Minister of Government Communication, Faisal Shboul, on Saturday said media across the world is suffering due to the social platforms’ acquisition of the “largest” share of the advertising market, adding that “Jordan is no exception to this reality.” Addressing a symposium dubbed: “Reality of Jordanian Media,” organized by Masarat Center for Development and Empowerment, Shboul said Ministry of Government Communication aims to create the “appropriate” environment to enhance Jordan’s media position and develop its tools. The minister added that this drive is implemented under draft government policy for media and communication, which Economic and Social Council will lead dialogue with all partners. Shboul, who is also the Government Spokesperson, noted the policy’s axes aim to build trust with the public by drafting media government institutions’ messages to support their strategies and plans. He added that the draft policy aims to empower media spokespeople to ensure “stronger” media and information flow, pointing out that the ministry has launched training programs for them over the next three years. According to Shboul, he said the ministry also launched training projects for recent press alumni , in partnership with civil society institutions, to employ beneficiaries in the Kingdom’s health and tourism sectors. To date, he noted 42 press alumni were appointed in the Kingdom’s education directorates and 12 others in health sector, in addition to filling vacancies in public media institutions. He said the policy, which was prepared by the ministry, seeks to improve the media legislation regulating media activities by overhauling current laws, aimed to keeping pace with the rapid technical developments and reviewing media freedoms reports. On the sector’s current financial hardships, Shboul said media is “one of the biggest losers due to social platforms’ acquisition of the advertising market,” noting that these platforms made more than JD81 in marketing revenues in 2022 locally, estimating Arab markets’ income loss at about $2-3 billion annually. In this context, Shboul referred to Jordan’s efforts and keenness within Arab framework to enhance media role and preserve their right in the advertising market, by developing an Arab strategy to deal with world media organizations to protect Arab and Islamic issues. This effort aims to protect Palestinian cause from negative misinformation, shield children and youth from harmful content, address hate speech, false news and attacks on privacy, he said.
Source: Jordan News Agency