In a continuation of activities with independent Iraqi news media, Jason Lambert visited Erbil and Baghdad with Osama Al-Habahbeh and Thomas Hughes of International Media Support (IMS) in March for a kickoff to the new IMS programme in the country.
Current information was gathered on issues affecting a diverse group of independent Iraqi news media. The focus was on printing, distribution and advertising sales – all of which are major factors in determining the sustainability of each publisher’s operation.
The Value of Independence
People in Iraq have limited access to truly impartial reporting. The problem is not so much in producing independent coverage as in ensuring that such coverage reaches its intended audience. Much of the news and information digested by Iraqis is biased towards state, political and gang-led stakeholders which infiltrate income and distribution channels. They remove the rights of the Iraqi people to balanced reporting and, in many cases, the simple truth.
A sustainable economic revival of independent publishers’ fortunes in Iraq is therefore central to the country’s recovery from the dictatorship and wars that have crippled its once laudable infrastructure.
Newspaper Distribution
Moving anything around in many areas of Iraq is still risky and costly, so newspaper distribution is a serious challenge for independent media in the country. There are multiple distributors in the delivery chain, each taking a slice of the retail price and each presenting another potential breakdown in the chain. For many newspapers, increasing their distribution upwards from 3-5,000 copies per issue is prohibitively expensive.
Print Advertising
Print advertising revenues are affected by low circulation levels, the absence of any reliable auditing and a battered domestic economy. Media buying agencies in Iraq and the surrounding region offer independent Iraqi print media low returns for their space. Truly independent media exclude themselves from state or politically-backed campaigns, which forms a significant if shrinking proportion of the market.
Opportunities Online
Facing major issues in achieving a viable model for print media, Brand X’s creativity has been applied to other forms of media which can be scaled and monetised more effectively while work continues on the print media issues. Based on field research and data analysis from our base in Copenhagen, we have identified some promising potential for independent Iraqi news media through their online editions.
Internet penetration in Iraq is increasing. News is becoming more accessible and digestible online for Iraqis, and Iraqi news websites are attracting increasing traffic levels - a significant proportion of which comes from non-domestic visitors. Domestic advertisers still have a low value perception of online advertising though, so we have been exploring ways to convert the non-domestic traffic into more bankable income streams for publishers. The aim is to support each publisher’s efforts in improving staff skills, newspaper design, printing quality, advertising sales and distribution networks by generating new income to fund those efforts and drive growth.
Creating Solutions
In the coming weeks, Brand X and IMS will launch a new online advertising network together, dedicated to supporting professional independent media and civil society organisations in Iraq. It will be a ‘Social Purpose’ advertising network, the primary aims of which will be to provide high-quality online advertising while generating fair and valuable revenue for professional Iraqi independent media. The network will support the rights of Iraqi media and people to freedom of expression, good governance and economic opportunity.
Become a Social Purpose Advertiser
Are you interested in becoming a Social Purpose Advertiser, supporting professional Iraqi independent media while promoting your business to people all around the world or in targeted countries?
If so, contact Rob Knight or Jason Lambert on +45 8880 8860 or click here to send us your details.