Om Layom (left), a reporter with Rasmei Kampuchea newspaper, is presented with the top award for a story on deforestation by Internews Resident Advisor Putsata Reang (middle) and Assistant Advisor Moeun Chhean Nariddh (right). (Photo: Sarah Breul/Internews)Cambodian Investigative Journalists Honored for Exposing Corruption
(September 22, 2006) More than 35 distinguished guests gathered in Phnom Penh on September 15 to honor three Cambodian journalists for their courageous work in exposing corruption. The awards ceremony, organized by Internews Network, capped off a first-of-its-kind program that trained Cambodian reporters in the skills and techniques of investigative reporting.
Over the past year, Internews supported 12 journalists representing eight Khmer language newspapers to develop accurate, in-depth, and balanced investigative reports seeking to expose corruption. The project focused on strengthening the ability of journalists through a combination of hands-on trainings, a small scholarships program and intensive one-on-one mentoring. U.S. Pulitzer prize-winning journalist Jerry Kammer, who helped expose the biggest bribe-taking scandal in the history of Congress that focused on a California lawmaker, was among the Internews’ co-trainers in Cambodia. Kammer, sponsored by the U.S. Embassy, conducted a workshop on the money trail of corruption.
At the ceremony, Internews presented top awards for Best Investigative News Story following a story competition in which program participants submitted their best news articles for review by a panel of judges comprised of representatives from Cambodia's civil society, government and media.
Throughout the training program, the journalists published over 20 investigative reports, including nearly a dozen front pages articles. The reports covered a wide range of issues: gross mismanagement and graft related to a major national park preservation project; corruption involving Khmer laborers trafficked to South Korea; pervasive bribe-taking at driving schools; and flawed government policies on land taxes. The stories prompted government-sponsored investigations into wrongdoing and the impacts have been far-reaching. some who were found to have abused power fired or demoted to; policies changed; and victims of major injustices finally compensated.
The program is the first of its kind to engage journalists long-term and purely on the issues of investigative journalism techniques within the current governing environment in Cambodia. The aim to build excellence and leadership in the journalism community occurs at a time when the expanding media community in Cambodia continues to struggle with independence, interference and ownership issues, all of which affect the ability of managers and editors to dedicate resources to allowing media to play a watchdog role.
The constraints on research and investigation of public goods and services in Cambodia are numerous – it is extremely dangerous work. But the emergence of this small group of skilled journalism leaders and the backing they have received from their editors opens the door for the media to play a greater role in exposing public corruption.
Internews’ Advanced Investigative Reporting program is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in cooperation with PADCO and Pact Cambodia.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Putsata Reang, Internews Cambodia Resident Advisor
Over the past year, Internews supported 12 journalists representing eight Khmer language newspapers to develop accurate, in-depth, and balanced investigative reports seeking to expose corruption. The project focused on strengthening the ability of journalists through a combination of hands-on trainings, a small scholarships program and intensive one-on-one mentoring. U.S. Pulitzer prize-winning journalist Jerry Kammer, who helped expose the biggest bribe-taking scandal in the history of Congress that focused on a California lawmaker, was among the Internews’ co-trainers in Cambodia. Kammer, sponsored by the U.S. Embassy, conducted a workshop on the money trail of corruption.
At the ceremony, Internews presented top awards for Best Investigative News Story following a story competition in which program participants submitted their best news articles for review by a panel of judges comprised of representatives from Cambodia's civil society, government and media.
Throughout the training program, the journalists published over 20 investigative reports, including nearly a dozen front pages articles. The reports covered a wide range of issues: gross mismanagement and graft related to a major national park preservation project; corruption involving Khmer laborers trafficked to South Korea; pervasive bribe-taking at driving schools; and flawed government policies on land taxes. The stories prompted government-sponsored investigations into wrongdoing and the impacts have been far-reaching. some who were found to have abused power fired or demoted to; policies changed; and victims of major injustices finally compensated.
The program is the first of its kind to engage journalists long-term and purely on the issues of investigative journalism techniques within the current governing environment in Cambodia. The aim to build excellence and leadership in the journalism community occurs at a time when the expanding media community in Cambodia continues to struggle with independence, interference and ownership issues, all of which affect the ability of managers and editors to dedicate resources to allowing media to play a watchdog role.
The constraints on research and investigation of public goods and services in Cambodia are numerous – it is extremely dangerous work. But the emergence of this small group of skilled journalism leaders and the backing they have received from their editors opens the door for the media to play a greater role in exposing public corruption.
Internews’ Advanced Investigative Reporting program is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in cooperation with PADCO and Pact Cambodia.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Putsata Reang, Internews Cambodia Resident Advisor
4 comments:
Congratulations.
Keep at it. It is an excellent pratice ground for something more exciting later.
SiS
Et tu, brute!
you should be carefull with what you did because you know who is your boos and you are still the shit
It resembles Korean/Japanese Newspapers and Thai, Cambodian etc Tabloids are inspired by Korean/Japanese tabloids, etc.
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