Iraq
Since the fall of the regime of Saddam Hussein in 2003, Iraq witnessed an incredible upsurge in new media outlets as restrictions on the media were dramatically reduced. At the same time, however, financial sustainability combined with polarization in society as well as the difficult security situation throughout the country pose serious challenges to the media causing many to close down. IMS activities include support to strengthen the development of independent media in Iraq.Archive
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Media programme in Iraq set to continue for next two and a half years
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Through an active presence on the ground and a conflict-resolving focus, IMS' activities over the next two and a half years in Iraq will seek to develop a professional and self-sustainable media environment in the country
With an allocation of 18 million kroner from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, IMS will continue its support to the Iraqi media to strengthen its independence, quality and professionalisation.
Set to address both the business side of media development while also securing long-term development and sustainability of the Iraqi media sector, the programme launches with a focus on investigative reporting, legal support for journalists, distribution of print media, advertising and social media.
Working towards conciliation
Although Iraq saw an increase in media outlets in the wake of Saddam Hussein's downfall in 2003, it did not lead to an increase in diversity of news and information as media owners used their own outlets as tools for propaganda. This added to an increasing political and religious fragmentation in the Iraqi society and media landscape.
Osama Al-Habahbeh, IMS Programme Manager explains:
- "The various ethnic, religious and political groups continued to view the media as a strategic tool and means in supporting an ally or attacking an adversary."
This made it increasingly difficult for journalists to enjoy access to information or to be allowed to cover an event that involved other political groups.
Following from the fragmented Iraqi media landscape, uniting the political adversaries and trying to resolve conflict is the underlying approach of the programme:
- "We unite political enemies in joint training and activities, which foster the development of media professionalism together, despite and above the overt political opposites, and regional allies respectively", says Osama Al-Habahbeh
Promoting the media's watchdog role
With high levels of corruption and lack of access to information, a key focus area of the programme is to promote a culture of investigative journalism in order to strengthen the role of the media as a watchdog.
For this activity, the IMS-supported network of Arabic investigative journalists ARIJ will be carrying out training of the newly established Iraqi initiative, the Forum for Iraqi Reporters for Investigative Journalism (FIRIJ).
Establishing a self-sustainable media sector
Distribution of newspapers in Iraq has so far been carried out by car in the country roughly twice the size of the United Kingdom. With registers for addresses, accessible mail boxes, updated street names and numbers being either non-existent or unreliable, home delivery and business to business sales are extremely difficult to set up.
Inspired by successful initiatives from Jordan and Lebanon, IMS' local partners in Iraq's Kurdistan region will be taking the first steps in setting up a distribution company and make concrete logistic plans for distribution. The model set up here will be transferred to the rest of Iraq at a later stage if deemed succesful.
Establishing a long-term self-sustainable media sector is also at the core of the programme. This includes stepping up in the areas of advertisement to increase income for the often financially struggling independent media.
Legal safety and assistance to journalists
With many journalists facing difficult legal conditions when working with controversial stories, the programme will be training journalists in media law, providing free legal assistance through a hotline and training a number of Iraqi lawyers to support the journalists in the long term.
This training also feeds into reforming the current press and media laws in the country, which could ultimately lead to more freedom of the press and protection of journalists.
International Media Support has been actively supporting Iraqi media since 2005. For more about the IMS Iraq Programme please contact Osama Al-Habahbeh, IMS Programme Manager, at oha[snabela]i-m-s.dk
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