A master’s thesis titled “Levels of Media Disinformation in Security Issues on the Websites of Arab Newspapers: An Analytical Study” was discussed at the College of Mass Communication, University of Baghdad.
The thesis was presented by Fouad Talib Abdul Kadhim, a researcher from the Department of Digital Journalism.
The examination committee was chaired by Assist. Prof. Dr. Nada Aboud Jarallah, with Assist. Prof. Dr. Bayraq Hussein serving as the supervisor. Committee members included Lecturer Dr. Yusra Hamza and Assist. Prof. Dr. Ahmed Mawlood as the external examiner.
The study aimed to identify the methods and mechanisms used by the selected sample to practice media disinformation in relation to security issues, as well as the persuasive appeals employed to mislead audiences through security-related content published on the websites of the selected newspapers.
The research adopted a descriptive approach using the survey method and content analysis. The researcher analyzed the websites of three Arab newspapers: Asharq Al-Awsat (Saudi Arabia), Al-Rai (Jordan), and Al-Sabah (Iraq).
The findings revealed that emotional appeals ranked first among the techniques used in media disinformation related to security issues. Military-related content was also the most prominent category of misleading security coverage across the newspapers examined, reflecting the sensitivity of such topics.
The outcomes of the study are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 4 (Quality Education) and Goal 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).
