Roundtable Discussion

On

Information Technology and Speed of News Reporting” 

Phnom Penh, 18 October 2011

With support from Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Club of Cambodian Journalists on Tuesday organized a roundtable discussion with a topic of “IT and Speed of News Reporting” in Phnom Penh.

The discussion aims at encouraging local journalists to use and update IT skills for their news reporting at the digital era.

 Speaking in welcoming remarks at the discussion, Mr. Pen Samitthy, CCJ President, said the discussion is really crucial for journalist colleagues to follow up and upgrade IT skills such as computers and mobile phones for upload news and photos.

“Because of the IT, Club of Cambodian Journalists -with the main support from Konrad Adenauer Foundation has conducted series of computer trainings and how to link to social media network,” he said. 

The discussion was to reflect the fact that the information technology changes the way journalists have to gather information, write stories, and send the stories. 

Club of Cambodian Journalists has so far provided 7 computer training courses with up to 129 journalists and on 2 courses on social media with 50 journalists. The journalists are from print, broadcast and online.

The computer training courses are necessary for the Cambodian journalists as most of them are still behind the advancement of information technology. And surprisingly, some of them have never used the computer for typing their stories and hand-writing is still common among the Cambodian journalists, especially for those who are in 40s or 50s.

Speaking at the discussion, H.E Khieu Kanharith, Information Minister, hailed Club of Cambodian Journalists and Konrad Adenauer Foundation for providing capacity building to Cambodian journalists so that they can improve their skills and are able to catch up with IT, especially social media network, for their work.

“The IT is changing and developing so fast from day to day. Therefore, as journalists, you must build up your capacity to catch up with the modern system. Even though speed is the big competition, accuracy and reliable sources must be ensure,” he said

The minister also reminded the participants of media ethics and media laws for the professional work.

The discussion was followed by “Certificate Handover Ceremony” during which 129 journalists who were computer trainees, received their certificates from H.E Khieu Kanharith.

Roundtable Discussion

On

“Role of AIPA in Building a Prosperous ASEAN Community ”

Phnom Penh (14 September, 2011): Cambodian top lawmakers on Wednesday hinted that Cambodia is the nation where Myanmar will be becoming a full member of ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) after serving nearly 20 years as an observer state.

Speaking in his remarks at a roundtable discussion on “Role of AIPA in Building a Prosperous ASEAN community” organized by Club of Cambodian Journalists, H.E Cheam Yeap, Chairman of the Commission on Economy, Finance, Banking and Audit of the National Assembly, said Cambodia is really proud that it is hosting the 32^nd General Assembly of AIPA and Myanmar would become AIPA full member in the event.

Speaking to about 60 journalists and several parliamentarians, H.E Cheam Yeap said AIPA is becoming stronger as the number of the state members is increasing, as now Myanmar becomes another member.

Speaking in his welcoming remarks at the discussion in the name of KAS, Mr. Mom Saroeun said Club of Cambodian Journalists which is one of KAS’s partners plays a key role in raising public awareness on general news information through organizing events like the “Today event”. He said “I believe that Club of Cambodian Journalists is still active and having more close cooperation with KAS as a partner to hold other upcoming events.”

Echoing to Mr. Mom Saroeun, CCJ President Mr. Pen Samitthy said without KAS, CCJ could not organize the event. “With support from Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Club of Cambodian Journalists can bring journalists to lawmakers, government officials, and others to discuss different topics with different objectives. The events are not only providing opportunity to journalists to meet and talk directly to speakers but they are also raising public awareness of what happened, what is happening, and what will happen through journalists’ news reports,” he said.

H.E Cheam Yeap also expressed his thanks to KAS that supports such discussion which he thought it was important for the Cambodian people. During the discussion, he briefed about the AIPA background and the detail of what the Cambodian parliament would do for the 32rd AIPA meeting on 18-24 September, 2011. About 400 foreign delegates would participate in the meeting where the Cambodian government needs to spend some US$1.3 million for the event with tough security, he added.

On 8 August 1967: five member countries in Southeast Asia -- Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippine -- established ASEAN in Bangkok and on 2 September, 1977, ASEAN set up AIPO (ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Organization). The First AIPO Meeting was in Jakarta, Indonesia, from 8 - 11 January 1975. Cambodian National Assembly was accepted as the AIPO member in 1999 and it hosted the 25^th AIPO in Phnom Penh on 12-17 September 2004. AIPO was changed to AIPA during its General Assembly in Vientiane, Lao PDR, in 2005. So far, AIPA members are Cambodia; Indonesia; Lao PDR; Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.