The Struggle to Build Public Service Broadcasting in Iraq

The mission seemed impossible. The Iraqi Media Network (IMN) is the country’s largest radio and television empire having risen from the ashes of Saddam Hussein’s propaganda machinery. With 1350 staff protected by 850 heavily armed security guards, IMN suffers from major public credibility problems: first perceived as a mouthpiece of the international forces, then of successive provisional Iraqi governments. Its legal basis was Order 66 issued by the Coalition Provisional Authority, which prescribes that the broadcaster “shall act in accordance with the principles of independence, universality, diversity and distinctiveness”, the classic benchmarks for a public broadcaster. But the reality and perception have been quite different in Iraq.

The mission of the IREX media team working for the USAID sponsored Iraq Civil Society Program was straightforward: assist IMN in developing true public service programming and principles. In May 2005, Jochen Raffelberg as team leader, Kadhim al-Rikabi and Maha Dafer as program officers, and Hendrik Bussiek as public broadcasting expert and adviser began their work. The IMN management team and a group of eminent Iraqi personalities were invited to advise the project. This group has since formed the independent watchdog group Iraqis for Independent Public Broadcasting.

Less than a year ago, a three-pronged strategy was launched, aiming to (1) create “islands” of quality public broadcasting content within the overall program of Al-Iraqyia (IMN’s TV channel) to improve the quality of news and its credibility, (2) monitor the output of IMN and create awareness about the principles of public broadcasting, and (3) embark on advocacy activities to provide a new legal base for a true public broadcaster.

Luck was with the team. Iraqis were about to discuss and develop a new constitution for their country. It seemed natural that Al-Iraqyia, in keeping with its public service mandate, should open up its airwaves for an intensive public debate on the pivotal issues under discussion. A weekly program, Our Constitution, was created to bring the process of constitution writing into the homes of Iraqis across the country. The studio audience, 60 people representing a cross-section of society, formed the backbone of the shows, with members engaging the representatives from the political and civil society scene in lively discussions never before presented on Iraqi television. The show became talk of the town and especially in media and political circles and was singled out by the United Nations as vital contribution to promote the culture of dialogue.

At the same time, several brainstorming sessions with IMN news staff and management, conducted by Bussiek and the watchdog group, discussed ways to improve the policies, working conditions and thus the output of the news and current affairs departments in TV and radio. The question foremost on journalists’ minds was how to fend off government's influence.

Upcoming parliamentary elections in December 2005 presented the chance to assert the organization’s professionalism. The success of Our Constitution and the activities of the watchdog group, helped create a climate for election coverage more in line with public service principles than previously seen on Iraqi television. Guidelines for the coverage of the elections were adopted, based on international experiences. These guidelines ensured balanced and fair reporting on all events and issues canvassed by all political forces in the country. A program - Elect Iraq! - following the format of Our Constitution - was created to inform the electorate thoroughly on the points of view of the various political parties. And the watchdog group did what their name suggests: it monitored the coverage and issued regular reports to IMN to help it further improve its performance.

Concurrently Iraqis for Public Broadcasting continued its busy schedule of intensive meetings and discussions to increase their knowledge and understanding of principles of public broadcasting and develop the building blocks for a democratic public broadcasting system. By January 2006 they had compiled a draft law for the creation of a new Iraqi Radio and Television Corporation (IRTC) to replace the old IMN. The aim is to have a homegrown Iraqi law to establish an Iraqi public broadcaster. The draft law followed the spirit of Order 66, which describes public broadcasting as an impartial and independent tool for public debate, and expanded upon this concept further, integrating the new constitution and existing models of public broadcasting from other countries. The draft makes IRTC accountable to Parliament by proposing a supervisory board of directors selected and elected by the legislators.

At present, lobbying efforts to push for such a new law are at full steam. Journalists’ and other media associations are coming on board and backing the draft. Public awareness campaigns are also under way and the watchdog will advocate to place the draft on the parliamentary agenda.

The team is advising IMN to extend the existing “islands” of public broadcasting. Bussiek has been asked to provide some ideas for a new program structure for Al-Iraqyia that will continue in the footsteps of the successful Our Constitution and Elect Iraq! One of the major innovations will be a daily one-hour regional news and current affairs show with the working title On Euphrates and Tigris. This show will connect Baghdad via satellite with Al Iraqyia’s studios in the various regions from Mosul to Basra. Viewers in the Shia region will watch events in Kurdistan while Kurds will follow stories in the Sunni region – a contribution to nation building under the motto of “Unity in Diversity” and a program addressing one of the key criticisms of IMN – that it has not fully reflected the diversity of Iraq.

The foundation for a new public broadcasting service in Iraq has thus been laid. It is now up to the partners to bring the draft law and the new program structure into life. If and when the Iraqi Radio and Television Corporation Law will be in place, the second phase of work will begin: the actual transformation of IRTC into a truly public broadcaster. Experience elsewhere has shown that this will be the most challenging part of the entire process.