Iraqi Media Network (Al Iraqiya)

What Iraqi Media Network (Al Iraqiya) does

Iraqi Media Network (IMN, also known as Al Iraqiya) is Iraq's official state-funded public broadcaster, established in its current form in 2003 following the change of regime, with institutional heritage tracing to Iraqi Television — founded May 2, 1956, as the first television station in the Middle East and the first Arabic-language channel in the world. The network operates a multi-platform media portfolio comprising six specialized satellite television channels (Iraqi News, Iraqiya General, Iraqi Kurdish, Iraqi Sports, Syriac, and Turkmen), three radio stations (Republic of Iraq Radio, Radio Al-Iraqiya, and Al-Furqan), the Al-Sabah daily newspaper, Network Magazine, the Iraqi News Agency (INA) with iOS and Android applications, and an original content production division.

IMN distributes its television channels via Nilesat (7/8°W, 12563 MHz, 27500 symbol rate, horizontal polarization) and Arabsat (26°E, vertical polarization), providing satellite coverage across the Middle East and North Africa, with AM/FM radio for domestic reach, online live streaming, and mobile applications. The network broadcasts in Arabic, Kurdish, English, Syriac, and Turkmen/Turkish, and maintains correspondents across all Iraqi provinces and multiple countries worldwide. The business model is primarily state-funded through the Iraqi public budget under the oversight of a Board of Trustees (مجلس الأمناء) chaired by Thaer Al-Ghanimi, with the network President — currently Karim Hammadi, appointed March 13, 2024 by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani — serving as chief executive. Advertising revenue and government-partnered content campaigns (e.g., with the Ministries of Finance, Health, and the Integrity Commission) provide supplementary income. IMN serves the full spectrum of Iraqi society — general public, Kurdish, Turkmen, Syriac/Christian communities, sports audiences, and youth — as well as Iraqi government institutions as a public-messaging platform.

Name

Iraqi Media Network (Al Iraqiya)

Legal name

Iraqi Media Network

Website

https://imn.iq

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Iraqi Media Network is Iraq's state-funded public broadcaster operating six satellite TV channels, three radio stations, two print publications, and a national news agency. Established in 2003 with heritage tracing to 1956, it broadcasts in Arabic, Kurdish, Syriac, and Turkmen across all Iraqi provinces.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Broadcasting

NAICS

Television Broadcasting Stations (516120), Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (5162)

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833), Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

International Multilingual/Diaspora Broadcasters (MPABAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

24/7 National & International News Channels (MPABAIAA), International Broadcast Networks (Operating Domestic Feeds) (MPABAAAN)

Keywords

• Public broadcasting services
• Satellite television channels
• Radio broadcasting network
• News agency services
• Multilingual media content

Headquarters

HQ city

Baghdad

HQ country

Iraq

HQ region

Middle East

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Public Funding: Publicly funded media institution financed from public budget, as a state media institution addressing all segments of Iraqi society.
2. Advertising Revenue: Commercial advertising space available across all television channels and digital platforms for businesses and organizations.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Iraqi Media Network (IMN) operates Iraq's official public broadcasting service, delivering news, entertainment, cultural, and educational programming through six satellite TV channels, three radio stations, a daily newspaper, a magazine, the Iraqi News Agency, and original drama/documentary productions. Programming is broadcast in Arabic, Kurdish, Syriac, Turkmen, and English to serve all segments of Iraqi society, with 24/7 operations and a correspondent network spanning all Iraqi provinces and many countries worldwide.

