Kamal Raouf speaks to 964media during a conference in Erbil marking Kurdish Journalism Day. (Photo: 964media)
Event marking Kurdish Journalism Day
Kurdish media fragmented along party lines, says Shar Press director
ERBIL — Kurdish media is fragmented along political lines and has failed to serve as a unifying force in society, said Kamal Raouf, director of Shar Press newspaper, during a conference in Erbil marking Kurdish Journalism Day.
Speaking at an event titled Kurdish Journalism and the National Question, organized by the Shar Research Center, Raouf said the forum was initially planned for Kirkuk but was moved due to a lack of suitable venues.
“In the Kurdistan Region, media is divided among political parties. As a result, society is divided, and the media has not been able to serve as a unifying force,” Raouf told 964media.
“We see this fragmentation as a threat. We lack an unified media,” he said.
Kurdish Journalism Day is marked annually on April 22 to commemorate the first Kurdish newspaper, Kurdistan, published in Cairo in 1898 by Mikdad Midhat Bedir Khan. Over four years, Kurdistan published 31 issues and is credited with articulating early Kurdish national identity.
Raouf said party influence remains dominant across the media landscape, citing the presence of affiliated channels and “shadow media,” known in Kurdish as sêber. He emphasized the need for Kurdish media to address broader societal issues and foster cohesion beyond political divisions.
“Media should play a role in unifying society, raising awareness, and conveying public messages, with this role spanning all fields — from environmental and health issues to societal and national concerns,” he said.
Raouf also criticized the political environment for stifling journalism. “I believe we are currently in a period of decline in journalism, which is connected to the governance model in the country where there is limited listening and attention,” he said.
The Kurdistan Region’s major political parties operate numerous affiliated outlets.
In January, the Metro Center for Journalists’ Rights and Advocacy reported 182 violations against journalists in the Kurdistan Region in 2024 — a 20% drop from the previous year — but still described the period as “a difficult year,” citing threats, detentions, and lawsuits.
