This study examines audience behavior towards the media in the Kurdistan Region by focusing on understanding the needs, expectations and desires of the audience. The researchers used qualitative methods to prepare the research. The main objective of the research is to analyze (audience demographics, media use habits, preferred media), to identify common lines between audiences in order to fill the gaps in media content. The importance of the study is that the participants in the study, aged between 64-18 years of both genders, participated in focus groups and represented the geographical boundaries of the study, in addition to conducting in-depth interviews with journalists and experts in the field.

Although the study found that social media, as the desired type of media, it is preferred by the audience and is increasingly used to receive news and information. However, the results show that respondents are concerned about the lack of independence of media channels and lack of transparency in sources of financial support; this shows the reason for having biased discourse in the media. Also failure to comply with professional ethics and disregard for cultural values in Kurdish society has a negative impact on audience trust in the Kurdish media.

The most important findings of the study:

The use of social media ranks first among all participants, compared to other tools, due to the speed of accessing information and transmitting news.
The participants' attitude towards the media is negative, so that the participants have lost their importance to the media due to the lack of honesty and impartiality in the programs.
Lack of transparency and increases and decreases in the news reporting, where each media tries to show the shortcomings of the other zone and the shortcomings of its own party's power area according to its political background and area of power does not present.
In terms of media policy, the participants were generally dissatisfied with the Kurdish media, because they believe that the Kurdish media is a party media and the discourse of these media is biased and misleading and can not show the truth.
Social media users are not only a certain group, but most of the different sections of society. Therefore, it is not easy to distinguish the serious recipient (a recipient who has his own opinion and comments on the media) from the ordinary recipient, especially when social media has provided independence (individualism) for the recipient, so that he can receive whatever he wants.
Newsrooms face a huge technology gap in the use of technological tools in the production of news and media products. On the other hand, the number of media technology experts in newsrooms is still very small.
The decline in media revenue due to the decline in sponsorship and commercial advertising has made it impossible for independent media to stand on their own feet The result is a backwardness of power.
The local channels were mostly talked about both RUDAW and NRT, which are currently in decline, especially NRT because it has become the language of a political party. Meanwhile, KURDSAT was referred to as a family channel by some participants. Participants also generally pointed out that Kurdish media is not family media and all different age levels, but the media is more concerned with collecting likes and views.
The local channels were mostly talked about both RUDAW and NRT, which are currently in decline, especially NRT because it has become the language of a political party. Meanwhile, KURDSAT was referred to as a family channel by some participants. Participants also generally pointed out that Kurdish media is not family media, but the media is more concerned with collecting likes and views.
Among the channels of neighboring countries, Iranian channels were cited as examples of family channels, which family members can watch together in the same room because they contain no inappropriate content.
Among the international channels, the BBC and CNN were the most emphasized, and the participants attributed their success to the professionalism of these two channels because they have put the right journalists and presenters in the right places. They also consider balance in the delivery of news.
For some participants, comparing local channels with international channels is illogical, especially in terms of media content and production, broadcast quality, journalists' presentation skills, and compliance with professional ethics. In comparison, international channels are more transparent, professional, and balanced than local channels.
In general, young people of both sexes expect the media to pay attention to youth issues, or provide job opportunities. The Kurdish media does not care about the future of the youth and their problems. What distinguished females from males was that they were more critical of the media, especially when it showed inappropriate people in inappropriate positions.
The issue of early judging, particularly in issues related to the murder of women and their accusations in the media, was criticized by participants in general and females in particular. There is also a lack of gender balance in the Kurdish media.
Adults (over 30 years of age) of both genders paid attention to professionalism in the media and the importance of maintaining professionalism and ethics in transmitting news and information. But, what distinguished the female gender from the male gender in this regard, to some extent the female gender, criticized the Kurdish media for having programs that are not appropriate for the Kurdish culture.
In general, older men were more engaged in watching the news, and women were more engaged in watching their educational programs. While the elderly were more engaged in local media and young people were more engaged in international and social media.
Elderly people of both sexes often feared that the media violated family, religious, and social values. In this regard, what distinguished men from women was that women were afraid of losing family values, while men focused on the fact that the Kurdish media had not been able to familiarize the youths of the past values and right culture.