This year’s Press Freedom Day, which took place on May 3, centered on the challenges presented by artificial intelligence, which many view as a significant threat to the future of journalism. Nonetheless, the recent shifts in U.S. foreign aid policy seem to pose a greater risk than AI to the press in countries like Cambodia, where journalists are vulnerable to the sudden withdrawal of financial support, compounded by a lack of necessary expertise and skills.
Following Trump’s decision to halt USAID funding for 90 days in February, media outlets around the globe have been grappling with the implications. Many independent media organizations have faced difficult choices: they have been forced to lay off staff and projects abruptly, while seeking alternatives to U.S. funding designed to promote media freedom and democracy globally.
Cambodia, a least developed country with a struggling democracy, is in a similar predicament as its civil society organizations and media institutions grapple with these new challenges. However, the implications could be more ripples and indicate the grim future of journalism, which is now on the verge of extinction.
The Trump administration’s aid freeze has resulted in the cancellation of new media projects. Cambodia was set to receive $7 million in USAID funding for media development before the announcement. Not only have new media projects been put on hold, but the organizations dedicated to promoting and safeguarding press freedoms and media rights also face financial difficulties due to their aid-dependent and non-profit nature. Many journalists who hoped for new roles and projects have now lost their jobs and have to figure out what to do next.
Even before the Trump aid announcement, U.S.-backed media organizations like Radio Free Asia and exiled media outlets such as The Cambodia Daily and Voice of Democracy (VOD), which are popular for reporting sensitive and high-profile political issues, have struggled financially. These outlets have been crucial in establishing an alternative media landscape and exerting pressure on the government. They persist in reporting on local issues, providing a distinct perspective that many media outlets cannot or will not.
By sapping further the financial resources of independent media organizations, Trump’s funding freeze has undoubtedly been seen as a blessing by those in power. Former Prime Minister Hun Sen, for instance, is among the few leaders who have praised Trump’s decision to stop funding Voice of America and RFA, media outlets he has long accused of spreading lies. For Hun Sen, shutting down that outlet is essential to eradicating fake news, disinformation, lies, distortions, incitement, and chaos globally.
“We should highly appreciate President Donald Trump for his courage to lead the world in combating fake news, starting with news outlets funded by the US government,” Hun Sen wrote in a Facebook post.“This is a major contribution to eliminating fake news, disinformation, lies, distortions, incitement, and chaos around the world, coming from the propaganda machine that President Trump has stopped funding.”
Cambodia’s press freedom was in a poor state even before Trump’s aid pause, and the country’s professional journalists increasingly found it difficult to perform their duties.
The Press Freedom Index 2025, released by the watchdog Reporters Without Borders on May 2, indicates that Cambodia’s press freedom has declined to 161 out of 180, sliding from 151 in 2024.
For many years, the Cambodian government has been accused of cracking down on independent media and stifling freedom of expression. Alongside the forced shutdown of media outlets like the Cambodia Daily and VOD, which had their broadcasting license revoked in 2023, journalists face legal threats and potential arrests. Foreign correspondents, too, risk expulsion if their work probes too deeply.
A perfect example was the high-profile arrest in October 2024 of award-winning journalist Mech Dara, who has extensively covered the country’s explosion of online scamming operations. Dara was charged with incitement and then released on bail, before announcing that he had quit his profession a month later. His time in jail and the charges against him may have deterred him from pursuing his journalism career. His retirement represented a significant loss for Cambodian journalism. Meanwhile, the government also revoked the visa of the British journalist Gerald Flynn, known for his investigative reporting on sensitive topics such as environmental degradation and natural resource management, and banned him from entering the country.
When Prime Minister Hun Manet took office following a landslide election in 2023 that lacked any credible opposition, his government promised to respect freedom of the press. But even though he has underscored the necessity of “a strong, responsible and honest media industry, along with journalists who dare speak the truth and provide constructive criticism,” his vision has not materialized. The actions taken by his government appear to undermine this aim, as the press has not been afforded the space to fulfill their roles and responsibilities.
While political restrictions and repression against dissenting voices are not new in Cambodia, where control over the media has always been considered a mechanism for disciplining the social order, what is new is that journalists find it increasingly difficult to work with government officials or pose critical questions. The lack of access to information laws gives officials ample excuses to avoid speaking or choose their interactions selectively.
Moreover, the government’s emphasis has shifted toward publicity and image protection, strongly stressing its focus on combating “fake news” by leveraging vague laws and regulations against critical reporters. This only encourages more self-censorship and deters critical coverage. It is increasingly apparent that the government has little interest in promoting press and expressive freedoms. Instead, the government wants to foster a narrative that rejects criticism rather than encourages open dialogue and constructive feedback.
In this context, the withdrawal of U.S. funding, which has played a crucial role in supporting independent Cambodian journalism, has dealt the country’s media a serious blow.
The alarming trend of diminishing financial backing from key donors, including the U.S. government, raises the frightening prospect that Cambodia’s independent press will vanish altogether. In light of this, the media community must consider novel strategies for addressing these ongoing challenges. Financial stability in independent journalism demands a long-term vision, a well-defined growth strategy, and active collaboration and support from various stakeholders, especially for Cambodian media organizations long reliant on external funding.
Long-term financial sustainability requires a shift in mindset and structure. Media outlets need clearer growth plans, innovative funding models, and strong stakeholder collaboration. Until then, other development partners – mainly European nations – must step in to fill the funding vacuum.
Money alone won’t solve the problem. Proper growth needs a supportive environment that allows media to monetize, evolve, and become less reliant on external aid. Journalism also needs to adapt without compromising its values.
There’s also a troubling trend among aid agencies and embassies: seeking media coverage of their activities without paying for it. Their focus on publicity often eclipses their desire to empower local outlets. Few are willing to fund original content creation or to go beyond merely expressing support and concern about the state of the Cambodian press, in order to ensure local journalists can work independently and without fear.
That is why reforms by media outlets are insufficient. In fragile and low-income nations such as Cambodia, external partners must also do their part if press freedoms and democratic values are to thrive. Development partners should be willing to set aside a dedicated budget for advertising in local outlets, provide grants to media outlets that need support, and facilitate collaboration so that they can independently carry out their duties to protect public interests and hold the powerful accountable as part of their commitment to assisting the country’s overall political and economic development.
Many assert that the media should be free, impartial, and independent. Yet few bother to figure out how newsrooms generate their income and how this can be sustained without adequate funding. Many journalists pour their heart and soul into their work, frequently grappling with tight deadlines and financial constraints while navigating ethical dilemmas. Poorly paid and undervalued, journalists burn with passion to keep going, but nobody knows how long this can go on.
If Cambodia’s press freedom is to survive, all of this has to change.