Cambodian journalists get Award for AIDS reporting

H.E Sok An, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Council of Ministers, hands over an appreciation letter and a symbol of US$1,000 bill to one of the three winners. H.E Dr. Mom Bun Heng (left), Health Ministry Secretary of State, and Tony Lisle (right), UNAIDS Country Coordinator to Cambodia.

By Chhay Sophal

On 12 September at the closing of the 3rd National AIDS Conference, KHANA offered the “Purple Award” to three Cambodian print journalists for their best articles on HIV and AIDS. The winners got US$1,000 with a Parker pen and an appreciation letter each and the Award was honorably handed over by H.E Sok An, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Cabinet Ministry.

The award aims at encouraging the Cambodian journalists to actively participate in reducing the impact of HIV and AIDS through their news articles. According to the terms of the competition, the articles must address categories related to HIV and AIDS, such as increasing awareness and education, reducing stigma and discrimination, and showing compassion to People Living with HIV and those who are affected by AIDS in the country.

Twenty four articles from fifteen local working journalists were sent to KHANA for competition. The articles had already been printed in their newspapers and magazines between 1 December, 2006 and 31 October, 2007. According to the original plan, the award ceremony was to have taken place at the World AIDS Day of 1 December, 2007. It was delayed, however, as KHANA wanted to organize it for the 3rd National AIDS Conference.

Six judges -- three are AIDS activists from both governmental and non-governmental organizations and three others are professional journalists -- properly and fairly marked the articles in three steps and on different criteria: general concepts on HIV and AIDS based on accuracy, language use, journalism writing craft, using news sources and vocabulary.

Mr. Puy Kea, a Phnom Penh-based correspondent of Japan’s Kyodo News and one of the judges, said that, though the three selected articles do not reach international journalism standards, they represent the best articles on AIDS among the 24 articles submitted. He said that this indicates the first step that the Cambodian journalists take part in competition. “Learning from this competition, I think journalists will take their past experience and try their best for the next competition,” he added.

It is the first time that KHANA offered award to journalists since its establishment in 1996.