I am Rith Rasmey Kanann, and I’m interning with the digital team in The Phnom Penh Post newsroom.

I am currently a freshman at the Royal University of Phnom Penh’s Department of Media and Communication (DMC), and was delighted to be offered the opportunity to combine my passion for news and digital communication.

It was always a dream of mine to become an apprentice at The Post, because it is the oldest English language newspaper in Cambodia and has received a lot of international recognition and awards for its excellent reporting and unbiased voice.

In addition, I have a personal connection to The Post, stemming from my childhood.

When I was a kid, my parents would read the paper every morning, in order to learn more about the world around them. At a young age, I developed the habit of reading alongside them. It was during this time that I developed a fondness for The Post, and its accurate, ethical reporting.

As I am also a first-year student at Phnom Penh International University, majoring in Computer Science, I am very interested in the digital industry. I have observed its rapid growth, and have seen how it is changing our lives every day.

My goal is to pursue a career in digital media, so when I was given the chance to intern at The Post, I was understandably excited and gratefully jumped at the chance.

Just as many of the senior students at DMC did when they trained at The Post, I am receiving a vast amount of invaluable information. This is all thanks to the willingness of the professionals employed there to share their vast experience.

When I first entered the office, just like any other young students, I was nervous. Even though I felt like it was obvious that this was my first time in a busy newsroom, all of the employees were friendly and welcoming. Since I began training under them, I have learned a huge amount about researching, writing and digital tools. I have also been lucky enough to acquire new media literacy skills, as well as gain a better understanding of ethical standards.

It is especially important for writers to conduct in-depth research before they publish an article, and necessary to gather information from multiple sources so as to produce a balanced piece of reporting.

In my time at The Post, I have learnt many things that I never expected to, thanks to the generosity of the outstanding staff who truly care about the future of journalism in the Kingdom and are willing to support even a first-year student like myself.

Rith Rasmey Kanann