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CamboJA
cambojanews.com | khmer.cambojanews.com | camboja.net
By: Ratanak An & You Sovannarith
CamboJA’s English News Website (cambojanews.com)
In a media landscape where independent voices are often silenced, CamboJA stands out as a beacon of investigative journalism in Cambodia. Founded in 2018 by a group of passionate journalists, CamboJA has grown into a respected media organization known for its in-depth reporting and unwavering commitment to the truth.
The signboard of CamboJA
Officially called the „Cambodian Journalists Alliance Association,“ CamboJA was founded by two veteran journalists, along with about 20 other professional journalists, in 2018. Licensed by the Ministry of Information in 2019, it started with just two employees a journalist and an editor and has since expanded significantly.
CamboJA’s Association Website (camboja.net)
CamboJA’s digital presence is split between two websites: Camboja.net, which covers the association’s affairs, and bilingual news websites in Khmer and English. Launched in 2019, CamboJA’s English-language website, cambojanews.com, catered to diplomats and civil society organizations globally, especially during a time when many independent media outlets were shut down in 2017, including RFA, VOD, and Cambodia Daily.
CamboJA’s Khmer News Website (khmer.cambojanews.com)
In 2020, CamboJA introduced a Khmer-language news website, khmer.cambojanews.com, to serve the Cambodian public. The same year, camboja.net was created to manage the association’s governance tasks.
CamboJA’s commitment to strengthening independent journalism in Cambodia is evident through its comprehensive approach to supporting and empowering journalists. Chhorn Chansy, News Director of CamboJA, explained, „CamboJA operates with a vision focused on three major programs: capacity building and training for journalists, advocacy and research on persecuted journalists, and disseminating information in Khmer and English to provide a voice for voiceless citizens.“
Most of the Cambojanews’s viewing content is in Khmer
Most of the Cambojanews’s viewing content is in English
Content produced by CamboJA includes politics, society, environment, human rights, social accountability, and economics, with a predominant focus on social and human rights issues. „In November 2024, we had about 15,000 visitors to our English website and about 7,500 to our Khmer website,“ said Chan Phearun, ICT manager of CamboJA. Most visitors are Cambodians, with social and human rights content being the most viewed.
CamboJA’s key strength lies in building the capacity and training of journalists. Many journalists had not undergone professional training, particularly in ethics, which is why CamboJA is renowned for its training programs. Additionally, CamboJA provides protection for journalists facing harassment or persecution, offering legal services and issuing reports used by civil society organizations.
Mr. Khy Sovuthy, News Editor of CamboJA, at work in the newsroom
A standout feature of CamboJA is its dedication to in-depth analytical and investigative reports. Despite facing threats, they maintain their commitment to truthful reporting, ensuring all news is based on verified information. „For CamboJA News, before publishing, we must verify the source and its accuracy. We do not want to publish a breaking news article based on only a few sources,“ said Khy Sovuthy, News Editor of CamboJA.
As an independent media organization, CamboJA relies on donations from various organizations and embassies, both domestic and foreign. These donations align with the programs of the supporting entities. CamboJA also receives income from membership fees, requiring institutions to contribute $12 per semester or $24 per year.
A whiteboard covered in colorful sticky notes in CamboJA front office
Some of CamboJA’s other income comes from projects related to governance organizations that contract CamboJA to write and promote content. However, like many other organizations, CamboJA faces funding challenges, prompting the creation of a Business Plan and surveys to explore additional income sources, such as audience subscriptions and micro-funding.
CamboJA has considered strategies like content sponsorship, signing agreements with institutions wanting to publish articles, and advertisements, potentially developing into a self-sustaining entity.
A captivated audience engrossed in CamboJA News
Currently, CamboJA has no plans to separate from the association. Their independence relies on continuous support, and without it, survival would be difficult. For CamboJA and similar organizations, business and additional income are essential to moving forward.
Metadata
Title
CamboJA
Author
Cambodia Journalists Alliance Association
Year
2019 – Today
Place of Publication
Phnom Penh
Technical Requirements
Standard Browser
Live Version
Archived Version
Source
Links:
https://cambojanews.com/; https://khmer.cambojanews.com/; https://www.camboja.net/; https://www.information.gov.kh/
Interview with:
Mr. Chan Phearun, ICT Manager of CamboJA, December 11, 2024
Mr. Khy Sovuthy, News Editor of CamboJA, December 11, 2024
Mr. Chhorn Chansy, News Director of CamboJA, December 20, 2024
Website of company: https://www.camboja.net/our-story/
Disclosure of used AI and writing tools: In the writing of this essay, https://translate.google.com/ and https://copilot.microsoft.com/ were used for translating from Khmer to English, checking for grammatical errors, and revising some parts of the story to reduce word count.
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