Pressure of Truth
Exposing the spin on all sides of the news.
Outlet profile

Kurdistan24

Kurdish KDP-aligned regional

Owned byEffectively controlled by Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and senior figure in the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), though Barzani has publicly refused to acknowledge ownership. Formally operated by Kurdistan24 for Media and Research; Noreldin Waisy founded it in 2015 and served as general manager until 2019.
FundingFunding sources are not publicly disclosed. The Middle East Institute has noted the channel operates with "enviable levels of funding" consistent with political patronage. Revenue likely derives from a combination of advertising, KDP-aligned political backing, and undisclosed private sources tied to the Barzani family network.
On the administrationmostly neutral

Background

Kurdistan24 launched on October 31, 2015, founded by journalist Noreldin Waisy, with the stated aim of providing 24-hour news coverage of Kurdistan and the wider world in Kurdish, Arabic, English, and other languages. The outlet is headquartered in Erbil and maintains a bureau in Washington, D.C. From the outset, outside analysts and press freedom researchers have linked the channel editorially to the Kurdistan Democratic Party and specifically to Masrour Barzani, who became KRG Prime Minister in 2019 — a connection Barzani has declined to confirm publicly. The Middle East Institute has characterized Kurdistan24's coverage as largely a repackaging of KRG press releases, with the outlet serving as a vehicle to amplify the KDP's political narrative, including efforts to position it above the older rival outlet Rudaw. Media Bias/Fact Check rates it left-center with mixed factual reporting, citing moderate use of loaded language and weak sourcing practices. The outlet broadly promotes Kurdish statehood aspirations, the Peshmerga's role as a U.S. security partner, and the KRG's international legitimacy. Coverage of the Trump administration has centered on U.S. Middle East policy and its implications for Kurdish autonomy and military cooperation, reflecting the KDP's longstanding interest in maintaining American engagement in the region.

Sources

  1. Kurdistan 24 – Wikipedia
  2. Kurdistan 24 – Bias and Credibility – Media Bias/Fact Check
  3. Partisan press: The dominance of party-backed media in Iraq's Kurdistan Region – Middle East Institute
  4. Noreldin Waisy – Wikipedia
  5. Kurdistan Watch on X: Media personally owned by KRG PM Masrour Barzani
  6. Challenges Facing a Developing Kurdish Media – Atlantic Council
  7. Iraq: Media in Kurdistan – IRB/ecoi.net

Profile compiled 2026-09-22; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.

← Back to track record