Shireen Abu Akleh, Al Jazeera Reporter and Daughter of Palestine.
May 11, 2023
Almost 100 journalists killed and 400 imprisoned in 2023, says report
December 8, 2023
Source: Al Jazeera Media Institute –
By Dr Abdulsamad Zangana –
The development of new technology in recent years has offered ordinary people various
online digital platform tools and internet access in providing news stories, information and
subjects of public interest in the Kurdistan Region Government-Iraq (KRI). This shifting
aspect has offered more opportunities for ordinary people to engage with other individuals
in many issues in order to discuss and argue matters relating to their everyday lives. The key
purpose of this research project will examine the role of citizen journalism in the increase of
public awareness in the Kurdish community in the KRI, particularly, that citizen journalism
provides a new opportunity for ordinary people to raise their voices about problems and
public matters in the KRI.
The sample of this research project encompasses the ‘ordinary’ people who use social media
platforms as sources of information and news concerning the KRI government policy. In the
research project, the focus is on the media students who interact with the blogs, posts and
footage that are produced by citizen journalism. The research project targeted 963 media
students in KRI universities and institutes. The total participation in the project reached
a high level of response: 315 students from 900 total. This aspect produces statistically
acceptable numbers to obtain a significant result for this research project. The sampling
process is mainly based on the survey method in this study. The online questionnaire form
includes many sections which are divided into four key sections. The first section contains
socio-demographic questions including: gender, age and level of education.
The research project applied the survey method in order to gather data and information
surrounding the role of citizen journalism in increasing awareness of individuals in the
Kurdish community. For this purpose, the researcher designed a questionnaire as the
primary tool for the data collection process from ordinary people who use social media
as a source of news and information. During the research project, online questionnaires
were distributed in two ways – via Facebook and email – to participants in the Kurdish
community, and this questionnaire looked for answers to questions from ordinary people,
such as to what extent citizen journalism helps users to obtain information and news about
public affairs and government policy.
The research project found that citizen journalism plays an essential role in increasing
awareness of the Kurdish community, especially mainstream journalism, which has helped
ordinary people to raise their voices in the KRI. Furthermore, citizen journalism carries
more advantages as digital sources of news, footage and information relating to public
affairs.
This research is submitted within Aljazeera Fellowship Program at Al Jazeera Media Institute:
A program launched by Al Jazeera Media Institute which aims to encourage
academic research as well as to provide journalists and researchers with an
opportunity to gain practical experiences and learn about applied practices in an indepth way that contributes to the improvement of the profession of journalism, with
the help of many Arab and international institutions.