Iraq was home to the first television station in the Middle East, which began during the 1950s. As part of a plan to help Iraq modernize, English telecommunications company Pye Limited built and commissioned a television broadcast station in the capital city of Baghdad.[1] Following the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, the Iraqi state media collapsed. In June 2004, a Communications and Media Commission was set up to approve and grant license for all the country's media.[2] By 2011, Iraq was the headquarters of 49 free-to-air satellite channels, one of the highest numbers in the region.[2] Until 2003, satellite dishes were banned in Iraq, and there was a limited number of national terrestrial stations.[2] After 2003, the sale of satellite dishes surged, and free-to-air channels entered the market.[2] There are 17 terrestrial channels, of which one is funded by the US government through the U.S. Agency for Global Media (Alhurra-Iraq), and seven are owned by the state broadcaster Iraqi Media Network.[2] In March 2011, Al Jazeera was granted rights to resume operations after being banned in 2004.[2] Plans were established to set up a free-media zone based in Baghdad, the Baghdad Media City, by the end of 2014.[2]

History

1956-2003

Television first arrived in Iraq on 2 May 1956, at first only in the Baghdad area with a station named Baghdad Television (BTV) on channel 8, switching to channel 9 in November 1959 after an increasing of its power. On 18 November 1967 the second TV station opened in Kirkuk,[3] on 2 March 1968 a new transmitter had been opened in Mosul and on 6 November 1968 in Basrah.[4] On 30 July 1972 Baghdad Television opened its second TV station on channel 7, and in 1974 two new stations opened in Amarah (capital city of the Maysan Governorate) and Samawah (capital city of the Muthanna Governorate), the latter one opening in March.[5] In July 1976 colour television was introduced using the French SECAM system.[6][7] By 1976 the entire country could receive broadcasts from the central station in Baghdad after the installation of a microwave relay system.

Baghdad Television was the primary TV station[8] in Iraq while Saddam Hussein was in power. Until the 2003 invasion of Iraq, much of its programming was patriotic music videos, government news and propaganda. It ceased broadcasting during the 2003 invasion when the transmitter network became inoperable due to bombing raids.

A second TV channel was established on 30 July 1972 broadcasting on channel 7 in the Baghdad area.[5] The channel was renamed Youth Channel (Qanaat Al-Shabaab) on 17 July 1993 and broadcast subtitled Western movies and music videos before the 2003 invasion. Foreign programmes were censored to remove strong language, sex and violence so programming would be suitable for all ages. Other channels available included Baghdad Cultural TV, Al-Shabaab 2 and Iraq Satellite Channel.

Because BTV was free to air, it also received a substantial amount of attention from viewers outside Iraq, particularly during the 2003 invasion of the country.

2003-present

Many TV stations have appeared since the fall of Saddam. Under the direction of Ambassador L. Paul Bremer III as the Administrator, the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) began issuing radio and television licenses in June 2003 to meet the great demand for broadcasting licenses. The licenses were issued by the CPA Senior Adviser for Telecommunications. To plan for the expected great demand, this CPA office worked with Iraqi radio-frequency spectrum engineers and managers to develop a national FM-radio and TV channel allotment plan for all of the major Iraqi cities and towns. The national plan was developed using technical criteria and the Region 1 (Europe, Africa and the Middle East) allotment plan that was developed years before by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a United Nations treaty organization. The Iraqi allotment plan consisted of hundreds of FM radio and TV stations allotted to the cities and towns. The channels in the allotment plan were then open to anyone to apply for a license for a particular channel.

The CPA developed a few basic rules and regulations in June and July 2003 to provide a limited regulatory control of the broadcasters. For example, broadcasts inciting riots were prohibited. The overall CPA objective was to issue many licenses to provide for a plethora of diverse voices, information, music, and news to satisfy the desires and tastes of the Iraqi citizens. The CPA also recognized that broadcasting was a combination of business, advertising, journalism, engineering, and entertainment, and a robust and thriving broadcasting industry could provide a large number of excellent and highly desirable professional jobs that would reduce national unemployment. The CPA also recognized that commercial broadcasting could provide wealth-building opportunities to successful broadcasters.

The Iraqi Media Network (IMN), a public broadcasting network similar to the Public Broadcasting System in the United States, was issued radio and TV licenses by the CPA.

The CPA continued its work as the national broadcasting licensing and regulatory authority until June 2004 when the Iraq Communications and Media Commission (CMC) was established as the national regulatory agency that would issue licenses and regulate broadcasting and telecommunications.

