Krahaam Podcast to bring Khmer Rouge history to young audiences

Synopsis: Audio series draws on archival records and survivor testimonies to present Cambodia’s painful past through storytelling aimed at preserving historical memory for a new generation.

A third-year student at the Royal University of Phnom Penh’s Department of Media and Communication (DMC) has created the “Krahaam Podcast,” a 12-part documentary audio series aimed at encouraging the younger generation to study the history of the Khmer Rouge regime.

The Krahaam Podcast launched June 11 at the Resource Centre of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), where participants listened to all 12 episodes before their online release.

The series serves as a digital platform that helps young people learn about Cambodia’s history through audio storytelling that aligns with the media consumption habits of the younger generation.

DMC head Ung Bun Y said at the launch that the project enables young people to learn about the Khmer Rouge era through archival research and the lived experiences of survivors.

He said the project originated from the DMC Audio Production course and later evolved into a practical project under the Outcome-Based Education framework, which emphasises hands-on learning and real-world application.

Bun Y said students spent several months studying court records, archival materials and survivor testimonies to produce journalistic content while adhering to professional ethics.

He added that for Cambodian youth, discussing the history of the Khmer Rouge is an important responsibility to ensure that “memory triumphs over silence” and that professional media serves as a bridge between generations.

Hem Chanthita, a third-year student and researcher, said the fourth episode, Kampong Chhnang Airfield, took five students nearly four months to produce. It follows a Cambodian revolutionary soldier sent to the Khmer Rouge labour site, where workers faced starvation, brutal conditions and executions.