Minister of Government Communication, Faisal Shboul, said the government is committed to supporting local media outlets, especially after the challenges they are going through due to the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the takeover of the advertising market by social media platforms. Shboul, who is also the government spokesperson, reaffirmed the government’s support for local media outlets to restore its leading role, pointing to the royal directive on every occasion to support professional media. In a statement on Sunday, Shboul said that social media platforms are not an alternative for media outlets that are governed by laws, regulations and codes of honor for journalists, compared to social media platforms that need more regulation. The government has taken actions to support newspapers, which include granting newspapers an advertising allowance in advance, and raising the price of government advertisement and government bid announcements in daily newspapers, to become JD1 for each word instead of 55 piasters, in order to increase government support for daily newspapers, enabling them to find sustainable solutions and revenues in light of the challenges they face, and preserving the rights of their staff, Shboul explained. Regarding the Cabinet’s decision to approve the draft regulation amending the system of broadcasting licenses and TV and radio re-broadcasts, and reducing the fees collected accordingly by 50 per cent, Shboul said that this decision comes in the context of the government’s support for audio-visual media to contribute to ensuring their continuity, in addition to encouraging investment and keeping pace with technical development in the field of broadcasting and re-broadcasting. With regard to the Arab strategy for dealing with international media companies, Shboul said that the Arab technical team to regulate the relationship with international media companies (social media platforms) will meet in Amman on the 29th and 30th of August. The team, according to Shboul, will undertake the development of all conditions and rules emanating from this Arab strategy and start the process of communication and negotiation plan with those companies and sign agreements with them. He reaffirmed that the strategy presented by Jordan and approved by the Council of Arab Ministers of Media in its 53rd session aims to restore the share of media outlets in general in the local advertising market, in which social media has become the largest share holder.

Source: Jordan News Agency