Press Freedom - Iraq

Oct 2003
Since the war ended 180 newspapers have been started. But the most popular is a Coalition backed paper which has swamped the market. Iraqi journalists are complaining.

Al'aa Al Jabouri used to work for Uday Hussein's TV. She now works for the US backed Iraqi Media Network. Despite the radical difference between her bosses, she feels that not much has changed. "I can't say 'American occupation' but 'alliance forces', I think this is stupid!" The plethora of newspapers seems to indicate a much freer society. Editor of the popular Al-Azzaman has noted the changes "Newspapers owned by different political parties or by the coalition can put out partisan points of view." But the Coalition has left nothing to chance. The US backed Al-Sabah is Iraq's best selling daily -- it costs a third of the price of it's main competitors. And censorship is increasing by the day. The Iraqi Government council has recently placed restrictions on one paper and accused another -- Al Arabya -- of encouraging terrorism. Once again the Iraqi people will have decipher for themselves what is worth listening to.

Produced by ABC Australia
Distributed by Journeyman Pictures

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Iraq
• Media
• Biased
• War
• Terror
• US
• Occupation
• news
• documentary
• current affairs
• journeyman
• journeyman pictures