A doctoral thesis titled “Utilizing American Alhurra and Russia Today Channels for Soft Power and Their Impact on the Image of the Two Countries among the Iraqi Public” was discussed at the College of Media, University of Baghdad. The researcher, Safaa Abbas Ghali, conducted the study in the Department of Radio and Television.
The examination committee included Dr. Amar Taher as the chairman, Dr. Hussein Ali Noor as the supervisor, Dr. Raad Jasim, Dr. Shareef Saeed, and Dr. Nada Aboud as members, with Dr. Wissam Mohammed from the Faculty of Media at Cairo University participating as an external member.
The research aimed to “understand the correlational relationship between the utilization of the two channels as a research sample for soft power in the news bulletins and their impact on the image of the United States of America and the Russian Federation among the Iraqi public.”
After a thorough study of the channels’ influence in utilizing the resources of political soft power and their effect on public perceptions, the researcher concluded that “media channels play a vital role in shaping the overall image of countries and influencing foreign policy.” Furthermore, the use of soft power is significant in affecting international policy and attracting more allies, with the public paying significant attention to these channels and considering them a primary source of information.
The research concluded that “media outlets have an influential role in directing and shaping the foreign policy of countries, emphasizing the importance of directing efforts toward effectively utilizing resources of soft power to achieve political objectives.”