Product overview

Iraqi Media Network (IMN) operates a comprehensive multi-platform media network consisting of six satellite TV channels (Iraqi News, Iraqiya General, Iraqi Kurdish, Iraqi Sports, Syriac, and Turkmen), three radio stations (Republic of Iraq Radio, Radio Al-Iraqiya, Al-Furqan), print media (Al-Sabah newspaper, Network Magazine), the Iraqi News Agency with mobile applications, and original drama/content productions. The network is a publicly-funded state broadcaster that has evolved from the historic Iraqi Television (founded 1956) to a modern multi-media organization serving all segments of Iraqi society across Arabic, Kurdish, Syriac, and Turkmen languages.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Iraqi News Channel (العراقية الإخبارية)
• Iraqiya General Channel (العراقية العامة)
• Iraqi Kurdish Channel (العراقية كوردى)
• Iraqi Sports Channel (العراقية الرياضية)
• Syriac Channel (السريانية)
• Turkmen Channel (التركمانية)
• Republic of Iraq Radio (إذاعة جمهورية العراق)
• Radio Al-Iraqiya (راديو العراقية)
• Al-Furqan Radio (إذاعة الفرقان)
• Al-Sabah Newspaper (جريدة الصباح)
• Network Magazine (مجلة الشبكة)
• Iraqi News Agency (INA)
• IMN Original Productions
• Illustrated Encyclopedia of Iraq (موسوعة العراق المصورة)

Quantifiable outcome

• 70 years of continuous broadcasting since 1956
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ministry of FinancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2026Minister Faleh Sari affirmed support for IMN in delivering media coverage that reflects state priorities, with emphasis on economic and financial content to simplify information for public awareness.
• Communications and Media Commission (CMC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 June 2026IMN and CMC are preparing to sign a memorandum of understanding for joint cooperation in developing media performance, establishing professional standards, and coordinating regulatory compliance in accordance with legal frameworks.
• Ministry of HealthminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 May 2026Cooperation in supporting health messages and awareness campaigns, enhancing health culture and community awareness through IMN's broadcast reach.
• Integrity CommissionminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2026IMN committed to supporting anti-corruption awareness programs and highlighting Integrity Commission's activities to strengthen public awareness about combating corruption.
• Iraqi Football AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026IMN committed to dedicating media resources across all channels and directorates to support Iraqi football development, covering national teams and clubs in local, regional, and international competitions.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Al Jazeera Network: Pan-Arabic 24/7 news and current affairs broadcaster headquartered in Qatar. Direct competitor for Iraqi audience share across news, current affairs, and multi-language content; competes with IMN in the same audiences and advertising market.
• Al Arabiya: Pan-Arabic news network based in UAE with strong Saudi influence. Competes head-to-head with IMN's Iraqi News Channel for Arabic-speaking Iraqi viewership and government communications mandates.
• Saudi Broadcasting Authority (SBA): Saudi state-owned public broadcaster operating multiple TV channels and radio stations. Closely analogous to IMN in structure: government-funded multi-channel broadcaster with national coverage mandate.
• TRT (Turkish Radio and Television Corporation): Turkish state broadcaster operating multiple channels in numerous languages including Turkmen. Operates a Turkmen-language channel that directly competes with IMN's Turkmen Channel for Turkmen-speaking audiences in Iraq and the region.
• Sky News Arabia: Abu Dhabi-based 24/7 Arabic news channel. Competes directly with IMN's Iraqi News Channel on news and current affairs coverage of Iraqi political and regional events.
• Al Mayadeen: Lebanon-based pan-Arabic news network with significant political-coverage focus. Competes with IMN for Arabic-speaking Iraqi audiences, particularly on political and resistance-axis narratives.
• Abu Dhabi Media Company: UAE state-backed media group operating multiple channels (including Emarat TV) and platforms. Closely comparable in scale and structure to IMN as a Gulf state broadcaster with multi-platform distribution.
• Jordan Radio and Television Corporation (JRTV): Jordanian state public broadcaster operating multiple TV channels and radio stations. Closely analogous to IMN as an Arab state public broadcaster with cross-border satellite distribution and similar multi-platform mandate.

Broad incumbents

• BBC Arabic Service: BBC's Arabic-language news and current affairs platform with global editorial standards. Competes for premium Iraqi viewership and provides a benchmark for international public-service broadcasting standards relevant to IMN's positioning.

Regional players

• France 24 Arabic: French international broadcaster's Arabic-language channel distributed via satellite across MENA. Competes for Arabic-language news viewers in Iraq but operates from Europe rather than the region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/iraqiahannel
• Xx.com/iraqmedianet
• Instagraminstagram.com/imn.iq
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iraqi-media-network

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Iraqi Media Network (Al Iraqiya)