In August 2014, LANA TV a new general entertainment channel started broadcasting regional series dubbed in Iraqi dialect. This is the first time that a TV Channel is broadcasting high quality Iraqi dubbing. LANA TV has hired Iraq's top theatre actors and actress such as Ustad Sami Qeftan to train the dubbing artists.

The overall result is that there are hundreds of radio and television stations operating in Iraq.

List of channels

(Iraqi Kurdistan)

Channel Category Owner/Political Party United MixMediaiStar HDHD BoxFamily Box
4 Chra Yes
Afarin Kids TV Kids Afarin Company YesYesYesYes
ACE Kids Kids Yes
ACE Music Music Yes
ACE Movies Cinema, Film Yes
All Doc HD Documentary Yes
All Sport HD Sport Yes
Amozhgary Religious YesYes
Ankawa HD Yes
Art Tv Yes
Asman HD Yes
ASO Sport Tv Sport Yes
Astera HD YesYesYes
Astera Baby Kids NoYesYes
Astera Documentary Documentary NoYesYes
Astera Movies Cinema, Film NoYesYes
Astera Music Music NoYesYes
Astera Show NoYesYes
Astera Sport Sport NoYesYes
AUC1 Kurdistan TV Business No
AUC2 Kurdistan TV Business No
Azadi Tv Yes
BabyPanda HD Kids NoYes
Bangawaz Religious YesYes
Best HD Yes
Biaban HD Yes
Biaban Family HD Yes
Biaban Movies HD Cinema, Film Yes
Biaban Music HD Music Yes
Biaban Sport HD Sport Yes
Bablyon TV English Music Yes
Badinan TV No
Business Media Channel (BMC) Business Yes
Chara HD YesYes
Cihan HD Yes
Dahen Tv YesYesYes
Delal TV Yes
Democracy HD General YesYes
Derwaze HD Yes
DUHOK Yes
Effect HD Yes
ESTA Yes
Falcon Eye HD Yes
Falcon Family HD Yes
Gali Kurdistan Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Yes
Gali Kurdistan Slemani Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Yes
Gali Kurdistan Sport Sport Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Yes
Gali Kurdistan Hawler Patriotic Union of Kurdistan YesYes
GEM KURD General No
Hawler TV No
Hettaw TV No
iBaby HD Kids YesYes
iMovies HD Cinema, Film YesYes
Jamawari Kurdistan HD Kurdistan Socialist Democratic Party Yes
Jojo Mama Kids YesYes
JSN HD Yes
Judi YesYes
Kurdistan K24 News, Documentary Kurdistan Democratic Party
Masrour Barzani
YesYesYesYes
Kanal4 No
KIRKUK General Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Yes
KOMALL HD Religious YesYesYes
Korek TV Music YesYes
Kurd Shop Shopping No
Kurd Sport TV Sport Patriotic Union of Kurdistan No
Kurdistan Sport HD Sport Yes
Kurd1 Channel No
Kurdish News Network (KNN) News Gorran Movement Yes
Kurdistan Parliament TV Government Kurdistan Regional Government No
Kurdistan TV General Kurdistan Democratic Party Yes
Kurdmax YesYes
Kurdmax Music Music NoYes
Kurdmax Show YesYes
Kurdmax Pepule Kids YesYes
Kurdsat General Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Yes
Kurdsat News News Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Yes
LAWAN HD YesYes
Live Dream Marketing HD Box NoNoYesNo
MaxTV Music Yes
MINARA YesYes
Net TV General Aramo Media YesYes
New Art No
Newline 1 YesYesYesYes
Newline 2 YesYesYesYes
Newline Bollywood NoYesNo
Newline Kids Kids NoYesNo
Newline Movies Cinema, Film NoYesNo
Niga Family HD YesYes
Niga Kids Kids YesYes
Niga Movies Cinema, Film YesYes
NIROJ TV No
Nishtimani MN HD YesYes
NRT News News New Generation Movement
Shaswar Abdulwahid Qadir
YesYes
NRT2 General New Generation Movement
Shaswar Abdulwahid Qadir
YesYes
NRT3 Kids New Generation Movement
Shaswar Abdulwahid Qadir
YesYes
NRT4 Religious New Generation Movement
Shaswar Abdulwahid Qadir
YesYes
ntv Drama Yes
Payam Tv Religious Kurdistan Islamic Group YesYes
Pelistank TV Kids Yes
Parwarda Education Yes
Qalat Tv Yes
Rangin TV No
Rasan YesYes
Rebari No
Rega Political Communist Party of Kurdistan No
Reklam 4u Marketing No
Reng (TV channel) YesYes
Reng Documentary Documentary YesYes
Reng Kids Kids Yes
Reng Music Music Yes
Rudaw News, Documentary Kurdistan Democratic Party
Nechirvan Barzani
YesYesYesYes
Silemani Tv Yes
Speda TV Religious Kurdistan Islamic Union Yes
Srusht Religious YesYesYes
Tueshw HD Yes
U TV Religious Kurdistan Islamic Union YesYesYes
U2 Channel Religious Kurdistan Islamic Union YesYesYes
U TV Sulaimani Religious Kurdistan Islamic Union YesYes
UMM Marketing United MixMedia YesNoNoNo
Vîn TV Music Sarkat Junad Rekani & Kawa Junad Rekani No
WAAR TV General Palo Co. YesYesYesYes
WAAR TV Sport Sport No
Xak TV Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Yes
Xak Kids Kids Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Yes
Xak Movies Cinema, Film Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Yes
Xak Music Music Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Yes
Xezan HD Music NoYes
Zagros TV General Kurdistan Democratic Party YesYes
Zaro tv Government, Kids Kurdistan Regional Government No
Zarok TV (Based in Turkey) Kids No

