Iraqi Demonstrations.. Regional media coverage .. Facebook is doing the task

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Iraqi Media House

Iraqi Demonstrations.. Regional media coverage .. Facebook is doing the task

In its 35th report, the Iraqi Media House monitored the media coverage of the local media during the demonstrations in the southern and central cities in July 2018, and the repercussions of the Internet service interruption  in conjunction with the protests, and how it affected the media coverage and the difficulties of journalists in the performance of their work, as well as the absence of information that they have to publish it.

The report monitors the number and quality of news coverage on the demonstrations for more than 40 media outlets, including TVs, newspapers, agencies and news sites, and It focuses on counting the content and types of the news and how it is handled, and then analyzing it according to the accepted professional standards of journalism.

 A wide audience of coordinating committees for demonstrations and public figures criticized the media for the poor media coverage of the protests and other media outlets for using regional coverage that included only one side of the crisis either official bodies or demonstrators, while the media used expressions of hatred and incitement during the protest period.

The weakness of the Internet service and its interruption for days, and the security measures taken by the security forces hindered the media and journalists from their work in covering the demonstrations, while the media resorted to social media to get news, photos and videos, it turns out that some of them were old and were not checked by news editors.

A report reached the following conclusions:

1. The absence of field coverage of the demonstrations in a remarkable manner, especially in the early days of its launch, due to the disregard of the media on the one hand, and security measures include the need to obtain prior approvals and decisions to prevent the entry of live broadcasters and cameras to the sites of demonstrations on the other hand,The disruption of the Internet has contributed to the difficulty of sending media correspondents to news, photos and videos to the editing rooms. This was reflected in the poor quality of coverage focused on the news, with the use of photographs and archival videos dating back to previous demonstrations.
2. The monitoring report noted that the media covered the demonstrations unilaterally, and some focused on the official and political side of the demonstrations and neglected the side of the demonstrators, while other media focused on the side of the demonstrations and neglected the official side to come out of the coverage distorted which does not reflect the reality on the ground, another  media focused on the fack number of dead and wounded in the ranks of the security forces, while neglecting the numbers of dead and wounded of the demonstrators, and vice versa.
3. Media used demonstrations for political purposes, where the adoption of media positions strongly supportive of the demonstrations, expressed the position of parties and politicians funded to the media, In order to exploit the protests to criticize politicians opponents with the reference to the coverage neglected field side and focused on statements and statements and press conferences, in contrast to adopted media positions against the demonstrations based on political positions of the parties included charges of competing political forces.
4. The media coverage of the media included expressions of incitement and hate speech that contributed to the raging of the public opinion on social media, With rumors spread about peace and social security among them one of them is that the security forces deployed around the demonstrations are residents of Mosul and Anbar and seek revenge against the people who live in the south of Iraq.
5. Media ignored the principle of neutrality in covering the crisis, and its TV programs and reports included hosting one party without another, by hosting politicians and government officials to discuss the demonstrations without hosting representatives of the demonstrations, and vice versa were hosted protesters  only, although the media coverage require a representative of the official bodies .
6.  Media occurred in a professional mistakes such as  protest's  places and the protesters preparation, Media reported that there were demonstrations near oil positions or government buildings identified by name, but it turned out that the demonstrations were in other locations. This refers to the negligence of making sure that information in social media without relying on correspondents on the ground.
7. Due to the interruption of the Internet service, the media in the trap images and video clips fabricated for the demonstrations, Where the media had to use the social media sites to get images and videos, this is a true method followed in the global media, But the media must first confirm the authenticity of these images and videos but they  published such news as new,then they found that these images and videos is old, dating back to previous demonstrations years ago.

Recommendations:

1. Media organizations should give the professional side to cover important events such as the demonstrations as a top priority, and to realize the dangerous role played by the media through non-professional coverage, to mobilize public opinion and cause chaos, to emphasize the need for field coverage of gatherings and demonstrations and to communicate with demonstrators and official bodies before issuing their reports.
2. The official authorities must recognize the seriousness of cutting the Internet service in blocking information about the public on a large issue such as demonstrations and the resulting social discontent to prevent him from the right to access the information, and realize that cutting off the Internet allows the spread of false news through pictures and videos to be published from Internet platforms in times of cutting the public to monopolize public opinion through images and video clips fabricated.
3. The official authorities to recognize that the imposition of restrictions on the media in covering the demonstrations will not prevent their transfer in the era of technology through personal mobile phones and live broadcast technologies through social networking sites, the imposition of restrictions on the media and the assault on correspondents affects Iraq's international reputation on the concepts of freedom of opinion and expression and refers it to lower degrees of dependence on the standards of global freedom of expression.
4. The media should avoid the use of provocative statements and hate speech during coverage of large events in the country, especially demonstrations because of their impact on peace and social security, and adherence to professional expressions in newsletters and the formulation of press reports, and the adoption of information and news is based on real sources.
5. The media should be cautious in dealing with the news, pictures and videos that spread on the social media sites during the demonstrations, and with the growing role played by these sites in the transfer of information and speed, the media organizations should allocate human resources trained in dealing with these sites to sort the correct news Of and false.