The Level of Professionalism and Bias among Political Analysts in the Iraqi Satellite Channels from the Perspective of the Media Professionals

Abstract

The current research aims to analyze the level of professional commitment and political bias among political analysts in Iraqi satellite channels from the perspective of media professionals working in these institutions. It seeks to identify the factors influencing the selection of analysts and to examine the impact of these factors on public awareness and trust in them. The study belongs to the category of descriptive–inferential research and adopts the explanatory survey method, which combines description and analysis to interpret the phenomenon. The research tool consisted of a questionnaire applied to a purposive sample of 122 media professionals, including program presenters, anchors, reporters, and editors in Iraqi satellite channels. The findings revealed that the policies of satellite channels clearly influence the performance and selection of political analysts and those political considerations often prevail over professional standards. Moreover, the results showed that scientific competence and academic presence of analysts occupy a secondary position. The study also concluded that weak professional commitment leads to a decline in public trust, whereas analysts with higher professionalism and commitment contribute more effectively to enhancing the political awareness of the audience.