Baghdad Bulletin
Encyclopedia
The Baghdad Bulletin was an independent bimonthly English-language news magazine first published on 9 June 2003. It was one of an estimated seventy newspaper
s that were launched in Iraq
following the fall of Saddam Hussein
after the US-led invasion of Iraq.
Printed in Baghdad
and distributed throughout Iraq, the newspaper reported on a variety of issues affecting life during the rebuilding of the country. The Bulletin had the stated purpose of "questioning and debating the process and progress of Iraq's redevelopment" post-Saddam http://www.baghdadbulletin.com/contentPage.php?pid=1&PHPSESSID=dd83ff0c15604a74c20bffc24e15aea6. It strived to overcome an information blackout in Iraq suffered by an increasingly large community of aid workers, journalists and American and British officials as well as Iraqi English speakers.
The newspaper had a full-time reporting pool of Iraqis and Westerners, many of whom were young Oxbridge
graduates who had previously written for Associated Press
, the New York Times, The Washington Post
, Reuters
and the Evening Standard
. The publication believed that "the presence of a free press
offering a forum for all sides is an inalienable human right."
It aimed to remain non-partisan and provided a forum for an eclectic range of guest writers to debate issues related to the redevelopment of the country. The format was a mix of news and features, with the first edition focusing on issues such as the gun amnesty, the true extent of crime, and the dilapidated state of Baghdad's electricity supply.
Printing of Baghdad Bulletin was indefinitely halted on 15 September 2003 due to financial and security concerns.
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
s that were launched in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
following the fall of Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
after the US-led invasion of Iraq.
Printed in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
and distributed throughout Iraq, the newspaper reported on a variety of issues affecting life during the rebuilding of the country. The Bulletin had the stated purpose of "questioning and debating the process and progress of Iraq's redevelopment" post-Saddam http://www.baghdadbulletin.com/contentPage.php?pid=1&PHPSESSID=dd83ff0c15604a74c20bffc24e15aea6. It strived to overcome an information blackout in Iraq suffered by an increasingly large community of aid workers, journalists and American and British officials as well as Iraqi English speakers.
The newspaper had a full-time reporting pool of Iraqis and Westerners, many of whom were young Oxbridge
Oxbridge
Oxbridge is a portmanteau of the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge in England, and the term is now used to refer to them collectively, often with implications of perceived superior social status...
graduates who had previously written for Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
, the New York Times, The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
, Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
and the Evening Standard
Evening Standard
The Evening Standard, now styled the London Evening Standard, is a free local daily newspaper, published Monday–Friday in tabloid format in London. It is the dominant regional evening paper for London and the surrounding area, with coverage of national and international news and City of London...
. The publication believed that "the presence of a free press
Freedom of the press
Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the freedom of communication and expression through vehicles including various electronic media and published materials...
offering a forum for all sides is an inalienable human right."
It aimed to remain non-partisan and provided a forum for an eclectic range of guest writers to debate issues related to the redevelopment of the country. The format was a mix of news and features, with the first edition focusing on issues such as the gun amnesty, the true extent of crime, and the dilapidated state of Baghdad's electricity supply.
Printing of Baghdad Bulletin was indefinitely halted on 15 September 2003 due to financial and security concerns.
Books
- "Baghdad Bulletin: Dispatches on the American Occupation", David Enders (University of Michigan Press, 2005, 200pp) ISBN 0-472-11469-7
External links
- Baghdad Bulletin - Independent Iraqi News — official website.
- U-M graduate running independent news magazine in Baghdad — A Detroit Free Press interview with the Bulletin's editor, David Enders.