This project will enhance the capability of the Iraqi Media Network (IMN) — Iraq's public broadcaster — to meet its mandate of providing professional and non-partisan news and information to the citizens of Iraq.
The channel struggles to maintain its independence in the country's tumultuous political environment and suffers from neglect and weak management structures and governance.
IREX and its partner, Albany Associates [4], will train key IMN officials on how to improve its management practices and maintain impartiality.
This project is funded by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office under the Arab Partnership Programme [5].
Increase the capacity of IMN to operate as an independent and impartial public broadcaster.
The U.S. Coalition Provisional Authority established the Iraqi Media Network in March 2004 to serve as Iraq's public broadcasting service. It has not yet achieved the non-partisan ideal and has been used as a political tool.
IREX will conduct the following activities to address these issues:
• Conduct a survey analyzing IMN’s content in relation to its original mandate and the proposed IMN law;
• Host a national seminar for Iraqi stakeholders on public service broadcasting;
• Organize a study tour in public service broadcasting for key Iraqi stakeholders; and
• Conduct a series of training sessions on public service broadcasting for Iraqi parliamentarians, media figures, and university professors.