun Sen's comments were not intended to intimidate CTN, particularly as Soy Sopheap is a strong government supporter.
"He is pro-Hun Sen. He is pro-government," said Khieu Kanharith, adding that Soy Sopheap and Hun Sen are particularly close and frequently exchange telephone calls.
"He is Hun Sen's representative to solve land issues," he added.
Khieu Kanharith said that CTN dropped the news show to improve the quality of its programming.
8 comments:
Soy Sopheap is a journalist. He should not be a mediator for land issues. The job for Soy Sopheap is to inform the public about the fact. And I wish that Chum Kosal is eliminated from the program because he is so Hun-CPP pro. He is on the air as a propoganda machine for Hun Sen.
When Rosa protested the seating on the bus in Alabama then sparked the mass boycott.
Now people know what is CTN agenda in CPP business,so will any in US/Lowell or Long Beach boycott CTN?
It's clearly that CTN is Hun Sen messenger. People abroad should not subscribe CTN or be brainwashed by this tv station.
Before when I saw Soy Sopheap appers on the TV with Chum Kosal, I admired Sopheap that he was a neutral journalist. He brought a brief fact news about Cambodia. On the other hand, Chum Kosal was/is just another Hun Sen's dog. I wish Sopheap stands on his own as a neutral and professional journalist.
I don't watch CTN! Who doesn't know that CTN is part of the Vietcong propaganda!
I will call Globecast World TV tomorrow to stop my subscription. I kept it alive for the past 3 years just because of Khmer boxing. Believe or not I'm watching boxing once a week but pay them the whole month. The rest of their programs I don't care much. Never once I see CTN shows any riots, protests, poverty living in the country that people are facing daily, .. All pleasure shows. CTN programs broadcasts no essense, no facts to its audiences, to aware situation in Cambodia. Watching CTN is a waste of time. I tried to support Khmer, but now it is time to get out.
They should change there logo from "CTN TV belongs to you" to "Karaoke TV for you 24/7"
I'm glad some of us agreed that this TV belong to Hun Sen.
Anonymuse 9:49, I must solute you. CTN is CPP TV, you don't see the real news about Cambodian daily situation living in Cambodia.
Please stop watching this crab.
Long Beach
I also agree that CTN is Hun Sen's TV, ofcause Kit Meng is now Hun Sen's advisor. We will not see the real situation in regards of news in Cambodia. Just look at the communist TVK, its news is just about those corruption guys to donate or to do this and that. It never shows the actual situation about Cambodia and Cambodian people as some other media does i.e. Radio Free Asia....
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