Al Sharqiya

Infobox Network
network_name = Al-Sharqiya
network_
country = Iraq
network_type = Satellite television network
available = Middle East
slogan =
owner = Saad Bazzaz
key_people =
launch_date = 2004
website = [http://www.alsharqiya.com/ www.alsharqiya.com/]
:"For the Egyptian governorate, see Sharqia Governorate".Al Sharqiya ("The Eastern One") is Iraq's first privately owned satellite channel owned by the London-based Iraqi media tycoon Saad al-Bazzaz, a former head of radio and television under the Saddam Hussein regime until he defected in 1992. [ [http://www.tnr.com/doc.mhtml?i=20021223&s=zengerle122302&c=3 At Home Abroad] ] al-Bazzaz is also the Editor in Chief of the Azzaman newspaper. The station was launched in March 2004 and began regular transmission on 4 May 2004.

Al Sharqiya now has been gaining a growing audience with its mixture of popular current affairs, satire and comedy shows poking fun at the new Iraq. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4613849.stm One Day in Iraq: Media and comment] , "BBC"]

The satellite channel with the greatest reach in Iraq, according to a June Ipsos-Stat poll, is the Saudi-owned news channel Al Arabiya with 41 percent reach, followed by private Iraqi satellite channel Al Sharqiya at 40 percent. [ [http://www.mebshow.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=237&Itemid=371 Middle East Broadcasters - An Explosive market] ]

Sharqiya's director says his current staff of 100 hopes to capture a wide audience by using political comedy and the kind of impartial news coverage unheard of during decades of rule by ousted head of state Saddam Hussein. [ [http://ics.leeds.ac.uk/papers/vp01.cfm?outfit=pmt&requesttimeout=500&folder=1259&paper=1654 East counters West on Iraqi TV from ABC] ]

In 2006 the National Assembly of Iraq passed a resolution calling on the president to close down the channel for questioning the patriotism of those supporting new Regions of Iraq. [http://www.juancole.com/2006/10/end-of-press-freedom-in-iraq-al-zaman.html The End of Press Freedom in Iraq?] , "Informed Comment", 2006-10-17, accessed on 2008-09-14]

On 1 January 2007, the Iraqi government ordered the station closed on grounds of inciting sectarianism as in the days after the 30 December 2006 execution of Saddam Hussein, one of its well-known news readers was wearing black mourning clothes. As Al-Sharqiya broadcasts from Dubai, it is unclear what effect this order will have. [ [http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/PAR149158.htm Iraq shuts TV station for inciting sectarianism] ]

In August 2008 four staff were killed in Mosul whilst on assignment. [http://www.juancole.com/2008/09/28-killed-40-wounded-peshmerga-killed.html 4 Sharqiya Staff Kidnapped, Killed] , "Informed Comment", 2008-09-14] The channel's head of news, Ali Wajih, blamed the Iraqi Government's al-Iraqiyyah channel, saying their "campaign of slander" against the channel was "morally responsible" for the killings. [ [http://www.gulfinthemedia.com/index.php?m=afp&id=152152&lang=en&PHPSESSID=a4ed6d0e8da31ba751b74ce3e577a07e Iraq TV 'morally responsible' for crew's killing: Al-Sharqiyah] , "Gulf in the media", 2008-09-13]

Notes

External links

* [http://www.alsharqiya.com Official Site] ar icon