The Presence and Use of Interactive Features on Kurdish News Websites in the Iraqi Kurdistan region. A case study of interactivity of news Kurdish websites of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region

Abstract

Internet has emerged as an interactive platform. Thus, new communication technologies are challenging the traditional media with interactive devices turning online journalism into a rich media environment. While new information technologies have enabled media organisations to use interactive features in the constructed presentation of news websites, few news websites in the Iraqi Kurdistan region are maximizing such features. Also, this thesis argues that despite the lack of a good infrastructure in the field of communication technology and the Internet in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region (IKR), online journalism has become a major part of Kurdish media outlets and distinctive from traditional media because of its interactive nature. The study presented in this thesis focus on interactivity in online journalism by examine interactive features of Kurdish news websites of the (IKR) and analyses how news is presented and to what extent these news websites tried to apply the interactive features on their hompages and inside the news pages. The level of interactivity of those Kurdish websites was also measured using several dimensions of interactivity by conducting web-based content analysis. The analysis of the qualitative part based on in-depth interviews with Kurdish reporters, editors, editor in chiefs, media experts and web developers. The findings show that the Kurdish news websites did not fully utilize and enhance interactive features in online journalism.