(Rest of Iraq)

Channel Category Owner/Political Party Broadcaster
Al Anwar TV 2 Religious
Al Hurra Iraq News United States
Radio Sawa General United States
Aletejah TV News, Political Kata'ib Hezbollah
Al Iraqiya News Republic of Iraq
Al Iraqiya Business Business Republic of Iraq
Al Iraqyia Educational Educational Republic of Iraq
Al Iraqyia Aramaic General Republic of Iraq
Al Iraqyia Turkmen General Republic of Iraq
Al Iraqyia Kurd General Republic of Iraq
AL Iraqyia Sports Republic of Iraq
Al Falluja TV General Khamis Al-Khanjar
Al Sharqiya General Saad al-Bazzaz
Al Sumaria General Businessmen
Al Baghdadia TV General Awn Al Khashlok
Al Forat News Ammar al-Hakim
Al Rasheed TV General Saad Asem Al-Janabi
Al Rafidain TV News, Political
Al Remas TV Music
Ashur TV Assyrian Democratic Movement
Afaq TV Nuri al-Maliki
Anbar TV General Al-Anbar Governorate
Aghanina TV Music
iNEWS TV News
Nawa TV
Biladi Ibrahim Al-Jaafari
Baghdad TV
Dijla TV General Jamal Al-Karboli
Ahlulbayt TV Religious
Al Masar
Al Fayha
Ishtar TV General Chaldean Syriac Assyrian Popular Council
Babylon TV General
LANA TV
Mosul TV General Ghazi Faisal
Asia Network Television General
Karbala TV Religious
Alahad TV News, Religious Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq
Hadi TV Hadi Foundation
Iraq 24 Television Business Ali Wayieh
MBC Iraq General Middle East Broadcasting Center
UTV General Sarmad Al Khanjar
Turkmeneli TV General Turkmen Front
Shabab Sports Sports Businessmen
Samarra TV General Businessmen
Sama Al Mosul General Businessmen
Saladin TV General Saladin Governorate

See also

References

  1. Cafe, Kirt Blattenberger RF. "Middle East Gets Its First Television Station, June 1955 Popular Electronics". Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Arab Media Outlook 2011-2015" (PDF). 2012. pp. 179–180. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  3. A. Al-Rawi (7 August 2012). Media Practice in Iraq. ISBN 9781137271648. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  4. "Television Factbook 1970-1971" (PDF). p. 1044. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  5. 1 2 "Television Factbook 1977" (PDF). 1977. p. 1110. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  6. The Asian Messenger
  7. Douglas A. Boyd (October 1982). "Radio and Television in Iraq: The Electronic Media in a Transitionary Arab World Country". Middle Eastern Studies. 18 (4): 400–410. doi:10.1080/00263208208700522. JSTOR 4282908.
  8. "How to watch Saddam's TV network on the Web. - by Paul Boutin - Slate Magazine". Archived from the original on 25 December 2009. Retrieved 15 January 2010.
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