Iraqi TV viewers switch to stations with domestic programs, study reveals

 

Azzaman, 2004-09-22

 

Newly launched Iraqi channels with a focus on domestic affairs now seize more than 20% of the television viewing in Iraq, according to a survey.

 

The survey, by Baghdad University’s Centre for Psychological Studies, also reveals that Iraqi TV viewers are no longer as enchanted by major Arab satellite news channels.

 

While 64.4% still watch Arabic (non-Iraqi) channels, the viewers have switched away from major television news outlets such as Aljazeera and Alarabiya.

 

Foreign channels broadcasting in Arabic have seen their television market share in Iraq drop to about 13%, the study says.

 

The findings are a blow to the Qatar-based Aljazeera and the UAE-based Alarabiya whose viewing has slumped to 15.1% and 7% respectively, according to the study.

 

On the other hand, the Egyptian satellite channel where entertainment dominates programming attracts the largest number of Iraqi television viewers.

 

The study shows that 24.2% of the 2,000 respondents who took part in the investigation watch the Egyptian channel regularly.

 

Some 18.1% still watch the Lebanese LBS and 6.1% view the Saudi MBC.

 

The respondents were given a list of ten top Arabic television channels to choose from.

 

They were also given a list containing nine major Iraqi channels beamed via satellite across the country.

 

More than half of them (53.1%) said they preferred al-Shariqiya, a newly launched 24-hour channel concentrating mostly on Iraqi affairs and domestic series and soap operas.

 

The survey, to be published on Thursday, also finds that 34.2% of viewers watch al-Iraqiya, another satellite channel with an interest on domestic affairs.

 

The US-sponsored al-Hurrah is only watched by 2.7% of viewers, the study shows.

 

Meantime, the study shows that Iraqis on average watch television for about 180 minutes a day.