Iraqi bloggers cover stories ignored in West

29/06/2011

New America Media | Commentary, John Chua
Posted: Jun 24, 2011
Editor’s Note: While Iraq bleeds, Western media have ignored heightened violence. And Iraqi bloggers—in English and Arabic--are increasingly important news sources.

When thousands in Sulaymaniyah, the second biggest city in the Kurdish region of Iraq, rose up in protests daily for two months this year, American and European media gave the movement and its results only minimal coverage. This was despite security forces having shot numerous protestors, injuring hundreds and killing at least 10.

Iraqbodycount.org reports an average of 11 people are still being killed each day by guns or bombs so far this year. But bombings and shootings in Iraq, especially small-scale daily killings, simply aren’t compelling news anymore in the West.

The grassroots political awakening creating seismic shocks across the Middle East and North Africa has reached Iraqi’s streets and blogsphere, as well. But when it comes to Iraq making headlines, a level of attention fatigue has long hit the Western press... [read the full article on the New America Media website].

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John Chua is an Associate Professor of Communications at Richmond The American International University in London.

Link to this page: http://www.richmond.ac.uk/n/1166.aspx