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Os Tos Mhong! ("Cool!") Youth Radio Cambodia

Contact details

Grant Goddard
Radio Consultant
BBC World Service TRust
Phnom Penh
Email: ostosmhong@everyday.com.kh

Location

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Aims and objectives

There’s a fresh exciting youth phone-in show coming to FM 102 from April 2004. It’s called “Os Tos Mhong,” or “Cool!” and it gives young people from Cambodia a chance to get on air and discuss the issues close to them.
Every Sunday morning from 8 till 9, your Vannak and Soka will wake the listeners up with a mix of regular features such as "What’s On", a heart doctor to help with relationships, show-casing a new pop song and competitions. The show will encourage on-air debate, exploring issues such as youth culture, relationships, music, gender equality and sexual health. Os Tos Mhong will be a safe but lively space for young people to share ideas.

Background

FM 102 is the radio station of the Women's Media Centre. It broadcasts 0600-2200 with a 10kW transmitter that reaches 60% of the Cambodian population across 12 provinces. A 1kW relay station has recently been added in Komponh Thom that is on-air Monday-Friday and broadcasts its own programming 1200-1400.
According to the Women's Media Centre web site, the station "enables women to increase their knowledge and understanding of issues that directly and indirectly affect them in their day-to-day lives" with the object "to increase support of women's issues in society."
The station's output comprises educational and entertainment programming in four areas:

• Women's issues such as law, domestic violence and health
• News programmes
• Teenagers' programmes
• Children's programmes

The programme also carries live news bulletins and daily updates as well as some airtime for NGO's to publicise their activities.
The station launched on 8th March 1999, International Women's Day, and describes itself as a "unique, independent, non-party political station providing a neutral, unbiased means of expression in Cambodia."
FM 102's Mission Statement is "to use the media to raise awareness of social issues in Cambodia and to improve the situation of women for the benefit of Cambodian society" and additionally "to improve the participation and portrayal of women in the mainstream media."
The station employs 15 full-time staff (14 women and 1 man), including Station Director Ms Chea Sundaneth who had worked as reporter and producer of women's programmes for the radio station established by UNTAC in 1992. Between 1979 and 1981, she worked as protocol officer for Kampuchea newspaper in Phnom Penh, and in 1982 was appointed writer and reporter for the state newspaper.

Target audience

The target audience of Os Tos Mhong! are young people in Cambodia.

Involvement of children

The interactive character of the show encourages young people to actively share their views with other listeners live on air.

Summary of project

Do you think it’s OK to have a boyfriend before marriage? Are arranged marriages a good or bad thing? Do “good girls” wear sexy clothes? Who are your heroes? A new call-in show gives you the chance to tell the world exactly what you think.
Os Tos Mhong! ("Cool!") is shaking up the radio waves with a lively mix of phone-ins, features and music plus competitions. Presenters Vannak and Soka will be your friendly guides through the ups and downs of growing up. “We’re creating an interactive programme where young people can talk in a safe space,” says Senior Producer Kong Villa. The fresh exciting format blends talk-radio, the latest music, expert advice and regular features such as “What’s On?” and “Dr. Love”, a heart doctor ready to help with all of your relationship problems.
The pioneering show has been created by the Women’s Media Centre, one of Cambodia’s most innovative NGOs, and the UK’s BBC World Service Trust. “The idea behind the show is to get young people talking about the things that matter most to them, including love, relationships and of course, sex,” says Villa.
The show is part of a two-year media campaign on HIV/AIDS and maternal and child health issues launched earlier this month by the BBC World Service Trust and the Royal Government of Cambodia. In addition to Cool!, watch out for TV spots on TV5, radio spots on FM102, FM103 and 918AM, and an action-packed drama, Detective Vijay, broadcast every Thursday and Friday evening at 7:40PM on TV5.

Funders

BBC World Service Trust

Strengths of project

“Cambodia has never seen a media campaign quite like this,” says Head of Project Giselle Portenier. “To fight HIV/AIDS and improve child and maternal health, we need a sex revolution that achieves greater male/female openness and equality. The mass media is a powerful weapon for changing society, and this campaign aims to do exactly that.”

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