Phnom Penh: The Cambodian Prime Minister commends the dedication of Cambodian and foreign journalists in creating newsworthy reports ethically and responsibly, recommending both the media practitioners and the Ministry of Information to further leverage the important role of the sector.
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet highlighted his appreciation and recommendations in his open letter to mark the 32nd World Press Freedom Day, which falls on May 3.
Considering the day as a meaningful occasion to reflect on the courage and sacrifice of journalists, he noted that its theme, 'Reporting in the Brave New World-The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and the Media,' emphasizes the rapid development of digital and AI technologies that significantly shape the media and broadcasting industry.
He stated that this progress mandates media practitioners to focus on quality, ethical, and responsible reporting to promote the right to information while ensuring the safety of media consumers.
According to the Prime Minister, by the first quarter of 2025, Cambodia has registered 1,620 media agencies; 745 of them are traditional media, such as television and radio channels, newspapers, magazines, and printing houses, and 875 are new media agencies.
A report on the State of Press Freedom in Cambodia 2025, released recently by the ministry, showed improvement in the sector with better ethical compliance, quality reporting, and information security.
To address fake news and misinformation, the Ministry of Information has introduced a QR code (verify.gov.kh) to verify news sources among media practitioners and news agencies, following the earlier launch of the Professional Journalism Charter in August 2024.
Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet reaffirmed the government's recognition of the vital role of the media in national development, public knowledge promotion, and its contribution to strengthening democracy, human rights, and social transparency.
He recommended that all media practitioners maintain factual, ethical, and responsible reporting, collaborate with the government to tackle fake news and misinformation, and continuously build their capacity to keep pace with new technology.
The Prime Minister advised the Ministry of Information to maintain the enforcement of media compliance with laws and legal frameworks; develop more standards and procedures to certify media agencies; advance the sector and combat fake news; support capacity building for journalists; and initiate information diplomacy and cooperation regionally and globally.