By Den Ayuthyea
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Soy
Click here to read the article in Khmer
In regards to the negative benefit, Pen Samithik raised the case of Seng Kunakar, the WFP employee who was sentenced to jail for printing information that are critical to the Cambodian government leaders from a website [KI-Media]. However, he also said that others are using this new technological medium to seek friends or girlfriends and boyfriends.
The Club of Cambodian Journalists (CCJ) indicated that, Cambodia is currently moving to a new media type, such as online news and websites from numerous organizations, and this media type received support from the public, be they government VIPs or the ordinary public.
This new media type and its influence on politics was the subject of a roundtable raised by the CCJ at a meeting organized at the Sunway Hotel on 31 December 2010. The roundtable was attended by a group of journalists from various news media organizations.
The new media type was focused on information distributed over the Internet, such as private website and, in particular, on Facebook and other popular websites in Cambodia.
Pen Samithik, CCJ president, said that the goal of the roundtable is to provide opportunity to reporters to clearly understand this new type of media and its influence on politics, as well as its various technological impacts.
He added that this new technology for Cambodia receives the attention from a number of politicians in Cambodia, especially the influence it exerts through websites and online news. The politicians who are using this new media type include Hun Xen and Khieu Kanharith, the minister of Information.
Nevertheless, Pen Samithik also stressed that, while this new technology is making inroads in Cambodia, it could also bring positive and negative benefits to the users of this medium.
In regards to the negative benefit, Pen Samithik raised the case of Seng Kunakar, the WFP employee who was sentenced to jail for printing information that are critical to the Cambodian government leaders from a website [KI-Media]. However, he also said that others are using this new technological medium to seek friends or girlfriends and boyfriends.
Kem Sokha, HRP President who is also a supporter of this new technological medium, said that in Cambodia, users are attracted by its influence, but the number of users is still very small in comparison to overseas. However, he recognized that this new technology could wield wide influence in the world.
Kem Sokha added that the development of this technology should not be hampered by government’s website shutdown threats or arrest of the readers of these websites.
Kem Sokha added: “The influence is small, but I believe that in the future, it will be large. What that is being done, the majority of it is done overseas. Expatriate Cambodians, as well as foreigners, are interested in Cambodia, this has strong influence.”
Chhay Sophal, a member of the CCJ executive committee, showed the influence of this new medium to reporters by using Wikileaks as an example. This site reveals secret documents on the relationship between the US and other countries, including with Cambodia. He said that with the progress of this new medium, there are also dangers for the journalist profession as well.
Pen Bona, a reporter for Radio France Internationale (RFI), indicated that the progress of this new technology provides ease to the public in general, and in particular to professional reporters as well.
He said that for the printed media, radio and TV which involved professional reporters, they should pay more attention and increase their capacity when this new type of media is currently growing on the Internet.
Pen Samithik also provided some statistics on Internet usage in Cambodia. Up until June 2010, there are more than 110,000 Internet users in Cambodia, and there are about 2,000 websites related to Cambodia, more than 1,000 of which are registered in Cambodia (with the suffix kh). Currently, there are 320 Internet Cafes in Cambodia, 120 of which are located in Phnom Penh.
Regarding politics, this new medium can send information freely to communist countries or to dictatorships where information, freedom of expression and human rights are repressed, and where the governments of these countries are preventing free news media to operate. This new technological medium also allows anonymous criticisms of government leaders.
5 comments:
FROM THE WRITER TO YAY TEP
Thank you Yay tep, let don't take side, war was take an eas in 1998, we realy enjoy peace since years 2000, yes the truth was 31 years MR. Hun sen had acheived somes progress and some mistaken and Mr Sam rainsy he did some good things by try to inspire, strenthening democracy, He sam rainsy also make some mistake too. I like you, you being fair, now please help me to help you understand my piont here, what my wants and needs is to elliminate the culture of hatreat, criticising and anger, let me repeat it agian we must wipe out the to zero the culture of hatreat,criticising, and anger it been failure for business and ruined everythings in our life. it is the law of nature, what we forcus on its expand and come back to us. I want you Yay tep to inspire people in positive way, visualize bring people into futur make people see and believe in themself more success more resouceful, beyond thier life circumstances. Looke at white, youn, Siam, or spainess, they help each other left and right, but we are Khmer lost that kind of CULTURE. from the beganing to the end, I like both MR HUn sen and MR. Sam rainsy, like I said if Mr. Sam rainsy surounded himselfe with those post comments in KI, they are looked selve distructive behavior, I can't afford those people around me.
Best regards, Mike
Hun Xen killed alot of patriots khmers such as at 1997 more than 5000 khmers have been murdered by Hun Xen but why is he still there talking and powering?
Can anyone please explain that to me ?
How many cambodians life has Hun Sen taken so far in his life?
Can KI , Sam Rainsy and Kings find justic for them please ?
Rattana Keo,
Mr. Mike, you can't afford to be around those self-destructive commentators, yet here you are adding your 2 cents worth of opinion along with them. How ironic isn't it?
Why do you feel like you need to hide behind innuendos. Just come straight out and put your point forward like everyone else rather then pretending you're someone you're not.
I mean the picture is obviously clear, maybe you don't realize it yourself, but most reader can see through you and your insinuation. So do us all a favor and just pour your frustration out succinctly, okay?
Or is this a new method? After all, those horrible ugly and annoying repeats didn't get you any attention. Now you're got to go for the "softer" method. :P (I'm snickering, kikikik)
Prime minister Hun Sen! your lost your land and sea again, next time Cambodian border next to your home, Heng Somrin he lost his entire home village to Viet already but dare to say nothing, Chea Sim is too weak to say anything except prepare himself for judgement day, where is our belove king please get out from closet and give a big slap on Hun Sen face and say louder "why you gave my land and sea to Viet and punish my people hasss!"?, His majesty the king you can not stay in closet for too long, Cambodian are waiting for you to do something, you have no wife no kid must not afraid to die, you will be our hero king forever.
Rattana Keo,
Hun Sen forces everyone that work at TV station, Radio station and News paper to pro him only even he do very very wrong things for the Nation, Cambodia and Cambodian. The media in Cambodia must say nice thing about him even He killed and chop the whole Cambodia give to Thai or Viet. Today Mr. Hun Sen imports over 5 millions Vietnamese into Cambodia legally with make up to 40% of Vietnamese in total Cambodia population. Soon Vietnamese will declare Cambodia belong to them.
Hun Sen is killing Khmer nation. Hun Sen murdered over 5000 Cambodians at 1997. He is a criminal against Humanity. Hun Sen makes real Cambodians suffer everyday.
You have power and kill a lot of Khmer but you are powerless fighting against your own ageing everyday. Soon your time is over and you can't escape death at all. Your power, your wealth and the people that kiss your ass won't help you at that time.
Rattana Keo,
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