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Bernard Krisher, Pioneer of English-Language Journalism in Cambodia, Dies at 87 Bernard Krisher, Free Press Champion in Cambodia, Dies at 87
(about 3 hours later)
Bernard Krisher, the idealistic, driven journalist who founded Cambodia’s first English-language daily newspaper, and an energetic philanthropist who established a hospital, an orphanage and hundreds of schools around Cambodia, died on March 5 in Tokyo. He was 87. Bernard Krisher, an idealistic, driven journalist who founded Cambodia’s first English-language daily newspaper and, as a philanthropist, established a hospital, an orphanage and hundreds of schools around Cambodia, died on March 5 in Tokyo. He was 87.
His death was reported on Monday by his newspaper, The Cambodia Daily, which quoted family members as saying the cause was heart failure.His death was reported on Monday by his newspaper, The Cambodia Daily, which quoted family members as saying the cause was heart failure.
In a long career that included 13 years as Tokyo bureau chief for Newsweek magazine, Mr. Krisher became a fixture in the world of journalism in Asia, specializing in exclusive interviews that included President Sukarno of Indonesia and Emperor Hirohito of Japan. In a long career that included 13 years as Tokyo bureau chief for Newsweek magazine, Mr. Krisher became a fixture of Asia journalism, specializing in exclusive interviews with figures like President Sukarno of Indonesia and Emperor Hirohito of Japan.
Mr. Krisher founded The Daily in 1993, one year after the founding of its rival, The Phnom Penh Post, which was originally published every two weeks, although it became a daily years later. He founded The Daily in 1993, one year after the founding of its rival, The Phnom Penh Post, which was originally published every two weeks before becoming a daily years later.
The newspapers were a sign of a new openness and sense of optimism when Cambodia was struggling to its feet after decades of mass killings and civil war. That optimism has faded amid a crackdown on the free press, independent agencies and opposition politicians by Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has been in power for 34 years. The newspapers were a sign of a new openness and optimism in Cambodia as it was struggling to its feet after decades of mass killings and civil war. That hopefulness has faded, however, amid a crackdown on the free press by Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has been in power for 34 years and who has also targeted independent agencies and opposition politicians.
The Daily pledged to report “all the news without fear or favor,” a concept that brought the paper into continuing conflict with Mr. Hun Sen. The Daily pledged to report “all the news without fear or favor,” bringing it into continuing conflict with Mr. Hun Sen. The newspaper was forced to close its print edition last year under government legal pressure.
The newspaper was forced to close its print edition last year under legal pressure from the government.
“Bernie believed passionately in journalism and what good journalism could achieve,” said Kevin Doyle, who worked for the paper for 15 years, most of them as editor in chief. “He believed professional journalism served a higher, more important purpose in society than politics or even law at times.”“Bernie believed passionately in journalism and what good journalism could achieve,” said Kevin Doyle, who worked for the paper for 15 years, most of them as editor in chief. “He believed professional journalism served a higher, more important purpose in society than politics or even law at times.”
Mr. Krisher’s oft-repeated mantra about journalism was “Persistence, energy, enthusiasm are the key essentials of this profession, and the main enemy is cynicism.” Mr. Krisher’s would often say, “Persistence, energy, enthusiasm are the key essentials of this profession, and the main enemy is cynicism.”
His newspaper, with a circulation of just a few thousand, was a basic source of local and international news for diplomats and aid workers. It hired young Cambodian and foreign journalists, many of whom would go on to significant careers. Though his newspaper had a circulation of just a few thousand, it wielded outsize influence as an important source of local and international news for diplomats and aid workers. It hired young Cambodian and foreign journalists, many of whom would go on to significant careers.
The paper also carried a daily insert translated into Cambodian, and its special weekend editions presented magazine-quality journalism.The paper also carried a daily insert translated into Cambodian, and its special weekend editions presented magazine-quality journalism.
“Bernie taught his local reporters how to stand up to those in power by reporting the truth,” said Mu Sochua, an opposition politician who has fled overseas to avoid reprisals from the government. “Bernie was a tough man and demanded justice for those without a voice.” “Bernie taught his local reporters how to stand up to those in power by reporting the truth,” said Mu Sochua, an opposition politician who has fled overseas to avoid government reprisals. “Bernie was a tough man and demanded justice for those without a voice.”
The newspaper was part of a personal project by Mr. Krisher to help the war-torn country get to its feet. His philanthropy included the construction of more than 550 schools, financed by private donors, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. The newspaper was part of a personal project by Mr. Krisher to help the country recover from years of war and violent persecution. His philanthropy included the construction of more than 550 schools, financed by private donors, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank.
