Prime Minister Hun Sen has issued a letter to mark World Radio Day, noting that private and public stations in the Kingdom play a vital role in providing essential information to listeners as well as entertainment.
Hun Sen issued the open letter on Thursday to mark the 9th anniversary of World Radio Day which falls on February 13. It was established by the UN in 2013.
Congratulating journalists for carrying out their duties at radio stations across the Kingdom, he said the diverse landscape of radio stations allowed listeners to access a range of programmes.
“The private sector radio stations compete in the market to produce a variety of programmes and initiate others. All people have joined the programmes without discrimination to express their views, comments on political and economic landscapes and social issues.
“The community-run stations with the scope of covering their areas also play a key role in developing the community.
“Along with the progress of new technologies, I would like journalists who serve in broadcast radio and all the press bodies alike to try to develop themselves to catch up with the advancement of modern technologies of today.
“They have to collaborate with relevant ministries and institutions to train their information staff for them to understand journalistic professionalism and the Press Law while strengthening the quality of broadcasting and the responsibility for their professionalism to uphold the value of journalism,” he said.
Hun Sen said state-run stations also covered a wide scope of issues across the nation and had played a key role serving as a bridge between the public and government, allowing it to disseminate its policies to develop the country along with legal and entertainment programmes.
The first radio station in Cambodia was established in 1947 under the reign of King Sisowath. The radio station was named KhmerRadio and was managed by France.
Cambodia now has one state-run broadcast AM station and 26 state-run FM stations, along with 195 private-run stations and 296 online radio units.
Lea Sina, a presenter with Bayon Radio FM 95, said radio still plays a key role in providing information to people, especially those in remote areas without access to other media.
“There are not so many radio listeners today but not all have abandoned listening, some still choose to get information related to politics, the economy and climate change issues through radio,” he said.
He said those who work in the sector should increase their knowledge to better themselves and the work they produce to ensure listeners continue to tune into their programmes.
They have to share accurate information and for the benefit of all rather than false information for the benefit of themselves which pollutes society, he said.
