A doctoral dissertation titled “Iraq’s Image in International News Websites and Its Impact on Iraqi Audience Attitudes: A Survey Study” was discussed at the College of Mass Communication, University of Baghdad. The dissertation was submitted by researcher Hussam Habib Hussein from the Department of Digital Journalism.
The discussion committee was chaired by Prof. Dr. Laith Badr Yousif, with Prof. Dr. Shukriya Kokaz Al-Sarraj as supervisor. Committee members included Prof. Dr. Salem Jassim Mohammed, Assistant Professor Dr. Basim Waheed Joni, and Assistant Professor Dr. Rawa Hadi Saleh. Prof. Dr. Batoul Abdulaziz Rashid from the College of Mass Communication at the Iraqi University served as an external committee member.
The dissertation aimed to identify the issues and topics that international news websites focus on when covering Iraqi affairs and to analyze the trends in the media image of Iraq presented by these websites. It also examined the extent to which Iraqi audiences rely on these platforms to follow news and information.
The findings showed that political issues ranked first among the topics emphasized by international news websites in their coverage of Iraq. The websites also relied heavily on the news story as the most commonly used format for presenting issues. The study further found that audiences rely considerably on these websites due to the speed with which information is delivered.
The study concluded with a number of recommendations, most notably the need to place greater emphasis on investigative journalism when covering Iraqi affairs, expand comparative studies between local and international news websites to better understand how Iraq’s media image is constructed, and develop local media discourse while highlighting positive aspects of Iraq.
The findings align with the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, by promoting transparent media discourse that supports access to accurate information and contributes to national stability and development, while helping narrow the gap between local realities and international perceptions.
