Revolution reports the launch of an independent online Iraqi news service, Voices of Iraq.
The Reuters Foundation is among the organizations supporting the news service, which will supply local, regional and international news media with breaking news from all over Iraq.
Originally, the site was a news exchange where Iraqi stringers could publish and share updates. Now the site publishes over 600 news items a month.
Revolution quotes Paolo Lembo, UNDP-Iraq’s director: “This project has brought momentum and a significant impulse to the creation of a free and reliable Iraqi media, and thus becomes part of the foundation for democratic progress. The establishment of an independent news agency represents an important step towards the strengthening of professional journalism in Iraq and an incomparable means to facilitate social dialogue and promote democracy.”
And Reuters editor in chief Geert Linnebank: “This new agency, the first of its kind in Iraq’s history, will have a profound effect on how this country’s story is told. Staffed and run by local journalists reporting on their own people and governments, I am sure it will become an indispensable source, which will provide a much fuller picture than we have today of the key issues and events really driving this country’s development.”
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