Amman, Jan. 20 (Petra) - The Lower House's National Guidance and Media Committee, chaired by MP Firas Qabalan, discussed on Monday the public policy of government media and communication.

The meeting was attended by Minister of Government Communication and government spokesperson, Mohammad Momani, Secretary-General of the Ministry Zaid Nawayseh, and several department directors from the ministry.

Qabalan emphasized the importance of establishing a strong and distinguished state media, as it helps the state and its institutions to shoulder responsibilities and enhance their role, capabilities, and achievements. He indicated that the committee’s focus in the coming period will be on this aspect.

He noted that the committee had conducted several meetings with various media entities, the first of which was a visit to Jordan TV. The committee seeks to enhance cooperation with all local media outlets to reinforce the role of the fourth estate in fulfilling its duties and responsibilities effectively.

He stressed the importance of achieving progress in various fields of media in Jordan, particularly in technology and digital media, to ensure the speed and accuracy of news and information transmission and to reduce dependency on external media for local information.

Qabalan added that media development must be accompanied by training media personnel and creating trained cadres that contribute to raising the professional level of media work, which directly impacts the quality of media outputs. He further stressed the significance of media professionalism in avoiding personal issues and unconstructive criticism while elevating the role of the state and its institutions and highlighting their accomplishments.

For his part, Minister of Government Communication welcomed any meeting or session with the Parliamentary Committees to discuss the contributions of Jordanian media, expressing his appreciation for the role of the National Guidance and Media Committee in discussing national media issues.

Momani stated: "The media sector is one of the most important sectors, and it should represent the conscience of society and the voice of citizens, preserving the values of society, defending the state’s interests, and ensuring the balance between freedom and responsibility."

He noted that the Royal Letter of Designation to the government clearly stated the need to utilize and keep pace with the technological revolution, encouraging media outlets to develop their tools. He explained that the government’s policy statement included a forward-looking vision for the national media scene, which aims to guide the media towards further digitization and development in light of continuous technological updates and global media sector advancements.

He explained that the future vision for the national media scene involves several stages, including continuous meetings, with 17 meetings held so far, involving approximately 240 different entities from various media sectors, including digital account managers in ministries, foreign content producers, daily newspapers, radio stations, television channels, and both committies of the Senate and Lower House, as well as the Jordanian Press Association (JPA).

Momani pointed out a network of 75 media spokespersons across various ministries and government institutions. He emphasized that the ministry regularly communicates with them to encourage them to speak about their institutions and clarify their policies, ensuring continuous engagement with the media and facilitating the flow of information to the public.

He noted that the strategic vision for Jordanian media revolves around several pillars, including freedom and responsibility. He stressed that freedom without boundaries and national and legal responsibility leads to chaos. "Even in the most established democracies, there are ethical and legal frameworks that regulate matters, not in a spirit of restricting media freedom but with a sense of national responsibility."

He added that another key pillar is credibility, which is crucial for the media in protecting society and its values. He mentioned that social media platforms are classified as communication tools, not media outlets, and that a large amount of content on some of these platforms affects societal values, family unity, and social peace. It is the state's duty, through laws, to protect society from such influences.

Momani further clarified that another element of the strategy is independence, highlighting that the government will present a draft law to Parliament that allows the Chairman of the Jordan News Agency (Petra) and the Jordan Radio and Television Corporation to be other than the Minister of Government Communication. He stressed that the greater the independence of media, the higher the quality of its output.

He reiterated that the future of media lies in balanced and distinguished content, where any news, video, or media post that creates significant change and attracts followers due to its credibility.

MPs Mohammad Omari, Mohammad Sbaileh, Noor Abu Ghoush, Jamal Abouy, and Mohammad Raud, all emphasized the importance of supporting local media, enhancing its position, and providing all means to facilitate its work in media coverage and access to information.

They emphasized that media should be strong and fast, as it is the first source to convey information to Jordanian citizens, thereby contributing to strengthening national cohesion and building trust in our media as the sole source of information.

//Petra// AF

20/01/2025 23:16:47