18 August 2008By L.D. and F.A.
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
Click here to read the original article in French
Born in February 2008, The Mekong Times, a daily English language newspaper published by the Media Consulting and Development (MCD), sold its last edition in the kiosks this morning Monday 18 August.
As Sebastien Drans, the newspaper editor, explained, “we are suspending the publication of The Mekong Times starting today. One of our investors decided to stop pursuing the venture. We have no immediate solution, but we are not abandoning the idea of publishing it again in a new format.”
The Mekong Times is printed 5 times per week, and it counted 16 pages, 4 of which are in Khmer. Pierre Gilette, a former chief-editor of the daily version of Cambodge Soir, was the editor of the Mekong Times along with Jerome Jaymond. Neth Pheaktra was the chief-editor.
When asked by Cambodge Soir, Khieu Kanharith, the minister of information, declared that he “regrets” the closing of this “professional” newspaper. “The end of this publication marks the end of an opinion. I recognized that the news media market in Cambodia is difficult because the readership is low and the readers prefer renting the newspapers at the kiosks rather than buying them. Furthermore, it is difficult to earn a spot among the old newspapers such as The Cambodia Daily.”
Cambodia now counts only two daily English-language newspapers: The Phnom Penh Post and The Cambodia Daily.
As Sebastien Drans, the newspaper editor, explained, “we are suspending the publication of The Mekong Times starting today. One of our investors decided to stop pursuing the venture. We have no immediate solution, but we are not abandoning the idea of publishing it again in a new format.”
The Mekong Times is printed 5 times per week, and it counted 16 pages, 4 of which are in Khmer. Pierre Gilette, a former chief-editor of the daily version of Cambodge Soir, was the editor of the Mekong Times along with Jerome Jaymond. Neth Pheaktra was the chief-editor.
When asked by Cambodge Soir, Khieu Kanharith, the minister of information, declared that he “regrets” the closing of this “professional” newspaper. “The end of this publication marks the end of an opinion. I recognized that the news media market in Cambodia is difficult because the readership is low and the readers prefer renting the newspapers at the kiosks rather than buying them. Furthermore, it is difficult to earn a spot among the old newspapers such as The Cambodia Daily.”
Cambodia now counts only two daily English-language newspapers: The Phnom Penh Post and The Cambodia Daily.
8 comments:
Oh! My heart is broken to hear this!
Please help!
We need more voice and freedom of expression.
Why only the Evil Bernard Krisher of the Cambodia Daily survive?
So regrettable that the professional newspaper schut down. Please help because the Mekong Times is a best voice of impartiality and credible of information! The Mkong Times is a symbol of real face press in Cambodia.
Yes i agree it. Very regrettable!
Why the best newspaper that i like so much die. Oh my poor Mekong Times
PLEASE HELP, PLEASE HELP! Help The Mekong Times as help the freedoom of expression!
I was a writer for the mekong times, thanks very much for your kind comments
craig
Yes I agree, this is sad news. I like Mekong Times. Stories are well-written and their staff/editors seem a great bunch! Hope to see Mekong Times again in the future!
Come on people. Be realistic here. I'm also sorry to see the Mekong Times go under – it didn't have any of that nasty, catty vibe that surrounds the Daily – but it was hardly a great paper.
It was very light. Nothing special about any of it. In the end it seemed like a fairly good amatuer effort, but it was never a real long-term contender.
I'm not racism. But finally, only Americans especially Evil abusive Amercian Like Bernard Krisher to monopoly Cambodia. Where is justice and freedom of expression ?
Phnom Penh Post is too expensive to reach to the local and still news.
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