PREAH SIHANOUK — ទេព អស្នារិទ្ធ, under-secretary of state and spokesman at the Ministry of Information, said news was a public good rather than an ordinary commodity sold on the market. It required effective presentation and targeted distribution to win support from more readers and viewers.
Speaking on the morning of September 26, 2025, at information and public-opinion capacity training for about 90 officers from Preah Sihanouk, Kep, Koh Kong, Kampot, Takeo and Kampong Speu provincial information departments, he said people now had less time for radio and television. Producing and posting concise, clear, rapid and audience-focused social-media content was therefore a priority. Platforms served different audiences according to region, education, role and readership, ranging from ordinary citizens to senior leaders.
He said more than 12 million Cambodians actively used platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Telegram, X and WeChat, and that young people represented more than 68 percent of Cambodia’s population of over 17 million.
The spokesman said poorly presented or unengaging content could attract no viewers, waste time and fail to deliver the intended benefit or meet information and public-opinion objectives.
He said distributing and managing information on social media helped ensure the public’s right to information, requiring officers responsible for information and public opinion in all provinces and the capital to work more actively.
He stressed effective responses that took public sentiment about an issue into account when preparing content and choosing channels to respond, counter concerns or clarify matters, or support media reporting, including quotations from spokespeople, experts and other relevant people.
The report noted that the media were an important social force in the digital age, serving public interests, security and social harmony, mutual respect across beliefs, religions, languages and cultural traditions, and sustainable development that accelerated progress and strengthened resilience in communities and society.
Source: Club of Cambodian Journalists
Edited by ចិន្តា ទីទិ
