By Jamison Watt
Kurdish Journalism on the Global Stage: A Progressive Look into the New Middle East
In the era of free and easy information from the likes of Google and AI, the role of meaningful journalism has never been more critical. As the Middle East grapples with rapid technological and political changes, the Kurdistan Region has emerged as a progressive example of how the next generation of the Middle East could look. Its journalistic efforts are vital to advancing the Kurdish voice into the global conversation, offering up-to-date coverage and unique local perspectives that foster dialogue on important issues for the next generation. This voice can importantly inform an international audience, cultivate better dialogue, and highlight an up-and-coming developing community. As it does this, the Kurdish free press stands as a pillar in a region historically plagued by the control of information.
Kurdish Journalism first emerged on the global stage in 2014 as ISIS quickly rode across Syria and Iraq. While many international news outlets weren’t yet well positioned to cover the events or the work of the Kurdish Peshmerga, Kurdish journalism opened the eyes of a global audience seeking to make sense of the unfolding events by offering a reliable, free, and progressive voice around these events. One begins to wonder about the impact on the global mobilization efforts against ISIS (including the formation of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS) had it not been for the work of Kurdish journalism to quickly and reliably provide up-to-date coverage of events such as the Sinjar massacre or the seizing of Mosul.
In a region that has a history of previous repression of free speech (e.g., the Baathist regime) or the control of information (e.g., the current Iranian government), Kurdish journalism has played a pivotal role in promoting accountability for leaders and governments. At its core, journalism serves as a check of power to expose societal abuses, injustices, or corruption that may go unnoticed. Journalists function as watchdogs, allowing audiences to scrutinize the dynamics of Middle Eastern power brokers. While I can only speak to my experiences, I will note how refreshing it has been to write with the Kurdish Globe in two different stints over the past decade and to have no pressure to cover specific events, puff up any government entity, and give a particular slant of things. Not many newspapers in the Middle East would invite an American to speak freely and without influence on issues of Kurdish culture, politics, and economy without significant censorship or pressure. Making space for critical voices is key in building a society where disagreement is not squashed (as we have seen in repressive regimes in the last decades, such as the Assad regime in Syria) but welcomed in constructive dialogues that can help pave a better future.
In a globalized world, it would be fair to question the value of local and boutique journalism from smaller outlets like the Kurdish Globe. In referring to ‘Boutique journalism’, I mean a journalism that focuses on specialized topics or analysis that more prominent news outlets may not cover. If the goal of journalism is simply a telling of “what happened,” then more prominent outlets like Reuters or even social media can fit the bill. However, boutique journalism has incredible value in cultivating better dialogue through empowering experts and other voices from the public to stir conversation and engagement about topics critical for societal development, even if they aren’t top news stories. For instance, last month, I had the privilege of writing very localized op-ed pieces on non-motorized commuting or the degradation of the Kurdish family unit through the loss of family meals in an urbanizing context. These are not top-line news pieces by any means, and many outlets would consider them dispensable, but boutique journalism offers a medium for a necessary long-term conversation that is important in developing a healthy democracy.
In conclusion, while Kurdish journalism has indeed provided a front-row voice for the world during several key crises of the past twenty years, its value transcends more than mere reporting. It is an indispensable force for democracy and societal progress through fostering dialogue, focus on more minor community issues, commitment to freedom, and the development of meaningful opinions for an informed public. As we press deeper into the modern information age, the role and value of old-fashioned journalism, particularly concerning Kurdish issues, is more important than ever to provide a window for the world into a progressive, new Middle East.