The Interior Ministry on Wednesday signed an agreement with a Chinese media company to launch its own radio and digital television stations next year, with the firm planning to invest more than $30 million into the joint venture.
In a ceremony presided over by Interior Minister Sar Kheng in Phnom Penh, Mao Bunnarin, director of the ministry’s logistics and finance department, signed off on the deal with Huang Yi Chuan, president of China Fujian Zhongya Culture Media.
“I think that the radio and television stations will contribute to the broadcasting of information in order to serve society,” Mr. Kheng told reporters after the ceremony, declining to offer any further details about the operation except to say that the firm would invest $30 million.
Before the deal was inked, Mr. Bunnarin said in a speech that the TV station would broadcast on digital channel 61 and the radio station on FM 90.25, adding that licenses for both had been secured from the Information Ministry.
“I have worked in encouraging this project for more than two years by communicating with the China Fujian Zhongya Culture Media firm, and we reached an agreement in February to establish the radio and TV station,” he said.
Both the TV and radio broadcasts would also be available around the world via the Internet and through satellite TV services, Mr. Bunnarin said during Wednesday’s ceremony.
He said that news, entertainment, arts, economic and “variety” programs would feature on the Interior Ministry’s stations, but did not offer more specific details about the content.
“We will provide training for general skills and technical skills to our staff…when the television station starts broadcasting in the future,” he added.
In May, the National Police launched its own crime- and security-focused newspaper that mainly reports on arrests and investigations carried out by police, while the Interior Ministry’s immigration department has announced plans to start its own news service.
