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The current phenomenon of mushrooming newspapers seems to have abated given the circumstances surrounding the publishers and the publication of some papers.
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From
only five newspapers with a total of 100,000 copies circulated among a
nation of 25 million, the number of newspapers published in Iraq has jumped
to 90 after the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime. And given the nation’s
decades-long thirst for freedom, the oppressive cloud of repression that
cast its heavy shadow on the Iraqi press has suddenly lifted, setting the
stage for an expected free-for-all chaos.
During
the Baathists’ rule, four out of the five official newspapers published by
the regime were strictly controlled and subjected to uniform restrictions.
Their headlines, news coverage, and the messages they conveyed were so
similar that it was difficult to differentiate among the newspapers were it
not for their different names. They all featured a photo of former president
Saddam Hussein on the front page, even if the articles published had no
reference to any of his activities. This became a tradition so established
that disregarding it was taboo.
With
strict instructions direct from the president’s office, Iraqi media were
centralized and fully controlled. No department, no matter how high
its level in government, was at liberty to introduce any changes.
Journalism
Under Saddam’s Rule
The
four official newspapers were Al-Thawra, published by the ruling Baath
Party; Al-Jumhuriyah, the government’s official paper; Al-Qadisiyah,
established during the Iraq-Iran war, was the mouthpiece of the armed
forces; and Al-Iraq, which was sponsored by the Kurdish parties that
supported the government. Thus the Iraqi print media and broadcasts were the
regime’s political conduit, fully dedicated to serving the government
interests inside and outside Iraq.
The
fifth newspaper, Babil, which was owned and edited by Uday Hussein,
Saddam’s son, was the exception: it published news that other newspapers
were forbidden to publish and dared to depart from the rigid
parameters defined by the authorities. It was the only paper that could
criticize or reproach any official disliked by Uday, no matter how senior
his position; the paper’s criticism of any official often signaled his
removal from government.
The
daily newspapers witnessed a major drop in sales not because they were
considered a propagandistic tool for the regime and its leader in particular
but because their prices increased drastically several times. Up to 1997,
the price of all the daily newspapers was five dinars per copy. This price
first jumped to 25 dinars then to 100 dinars before it reached 250 dinars in
2000. These drastic increases were not justified: there was no increase in
the number of pages nor were there changes in the layout. Thus, the Al-Jumhuriyah
had to reduce the number of copies it printed daily from 150,000 to 20,000,
and Al-Thawra reduced its circulation from 200,000 to 25,000 copies. Price
increases also forced Alif Ba, the only Iraqi weekly newspaper, to reduce
its circulation from 180,000 to 20,000 copies.
Mr.
Hasan Aswad, a newspaper peddler, said, “my customers are mainly
government workers, and in order for government workers to buy a daily
newspaper or a weekly magazine, they have to spend two-thirds of their
monthly salary. There is nothing useful in the papers: they do not speak
about the people’s concerns nor do they address their needs, except for
the “Complaints” section, which publishes replies from relevant
government departments. General interest in newspapers has reached an
all-time low.”
An
officer at the Political Orientation department, which is responsible for
creating media and political awareness and distributing daily newspapers
within the army, said that once former president Saddam Hussein was on a
visit to the officer’s unit, which was stationed on the Iranian border.
Saddam asked one of the soldiers if they received the daily newspapers. The
soldier spontaneously replied, “No, Sir. We’ve been placing our food on
the ground for a long time now.” Realizing that the soldiers were using
the newspapers to place their food on them instead of reading them, Saddam
laughed.
A
Media Explosion
In
the wake of the fall of Baghdad to the U.S.-British forces on April 9, 2003,
roadside newsstands overflowed with a variety of colorful newspapers.
Hussein Jassim Taha, a major newspaper distributor, pointed out that by the
third week of June 2003, the number of newspapers published in Iraq exceeded
90. Together with newspapers that appear every two days, there is a
hodgepodge of daily, weekly, semi-weekly and monthly newspapers that vary in
terms of focus and specialization. Some claim to be independent and others
adopt the stance of their sponsors and backers.
While
the majority of emerging newspapers are those affiliated with openly
declared political parties and movements, a large number of newspapers were
set up by the publishers of newspapers that were published in the 1940s and
1950s.
According
to Midhat Al-Rabi’i, director of the Legal Affairs Department at the
former Ministry of Information, there is no law that governs this wide range
of newspapers that vary in focus, size, political direction and agenda.
Religion
vs. Politics
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The occupied forces have threatened to control the press and punish the publishers who cross the new “red lines.”
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Newspapers
published by various political parties and movements were the first to
appear on the market. There were also newspapers aligned with
religious organizations that are based in Iraq but embrace the views of the
Iranian revolution.
Religious
newspapers have revealed the depth of the rift between the various
organizations and movements these papers represent, notwithstanding the fact
that they all follow Shiism.
Currently,
there is not a single newspaper that represents or expresses the views of
Sunni Muslims although nothing prevents them from publishing a paper.
During Saddam’s rule, a Sunni group published a monthly magazine entitled
Al-Fatwa, which had a circulation of 8,000 and was backed by the government.
