|
Iraqi MPs Attend Media Course in Erbil
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The International Research and Exchange Board (IREX), a U.S.-based nonprofit organization committed to global change, launched a media training course for more than 15 Iraqi MPs in Erbil last week.
During the course, Iraqi lawmakers were taught how to communicate with the media and get their message out to their constituencies.
Paul Richards, a communications consultant from the United Kingdom and the main trainer of the course, said, “Iraqi Parliament members have enough knowledge in media as some of them have worked in this field in the past. However, such training is crucial for every MP because it equips them with how to respond to journalists’ questions during interviews.”
Richards has been working in media for the past 25 years. He is currently working as the media adviser for British Parliament, and has conducted training for MPs in several countries, including Turkey and South Africa. He also instructed more than 50 parliamentary delegations during their visit to the United Kingdom.
“Kurdish media is making progress and heading towards diversity,” Richards said. “It seems from the newspapers and television channels that there are active media workers in the Kurdistan Region even though most of them have not studied professionally.”
He added, “Kurdish journalists are the heroes of their society. They have good experience but in order for them to reach an international standard and have influence, they need to grow, especially in the national media where they have a large audience.”
| 
