The media’s role in Iraq’s election

In Iraq’s general elections, newspapers and satellite channels were among the most lethal weapons used to gain control of the parliament.

Most, if not all, have paid no attention to objectivity, fairness or common good.

But were they effective to convince voters to vote in a specific direction, or were they simply repeating old and stale messages that were falling on deaf ears?

At the height of the bloodletting, these media outlets played a nefarious role in stoking the sectarian fire.

Today, they are still accused of creating an environment of hatred and suspicion that will delay national reconciliation.

Now that the election is over, will Iraqi newspapers and TV stations develop and progress or will they remain the personal possessions of political party bosses?

In this week’s show we focus on how the Iraqi media handled the Iraqi elections.

Did they portray how the election will affect the future of Iraq and its diverse communities? Did they manage to approach the untold Iraqi elections stories?

Joining the programme will be Hiwa Osman, the Iraq country director of the Institute for Peace and War Reporting, Saad Naji Jawad, a professor of political science at the University of Baghdad, and Burhan al-Chalabi, a fellow at the Royal Institute of International Affairs.

This episode of Inside Iraq airs from Friday, March 26, 2010, at the following times GMT: Friday: 1730, 2230; Saturday: 0300, 0830; Sunday: 0600, 1230; Monday: 0130.