With the overthrow of Saddam, the publication of the magazine was suspended
and it never returned to the market owing to the relationship between the
previous regime and the clergy who ran the magazine.
One
of the most important religious publications is Al-Kawthar, a semi-monthly
magazine that managed to survive under strict censorship during Saddam’s
rule. Its publication stopped a few months before the fall of Saddam’s
regime, but has since resumed. The importance of this magazine stems from
its simplified presentation of issues related to the Shiite sect, its focus
on the family of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), its moderate views and
abstention from attacking other sects. With a circulation of 30,000, Al-Kawthar
has become the most widely distributed magazine among both Shiites and
Sunnis.
Adil
Najih Al-Basisi, editor-in-chief of the Al-Kawthar, said that his magazine
depends entirely on its sales revenue and does not receive funds from any
organization or group. It is not affiliated with any sect or religious group
despite its clear Shiite leanings. The magazine is published in the holy
city of Najaf, where it is edited and printed.
Newspaper
vendors stated that many publications of religious groups have witnessed a
decline in sales, and readers receive them with apathy. This can be
attributed to the papers’ exaggerated approach in their coverage of
Shiite icons as well as the constant focus on prominent Shiite clergy, which
makes the material published repetitive and sometimes unappealing..
What
contributed to the decline in the popularity of these religion-oriented
publications is the tendency of other independent newspapers to extensively
cover issues related to the Shiites and their religious leaders. According
to Sabti Khdair, a major distributor, the publishers of these papers use
such coverage for promoting their papers and increasing their sales. The
circulation of most of these papers does not exceed 3,000 copies, of which
about 50 per cent are returned.
The
circulation of independent daily and weekly newspapers is not stable. A
newspaper whose price is less than 250 dinars per copy sells just over 3,000
copies at best. These papers depend on an element of sensationalism and use
exciting headlines, news stories, and images of half-naked women. There are
newspapers that appear on the market for a week before disappearing for
another; thereafter, the same papers could resurface under the disguise of
new names.
Imminent
Legal Disputes
Mr.
Hussein Al-Samiraii, general director of Al-Rawabit for Publication and
Distribution, one of three private corporations in Iraq, stated that because
some newly published newspapers have been launched under the names of
previously well-known newspapers, legal disputes are imminent; for example,
the heirs of the publisher of the once well-known Al-Zaman newspaper have
strongly objected to the use of the name of their paper by an Iraqi
newspaper published in London. They are threatening to file a law suite,
citing the laws that forbid individuals and companies from arrogating legal
names used by others to themselves.
Al-Zaman
is considered one of the popular newspapers throughout Iraq although its
circulation does not exceed 15,000. Also popular are Al-Sa’ah, which is
published by Shaikh Ahamd Al-Kubaysi, a Muslim da’iah (missionary) based
in the United Arab Emirates, and Al-Ittihad, the mouthpiece of the Kurdistan
Democratic Union; the circulation of both papers is close to that of Al-Zaman;
however, Al-Ittihad’s popularity and wide distribution is mainly
attributed to its low price, which does not exceed 150 dinars.
Free
Distribution
According
to Al-Samiraii, there are two newspapers printed in large quantities (50,000
copies) and, despite their claim of independence, are often distributed free
of charge by coalition forces stationed at street corners. These are Al-Sabah,
a colour newspaper whose front page features news of the activities of the
coalition forces, and Sumer, which publishes articles and analysis
supportive of the coalition forces.
The
U.S. forces supervise the publication of a weekly magazine entitled Al-Iraq
Al-Yaum. Published in both Arabic and English and distributed free of
charge, the paper promotes the views of the U.S. military leadership.
Most
of the journalists currently working for Iraqi newspapers, particularly
professional journalists, had worked for the newspapers of the previous
regime. Well known journalists who held senior positions during Saddam’s
rule have absented themselves from journalism. For some, this is because of
an ideological stance; for others, it is because of the wish to maintain
self-respect and social status.
Deluded
into thinking that the newspaper business would earn them large profits,
some well-to-do individuals have embarked on publishing a paper. Some
entrepreneurs fancied the idea of publishing a weekly newspaper, but
after the first issue appeared on the market, they found it difficult to
sustain the publication either because of their lack of publishable material
or because of the loss they incurred as they could only sell 200 out of the
5,000 copies printed.
A
Bleak Future
The
Iraqi press’ current situation, a natural result of the freedom from
repression and the lifting of censorship, is indicative of the enjoyment of
freedom of expression -- a goal that all political forces and parties in
Iraq have been seeking for more than 31 years.
However,
it is doubtful that this freedom will last considering the arbitrary
measures that the occupied forces have threatened to take in order to
control the press and punish the publishers who cross the “red lines.”
However the current phenomenon of mushrooming newspapers seems to have
abated given the circumstances surrounding the publishers and the
publication of some papers, the lack of funding that is essential for
sustaining a publication, and the stiff competition from newspapers that
have financial and technical backing.
Kamel
Al-Sharqy is an Iraqi Jounalist and a past Editor in Chief of Alif Ba, Iraqi weekly newspaper
