The Phnom Penh Post

The Phnom Penh Post
ភ្នំពេញប៉ុស្តិ៍
Intelligence, In-depth, Independence
Front page of The Phnom Penh Post dated 7 May 2018. News about its acquisition by Sivakumar Ganapthy can be seen in the upper-left hand column.
TypeOnline newspaper
FormatTabloid (1992–2008)
Berliner (2008–2024)
Owner(s)Sivakumar Ganapthy
Founder(s)
  • Michael Hayes
  • Kathleen O'Keefe
PublisherBill Clough (2004–18)
Ly Tayseng (last)
Founded10 July 1992
Political alignmentCentre
LanguageEnglish, Khmer
Ceased publication29 March 2024
HeadquartersPhnom Penh, Cambodia
CityPhnom Penh
CountryCambodia
OCLC number30886151
Websitephnompenhpost.com

The Phnom Penh Post (Khmer: ភ្នំពេញប៉ុស្តិ៍, Phnum Pénh Pŏsdĕ [pʰnumpeɲ poh]) is a daily English-language newspaper published in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Founded in 1992 by publisher Michael Hayes and Kathleen O'Keefe, it is Cambodia's oldest English-language newspaper and prior to the transferring of ownership, was considered to be one of Cambodia's newspaper of record.[1][2] (the other bring The Cambodia Daily) The paper was initially published fortnightly as a full-color tabloid; in 2008 it increased frequency to daily publication and redesigned the format as a Berliner. The Phnom Penh Post is also available in Khmer.[3] It previously published a weekend magazine, 7Days, in its Friday edition.[4] Since July 2014, it has published a weekly edition on Saturdays called Post Weekend,[5] which was folded into the paper as a Friday supplement in 2017 and was discontinued in 2018.

It has a staff of Cambodian and foreign journalists covering national news. The newspaper includes specific business, lifestyle and sports sections, and also prints a "Police Blotter", which has items related to crime translated from local Khmer-language dailies.

Since its founding in Phnom Penh in July 1992, the printed edition was published on a fortnightly basis. In early 2008, the newspaper received investment from some Australians and became a daily publication on August 8, 2008.

In May 2018 the newspaper was purchased by Malaysian businessman Sivakumar Ganapthy, who also owns a public relations firm known to have worked on behalf of the Cambodian government, prompting several senior writers to leave its newsroom.[6] Describing the sale of the paper, one official for Amnesty International said, "We have witnessed the crumbling of Cambodia's media freedom." In response to criticism of the sale, Huy Vannak, acting as undersecretary of the Cambodian Interior Ministry, said, "It is a normal business, and it remains a newspaper."[7][8]

In March 2024, the newspaper announced it will cease its English and Khmer print editions by the end of the month citing a decline in advertising revenue.[9]

  1. ^ Osborne, Milton (11 May 2018). "Courageous voice for truth silenced in Cambodia". Lowy Institute. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
  2. ^ Parkhouse, Alan (7 May 2018). "New start or sad end for Cambodia's last free newspaper?". Asia Times. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  3. ^ "ភ្នំពេញ ប៉ុស្ដិ៍" [Phnom Penh Post]. www.postkhmer.com (in Khmer).
  4. ^ "Lifestyle". Phnom Penh Post. Retrieved 10 June 2010.
  5. ^ "Post Weekend". Phnom Penh Post.
  6. ^ "Phnom Penh Post: Firing and resignations after sale of Cambodian daily". BBC.com. 7 May 2018. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  7. ^ Riley, Charles (7 May 2018). "'Press freedom toppled': Phnom Penh Post sale rings alarm bells". CNN.com. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  8. ^ Cochrane, Liam (7 May 2018). "Phnom Penh Post, Cambodia's last independent newspaper, sold to Malaysian 'covert' spin doctor". ABC. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  9. ^ Cheang, Sopheng (2024-03-01). "Cambodia's pioneering post-Khmer Rouge era Phnom Penh Post newspaper will stop print publication". Associated Press. Retrieved 2024-03-01.