Cambodia's Ministry of Information Urges Provincial Media to Enhance Websites Amidst China Relations and Economic Development Context

The Ministry of Information of Cambodia has instructed the information departments of all 25 provincial capitals and cities to enhance their website dissemination activities and improve their effectiveness. This directive aims to ensure timely and effective responses to local reporting needs and public opinion. During an orientation meeting on "Public Opinion Information Work" for officials of the Kampong Speu Provincial Information Department, Deputy Secretary of State and Spokesperson Tep Asnarith urged the provincial departments to increase their activities and elevate the effectiveness of their news websites. He emphasized that information dissemination through websites offers high security and long-term data retention, contrasting with social media platforms which, being entirely dependent on private companies, carry a high risk of data loss. He also pointed out that social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok are not official media channels. Deputy Secretary of State Tep Asnarith also encouraged information officials in all provinces and cities, especially in Kampong Speu, to diligently update their websites regularly. He advised that disseminated content should focus on images of development achievements, activities of leaders, and important announcements from ministries, institutions, and public services, thereby facilitating readers' access to timely information. He presented that the websites are specially designed to facilitate the dissemination of diverse content, including articles, images, videos, and audio, with a user-friendly interface. This design also makes it easy to find previously published documents. Furthermore, to broaden public awareness of these websites, he suggested utilizing social media platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, and Telegram by simply sharing direct links to guide readers to the official websites. Prior to the recent launch of the provincial websites, the Ministry of Information had organized two training courses on management and protection techniques. It is noteworthy that on June 22, 2026, Minister of Information Net Pheaktra decided to establish the "Working Group for the Management of Provincial Information Department Websites," chaired by Deputy Secretary of State and Spokesperson Tep Asnarith. The objective of this working group is to enhance the quality and standards of digital information dissemination, making it an official information channel reflecting development achievements and activities at the local level, as well as contributing to national information dissemination. This working group is tasked with developing plans and directions for the orderly and consistent development of all provincial information department websites, in accordance with the regulations and standards set for information management.