In 2019, the Cambodian Center for Independent Media (CCIM) launched the Newsroom, a three-month journalism training program for young Cambodians who aspire to be journalists and learn how to report and write news. For the most promising trainees of each batch, the program ends with a reporting field trip in which trainees are teamed up with experienced journalists who work with them as mentors. The Overseas Press Club of Cambodia (OPCC), which represents foreign journalists working in Cambodia, is a partner in the mentorship program.
In this program, the trainee and the mentor will work together on a feature story. Reporting for this story should include serious field work, preferably outside Phnom Penh. During this collaboration, the trainee can learn from the mentor, while the mentor can count on the assistance of the trainee. The end result is a published feature story with the mentor and trainee sharing the byline.
Newsroom trainers and the OPCC select the local and foreign mentors. Interested journalists are invited to pitch a story idea that they think would be interesting to work on with a trainee reporter. Being a member of OPCC is required for foreign journalists wishing to apply as a mentor.
OPCC members can send their pitch to:
opcccambodia(at)gmail(dot)com
Cambodian journalists can send their pitch to:
Kann Vicheika, Newsroom trainer: vicheika.kann123(at)gmail(dot)com
Next Deadline
Extended to November 18, 2022
If you are not a member yet and you are interested in being a mentor, please contact OPCC’s board for more information, at opcccambodia(at)gmail(dot)com.
When pitching a story, be sure to mention which publications you usually work for and which publication would be interested in publishing your story.
Each mentor will receive a stipend of around $670. Discussions about story angles, timeframes and deadlines are between the mentor, the trainee, the Newsroom trainers and the publishing outlet.
Past Mentorship Stories
KHMER
អ្នកភូមិកោះគរបារម្ភពីសុវត្ថិភាព ក្រោយពីច្រាំងទន្លេបាក់ជាបន្តបន្ទាប់ ដោយសារការបូមខ្សាច់
https://cambonomist.com/news/sand-dredging-causes-bank-erosion-/
ប្រជានេសាទបឹងទន្លេសាបព្រួយបារម្ភខ្លាំង ដោយសារផលនេសាទត្រីធ្លាក់ចុះយ៉ាងគំហុក
https://vodkhmer.news/2019/12/25/tonle-sap-fishermen-are-very-worried-by-the-sharp-decline-in-fishing/
បទយកការណ៍៖ វត្តមួយនៅត្បូងឃ្មុំស្វែងរកដីប្តូរទីតាំងព្រោះប្រឈមនឹងការបាក់ចូលទន្លេ
https://vodkhmer.news/2020/07/24/a-pagoda-is-seeking-a-place-to-relocate-due-to-river-bank-collapse/
បទយកការណ៍៖ ទឹកឡើងយឺតធ្វើឱ្យប្រជានេសាទនៅកំពង់ចាមប្រឈមនឹងបំណុលព្រោះរកត្រីមិនសូវបាន
https://vodkhmer.news/2020/08/03/a-slow-rise-water-puts-fishermen-in-kampong-cham-at-risk-of-debt/
ENGLISH
They escaped the worst of COVID-19. Now Cambodians face a debt crisis
https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-08-07/covid-19-shutdown-creates-debt-crisis-in-cambodia
Lost treasures emerge in Cambodia’s hunt for historic sites as locals dream of tourist dollars
https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3077573/lost-treasures-emerge-cambodias-hunt-historic-sites-locals
Shackled and locked up, Cambodia’s mentally ill languish in limbo
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/shackled-and-locked-up-cambodias-mentally-ill-languish-in-limbo/2020/02/14/a8c8bfbe-2df6-11ea-bffe-020c88b3f120_story.html
FRENCH
Droits de l’homme au Cambodge: l’industrie textile menacée par des sanctions européennes
https://www.rfi.fr/fr/emission/20191224-cambodge-ouvrier-textile-face-menace-sanction-droit-homme-europe
