Information minister Neth Pheaktra addresses an April 30 press conference to launch the ministry’s ‘press freedom’ report. Information ministry
The impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the suspension of USAID support and Cambodia’s drop in press freedom rankings from 151 to 161 were the most widely discussed topics during an event held to mark the 32nd World Press Freedom Day.
Speaking at the opening of a press conference on protecting independent media in Cambodia — organised by more than 10 civil society groups on the afternoon of Friday, May 2, a day ahead of the May 3 date — Jacques Pellet, French ambassador to Cambodia, noted how AI is significantly transforming the production and dissemination of news.
“It offers opportunities but also brings new risks: the spread of misinformation, questions about the reliability of sources and the economic fragility of media outlets. These challenges are global and require a collective response,” he said.
In addition, he noted that the recent decision by the US to suspend several development programmes — including support for some Khmer-language media outlets — has weakened the independent media sector.
The press conference also observed that the sudden cut in US foreign aid to Cambodia has placed the remaining independent media institutions at even greater risk. The loss of financial and resource support poses a serious threat to their survival.
French ambassador to Cambodia Jacques Pellet speaks at the opening of the May 2 forum on protecting independent media in Cambodia. Phak Seangly
For this year’s World Press Freedom Day, UNESCO has selected the theme “Journalism in the Face of the AI Revolution: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and Media”.
Prime Minister Hun Manet stated in a letter shared for the occasion that the advancement of AI in the field of information and media brings many benefits, including multilingual capabilities and data analysis that aid in the fast and targeted production, distribution and dissemination of information.
“Despite this progress, it also brings the risk of fake news generated by technology. This revolution will have both positive and negative impacts on the profession of journalism,” he warned.
He recommended that the Ministry of Information develop ethical guidelines for the use of AI in information gathering, production, broadcasting and sharing, to maintain public trust and combat misinformation.
The final issue discussed was Cambodia’s ranking by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) — 161st out of 180 countries worldwide. This represents a drop of 10 places from 151 in 2024.
In response to this ranking, information ministry spokesperson Tep Asnarith said evaluations made by foreign organisations based on a small number of associations do not accurately reflect the true state of press freedom in Cambodia.
“Such limited inputs cannot represent the entire media sector or the diversity of voices in Cambodia’s information and media landscape,” he continued.
Participants at a Press Freedom Day celebration on protecting independent media in Cambodia on Friday May 2. Phak Seangly
On April 30, the ministry released “The State of Press Freedom in Cambodia in 2025” report, which assessed and evaluated the current situation. The report showed that 81.4 per cent of 500 randomly selected journalists from all 25 provinces and capital described press freedom in Cambodia as “good”.
Information minister Neth Pheaktra addressed a press conference to launch the report.
“Compared to 2024, when the figure was 79.8 per cent, this year’s 81.4 per cent shows an improvement in the level of press freedom,” he said.
He attributed the improvement to more training programmes and technical courses on reporting, news gathering and professional ethics. In addition, he noted that the ministry launched the “Cambodian Journalistic Code of Conduct” in August 2024.
“This is an important report that reflects domestic self-assessment of press freedom in Cambodia — carried out and directly supported by Cambodians themselves,” he claimed.
He argued that Cambodia’s media situation is not based on mere “gossip” or vague evaluations which lack clear evidence or documentation.
The ministry plans to print over 2,000 copies of the report for distribution to relevant institutions for practical use.
