Prominent TV news anchor and self-styled political negotiator Soy Sopheap has resigned from CTN after the network decided to find a new host for the morning news program he has helmed for the last five years.
Soy Sopheap said he officially submitted his resignation Monday evening.
Speaking by telephone, he said that he had learned that CTN had decided to find a new host for the “Morning Show” but still wanted him to continue reporting from the field.
“I have resigned from the station because I am not able to do my work. I would like to thank the station for training me,” Soy Sopheap said. “If my boss is not happy it means that I made mistakes,” he said.
“Morning Show” featured news read by Soy Sopheap as well as his commentary and reporting from the field. The show typically focused on political issues, and has recently dealt heavily with the border conflict with Thailand.
Soy Sopheap said that the network had told him that they were planning to replace him with new, younger journalists to give a different spin to the program. He added that he would continue to be involved in journalism as the publisher of Tamarind newspaper.
“I will have my voice heard through the newspaper,” he added.
CTN’s news department director Som Chhaya confirmed that he told Soy Sopheap that other people would be taking charge of the morning news program.
“It seems that [Soy Sopheap] is doing all the work alone,” Som Chaya said. “We want the new younger generation to do some work,” he said, adding that the “Morning Show” was too focused on intense political issues and the network hoped to bring more soft news to the program.
“[Soy Sopheap] should not resign; he should have patience if he wants to be a professional journalist,” Som Chaya said, adding that he had not yet received the anchor’s resignation letter.
