The Role of Regional Media in Shaping the Political Process in Iraq amidst Contemporary Transformations

Abstract

 This study examines the role of regional media in the political process in Iraq, in light of the political and media transformations the country has witnessed since 2003. It begins with the question of the extent to which this media can influence the formation of political awareness and support public political participation. The researcher adopted the survey method as a tool for collecting quantitative data, using a questionnaire administered to a sample of 100 individuals. The study reached several conclusions, most notably: regional media enjoys significant readership (57.4%) among the sample, and it contributes significantly to shaping political trends. The study also revealed a statistically significant relationship between the degree of reliance on news channels and their diversity (chi² = 19.45). The study concludes with the necessity of developing media performance and strengthening press independence