Government directives to organize media work

Local The Communications and Media Commission issued, on Monday, a directive to the media to organize media work. The authority stated in a statement, based on the in-force Legislative Order No. (65) of 2004, amended by Legislative Order No. (100) of 2004, which entrusted the Communications and Media Commission with regulating the media, communications, and information technology sectors in the Republic of Iraq, and out of keenness to organize media work according to legal frameworks that guarantee the rights of media institutions and the public, we call upon the media institutions operating in Iraq that have not obtained a license or have not completed its procedures, including satellite channels, internet-broadcasting satellite channels, electronic channels, media offices, news agencies, podcast programs, websites affiliated with media institutions, and fixed, mobile, and portable live broadcasting devices, to fulfill the licensing requirements in accordance with the regulations and instructions in force. The statement added that submitting applications and completing documents shall be done exclusively electronically via the authority electronic services portal (eservice.cmc.iq), within a period of thirty days starting from 2026/10/15, and the Media Regulation Department in the authority will provide the necessary support to the covered institutions during this period. The statement continued that upon the expiration of the period without completing the licensing procedures, legal and administrative measures stipulated in the regulations for violations of media entities operating in Iraq No. (28) of 2026 will be taken against the violating institutions, including stopping their activity inside the Republic of Iraq, and contacting satellite companies via diplomatic channels to stop broadcasting unlicensed channels, calling on the covered institutions to deal with this circular with the necessary seriousness and adhere to the specified period to avoid taking the measures decided against them.