| About CCIM |
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The Cambodian Center for Independent Media (CCIM) is a non-partisan, not-for-profit, non-governmental organization (NGO), based in Phnom Penh, Cambodia and was established in June 2007 as an offshoot organization from the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR).
CCIM was organized in order to continue the production of Voice of Democracy (VOD) radio programs which was started to be broadcast by CCHR in January 2003. During the time, VOD radio programs were produced to educate the people through the broadcast radio about issues on human rights and politics, among others, as the information on human rights from the broadcast is very limited. In May 2007, CCHR decided to reduce its services and staff for financial reasons, including the discontinuation of the VOD radio programs. However, a number of staffs working for the VOD radio daringly continue to produce the radio program under the umbrella of a new organization - CCIM. With the continued support from the International Republican Institute (IRI), VOD radio programs continued to be broadcast and at the time the programs are simultaneously aired in five radio stations - one in Phnom Penh, and the rest are in the provinces of Siem Reap, Oddar Meanchey, Battambang, and Kampong Thom. From June 2007 to September 2008 CCIM focused on producing two hours of news , current affairs and talk shows per day, which are aired in a rented two-hour airtime simultaneously in five radio stations - one in Phnom Penh and four in the provinces – from 17.00 to 19.00 hours. The expansion of broadcast of Radio VOD programs to more radio stations is a very remarkable achievement and very important given that people in those areas have little or no other source of independent information of the kind offered by Radio VOD. The impact of this programming made Radio VOD the most popular national radio broadcast providing independent programming in Cambodia as evidenced by the 9% of the daily listeners and a total of 23% (3.22 million) listeners tuning in to Radio VOD, according to the survey funded by IRI in February 2008.
Radio VOD represents one of the very few independent media voices in Cambodia and the only Cambodian media broadcasting independent news and highly relevant current affairs talk shows. The success of Radio VOD of obtaining a listener base of almost one quarter of the population in just five years starting from zero with non-professional journalists is very remarkable. Now, Radio VOD reporters have developed professionalism in journalism in Cambodia through trainings and practice and a number of them are now working for international broadcast media such as Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Asia (RFA), and Radio France International (RFI). In October 2008, CCIM decided to operate a radio station in order to have more airtime for its radio programs and to increase the production of radio programs. Since CCIM was not able to secure a license from the government to operate a radio station, the rental of one whole radio station was preferred. Currently, CCIM is renting the FM 106.5 MHz and renamed the radio station as Sarika FM 106.5 MHz. The radio station began its operation early of October 2008 from 6:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. and increased the power to 10 kilowatts from 3 kilowatts.
In January 17-19, 2009, CCIM staffs held a retreat at Sihanoukville to review what they have done since its establishments and prepare themselves for a new chapter of CCIM's mission in the broadcast media. After the successful operation of Radio Sarika FM from October to December 2008, CCIM staffs are hopeful they can continue to improve the delivery of information to the public through the radio. At the begining of 2009, Radio Sarika began its normal programming with information and entertainment. In March 2009, CCIM operated another radio station in Siem Reap province based in Siem Reap town currently operated as Radio Angkor Ratha 95.5 MHz. Radio Sarika Angkor FM95.5MHz operates from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on this frequency. It has a power of 5 kilowatts transmission.
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