His prized achievement was the founding of the Sihanouk Hospital Center of Hope, which provides free medical care to the poor. He also established an education center for orphans and foster children from remote villages.His prized achievement was the founding of the Sihanouk Hospital Center of Hope, which provides free medical care to the poor. He also established an education center for orphans and foster children from remote villages.
The Daily published frequent drives to raise money for free distribution of tens of thousands of mosquito nets to poor Cambodians. Mr. Krisher also raised money to provide rice to schools and orphanages when the World Food Program stopped a feeding program. The Daily also sponsored frequent drives to raise money for the distribution of tens of thousands of mosquito nets to poor Cambodians, and Mr. Krisher raised money to provide rice to schools and orphanages when the World Food Program stopped a feeding program.
“I am in awe of what he was able to accomplish: as one person with two long careers,” his daughter, Deborah Krisher-Steele, said in an email message. “He had both the tenacity and optimism to make it possible.” “I am in awe of what he was able to accomplish, as one person with two long careers,” his daughter, Deborah Krisher-Steele, said by email. “He had both the tenacity and optimism to make it possible.”
Not everybody loved Mr. Krisher, who could be obstinate, demanding and confrontational. Not everybody loved Mr. Krisher. He could be obstinate, demanding and confrontational.
“He could be unrelenting against personal enemies and those who he felt had crossed him,” Mr. Doyle said. “So there existed a quite polarized view of Bernie. I spent many years working with Bernie, and I saw both sides.”“He could be unrelenting against personal enemies and those who he felt had crossed him,” Mr. Doyle said. “So there existed a quite polarized view of Bernie. I spent many years working with Bernie, and I saw both sides.”
Ker Munthit, a former reporter for The Associated Press’s bureau in Cambodia, said in an email that Mr. Krisher “was pushy and insisting in whatever he had in mind that he wanted to advance or be done, and that could be a bit annoying.” Ker Munthit, a former reporter for The Associated Press in its Cambodia bureau, said in an email that Mr. Krisher “was pushy and insisting in whatever he had in mind that he wanted to advance or be done, and that could be a bit annoying.”
“However,” Mr. Munthit added, “regardless of the misgivings one might have about him — me included — it is undeniable that he has done some great things for the good of the country.”“However,” Mr. Munthit added, “regardless of the misgivings one might have about him — me included — it is undeniable that he has done some great things for the good of the country.”
Bernard Krisher was born on Aug. 9, 1931, in Frankfurt. His father, a Polish Jew, owned a fur shop. The family fled Germany in 1937 to avoid persecution by the Nazis and traveled to Queens, New York, passing through France, Spain and Portugal. Bernard Krisher was born on Aug. 9, 1931, in Frankfurt. His father, a Polish Jew, owned a fur shop. The family fled Nazi Germany in 1937 and passed through France, Spain and Portugal before heading for the United States and settling in New York City, in Queens.
His daughter said his humanitarian work was inspired by the help he and his family received from strangers when they were fleeing the Holocaust. He believed, she said, “that a true humanitarian act is to help a stranger, not one of your own.” His daughter said his humanitarian work was inspired by the help that he and his family had received from strangers when they were fleeing persecution. He believed, she said, “that a true humanitarian act is to help a stranger, not one of your own.”
Mr. Krisher attended Queens College and was drafted into the Army in 1953. He spent two years in Germany as a reporter for Stars and Stripes newspaper. Mr. Krisher attended Queens College and was drafted into the Army in 1953. He spent two years in Germany as a reporter for Stars and Stripes, the Army newspaper. He then worked for The New York World-Telegram and The Sun in New York and studied journalism at Columbia University.
He then worked for the New York World-Telegram and The Sun in New York and studied journalism at Columbia University. He joined Newsweek in 1962 after moving to Japan, where he became its Tokyo bureau chief in 1967. He later left Newsweek for Fortune magazine.
In 1962, he moved to Japan and joined Newsweek, where he became bureau chief in 1967. After leaving Newsweek, he joined Fortune Magazine. In Japan, he met his future wife, Akiko, who survives. In addition to his daughter, he is survived by a son, Joseph, and two grandsons.
In Japan, he met his future wife, Akiko, who survives him along with two children, Deborah Krisher-Steele and Joseph Krisher, and two grandsons, Adam Steele and Ethan Krisher.