The National Iraqi News Agency (NINA) was launched on October 15, 2005 by an initiative taken by a group of Iraqi journalists versed in News Agency press when they found the Iraqi media arena void of an independent news agency characterized by credibility, truthfulness and objectivity in delivering news, and most importantly has a central office (headquarters) in the capital of Baghdad so that its staff would be in touch with the dramatic daily events.
Few months later to its launching, NINA proved its impartiality and objectivity and became an important and independent source of news; a matter which encouraged international organizations like the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDF) to sign an agreement with NINA to support country-wide coverage.
Up to the establishment of NINA in 2005, Iraq lacked an Independent News Agency that is regarded an essential element in the sustainable professional media which is necessary for the democratic system. NINA provides media outlets, non governmental organizations, public and private sectors with accurate, neutral information and work on being commercially sustainable at the same time, according to the official statement on the UNDF web site.
Currently, NINA provides media outlets, non governmental organizations, public and private sectors with accurate and neutral information. Simultaneously, it works in line with trade principles by delivering news only to subscribers.
During two years of hard and nonstop work, NINA gained the respect of everyone under highly critical and dangerous circumstances where ethnic, religious, sectarian and political groups and outside influences clash relentlessly.
Early October 2007, NINA accomplished a high record of delivered news items mounting to 60,000 items that covered politics, economy, culture, sports, violence, killing and destruction; the latter were favored by other mass media.
On December 22, 2007, the National Iraqi News Agency NINA launched its new website www.ninanews.com, which is a distinguished and developed site, designed in accordance with an agreement with Digital Dynamics, a Dubai-based specialized engineering company.
The new site is featured by the simplicity in searching for news items or images, whether in Arabic, English or Kurdish webpage. The latter service (Kurdish) has been initiated to coincide with launching the new NINA site, demonstrating NINA's interest in Kurdish language as a second national language in Iraq beside Arabic..
During its first seven months, NINA occupied an important place in Iraqi media. Considering the remarkable services that NINA offers for its browsers and its popular status among mass media, the number of visitors of its website www.ninanews.com climbed to more than 50,000 visitors daily and sometimes this number waxed to 81,327 visitors as on February 22, 2006.
In May 2006, it was decided that only subscribers can log in NINA’s web site and get the news, so that it can be self-funding and can maintain its own independency. For the every same reason and to gain revenues to afford NINA’s expenses, NINA launched a project of an internet network that covers all over Baghdad to have it as another source of income.
NINA’s subscribers include newspapers (local newspapers such as Al-Sabah, Al-Mutamar, Al-Adala, Al-Mwatin and Tariq Al-Shaab and international newspapers as Al Bayan UAE newspaper) , radio stations (BBC and Um Al-Qura radio) , TV channels ( Alhurra, Baghdad, Furat ) and News Agencies like the Italian News Agency and probably the Associated Press that promised to buy the news .
NINA values its reputation as an independent professional news agency; a matter drove the BBC to make NINA the only authorized source of media on Iraq page on its web site alongside the links of the Republic’s presidency and the Foreign Ministry.
As Iraq lacked any official news agency since the ousting of the ex-president Saddam Hussein in 2003, NINA participates in the Arab and international media activities to introduce its own media line of work. NINA does not take any news from other media outlets or web sites that diligently copy the same news items from each other; a matter which makes them lose their credibility and the exclusiveness of the items for the specific outlet.
NINA thankfully records the technical and nonmaterial aids extended by the Iraqi journalistic institutions, Federation of Arab News Agencies (FANA), United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDF), and the International Research & Exchanges Board ( IREX) confirming that it will remain a model of the independent media contributing to the free flow of the information in a way improves the democratic and economic development in Iraq.
