Bayon TV and its affiliated television and media outlets are under the ownership and control of Hun Mana, the former prime minister’s daughter, through her wholly-owned Bayon High Media System, a company incorporated in Cambodia.
Media assets
Television: Bayon TV, BTV, ETV
Radio: Bayon Radio
State Media Matrix Typology: Captured Private (CaPr)
Ownership and governance
Bayon TV, operated by Bayon High Media System, is under the control of Hun Mana, the elder daughter of the former Prime Minister, according to information from Media Ownership Monitor, a project of the Paris-based Reporters Without Borders.
In a significant move in late 2022, Bayon High Media System, in collaboration with Royal Group (owner of CBS) and Hang Meas TV Group (a prominent Cambodian media conglomerate), announced the formation of Cambodian Television Alliance, the largest digital television platform in the country. Furthermore, the alliance includes the participation of the government, represented by the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
In accordance with the alliance’s bylaws, seven board members—one representing the government and six from the Cambodian Television Alliance— oversee the joint platform’s operations. Mr. Hun Mana was appointed as the chair of the board of the alliance.
Source of funding and budget
Bayon TV is primarily financed through advertising, reflecting its growing popularity in recent years. However, as with other media groups owned by individuals loyal to the former Prime Minister Hun Sen (including family members), there are concerns that the company may also receive state funding, according to local journalists and experts interviewed for this report in May 2024. In 2023, Hun Sen relinquished his role as prime minister to his son, Hun Manet.
Editorial independence
The station’s programming output is unduly favorable to the Prime Minister and his father (former Prime Minister), with editorial coverage subject to indirect control by its owner.
There is no evidence of statutes that would safeguard the autonomy of the journalists affiliated with Bayon TV. Furthermore, there are no discernible mechanisms for independent assessment to substantiate the channel’s editorial independence.
September 2024