Nine specially trained video citizen journalists (CJs) have been working with the VOD Online TV team since January to file video reports for the online news channel. In the first three months of the year alone, the CJs produced 42 video reports on issues including land grabs, human rights abuses and environmental protection, said VOD Online TV Manager Mak Chanden
“The CJs that we trained are teachers, VOD audience members, land activists and monks. We have equipped them with smartphones as the tool they use to film and report back to us. They are very active,” Chanden said.
Although CJs are not professional journalists, their work is helping to promote freedom of expression and press freedom in Cambodia. In particular, these CJs’ ability to provide attractive audiovisual reports on the events they witness helps to shine a national spotlight on local news and rights abuses in local communities that would otherwise have gone unreported.
One such report came from a CJ based in Koh Kong province who filed a video report on sand dredging that was featured on the VOD TV website, said Chanden.
“The CJ reported about sand dredging that threatens the environment, and his article was one of the best reports we ever received and posted online,” the TV Manager said.
Sponsored by EU, VOD TV launched its operations in May 2014 with the goal of providing independent and unbiased video news for Cambodians living inside and outside Cambodia. Today, VOD TV has more than 2,000 subscribers to its YouTube channel, with a combined total of more than 1 million views across all its videos.
