Obstacles to the Development of Drone Journalism in Iraq from the Perspective of Iraqi Journalists: A Field Study

Abstract

Drone-generated visual content has become an integral part of the material published on electronic media websites, as many platforms now support their content with images and videos. This development has contributed to the emergence of what is known as (drone journalism). However, this type of journalism faces numerous obstacles that hinder its development in the Arab world, particularly in Iraq. Accordingly, the researcher formulated the research problem in the following question: What are the obstacles to the development of drone journalism in Iraq from the perspective of Iraqi journalists ?
To achieve the objectives of the study, the researcher adopted the (survey method). The findings revealed several key results. Most notably, the item (Journalists) concerns about legal accountability in the event of unintentional violations ranked first among legal and legislative obstacles. The item (The possibility of drone confiscation or the detention of journalists during field reporting) ranked first among security-related obstacles. In the category of technical and technological obstacles, Weak internet connectivity or GPS system limitations in certain areas affecting operational accuracy ranked first. Furthermore, Media institutions face difficulties in obtaining official permits to use drones ranked first among professional and media-related obstacles. Finally, Environmental factors such as dust and heavy smoke may reduce the clarity of aerial images ranked first among environmental obstacles.