Media development and its indicators ; the Iraqi KUrdistan Region between 1991-2021 as an example

Abstract

This study was written with the aim of better understanding the concept of “media development indicators”. In terms of methodology; Observation and Focus groups were used as the two primary data collection and thematic analysis research methods. Meanwhile, printed, broadcast, and digital media messages from the period 1991–2021 are included in the study sample. The importance of this paper is reflected in its title. This study concludes that the concept of media development in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region; has been less discussed and has not yet become an issue of interest to most Kurdish media producers and users. This situation has led to; the media and journalists must move from defending national identity to guerrilla warfare on the Internet and losing their professional identity on social networks and becoming a significant cause of media backwardness. Therefore, the indicators of media development during the three periods of 1991-2021 are not scientifically organized and interpreted and are not classified as the five UNESCO-recognized indicators of the researchers of this study; as much as they see and deal with the negative indicators of the development of the media, they do not see half of the positive indicators and do not hide that the “media Ba'athist” still has its legacy in media discourse, message, product, and management. Even with so many opportunities; there have been and still are political, economic, cultural, legal, and professional obstacles. In other words, freedom of expression, journalism, the right to know,