The Role of the Press in Cambodia: Meeting with The Cambodia Daily
By Megan Wilbur
On March 17th a small crew from Finnovations visited The Cambodia Daily, an English language newspaper based in Phnon Penh. There we spoke with the editor-in-chief, Kevin Doyle, who gave us a candid account of media, business, and politics in Cambodia.
The Cambodia Daily was established in 1994 with the mission to provide Cambodians with unbiased local and international news. The paper is marketed to educated Khmers and ex-patriots, and has a circulation of about 8,000 in 14 provinces around the country. Doyle explained that even though he is free to print whatever content he chooses, the government is always watching closely. He receives regular warnings from officials and even spent a few days in jail after reporting stories the ruling party deemed inappropriate. Nonetheless, print media in Cambodia enjoys relative freedom compared to broadcast media, which is completely controlled by the government.
Perhaps the most interesting discussion we had with Doyle was about the government, politics, and future of the country. In 2001, the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) solidified control of the state and began pursuing a strong-handed governance strategy based on the Singapore Model. At the same time, opposition political parties lost momentum as the vast majority of Khmer decided the best way to ensure national peace and their personal prosperity was to support the CPP’s agenda. Dolye said that while the government attempts to implement any and all policy to spur economic development, they are not focusing on issues of poverty and education during this phase of their development.
The discussion with Kevin gave our group a different lens with which to view Cambodia while also leaving us with more questions:
· Are semi-authoritarian regimes the most effective form of government for developing countries?
· What will economic development look like in Cambodia? Will it continue to be dominated by foreigners or will there be a Khmer entrepreneurial class?
· Will the government complement their economic development strategy with social sector policies that help alleviate poverty and create an educated middle class in the long term?
· Finally, will youth under 25, who represent 60% of the population, grow up questioning the CPP and pushing for political change and less corruption?
Only time will distinguish the winners and losers in Cambodia’s economic development and it will be interesting to watch as this country continues to rebuild and leave tragedy behind.
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