Harris Corporation announced on 9 January that it has been awarded a one-year, US$96 million contract by the Defense Contracting Command-Washington, on behalf of the Coalition Provisional Authority, for developing an existing but antiquated media network into a modern media organization for the Iraqi people.
Harris Corporation created an Iraq Initiatives Office in July 2003 headed by Managing Director Youssef Sleiman. The initiative leveraged the products, capabilities, and resources of the company’s five communications businesses to address opportunities related to the rebuilding of Iraq. “We created a focused organization to support reconstruction efforts in Iraq and to apply the unique capabilities that Harris has to offer in both commercial and government communications systems. The extensive experience of our Broadcast Communications Division on international projects, combined with the large integration programs expertise of our Government Communications Systems Division, will ensure the success of this initiative,” said Howard Lance, chairman, president, and CEO of Harris Corporation.
The goal of the IMN contract is to create from the existing organization a first class, integrated media network that will include two national radio channels, two national television channels, and a national newspaper, “Al Sabah.”
Harris will lead this project and provide all of the necessary transmitters, integration and automation broadcast equipment with support from the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International (LBCI), a Middle Eastern media network, and Al Fawares, a Kuwaiti company with Iraqi ownership.
As the UK’s Financial Times reported on 10 January, Iraq’s communications minister said he was not consulted about the contract and threatened to overturn it when the US-led administration hands power to a sovereign Iraqi government in July. “We very much welcome the help of others to reshape our media, but to relinquish our responsibilities and to give control to foreign media is politically and socially wrong,” said Mr Abadi. He called the contract “temporary”. If the handover goes to plan Iraqi ministers will have responsibility for deciding the fate of the licences.
Harris Corporation is a member of the AIB.