Assessment of Media Development in JORDAN
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Assessment of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Media Development United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization The UNESCO/IPDC Media Development Indicators are a useful diagnostic tool for all stakeholders to assess the level of media development in a given country. The MDI studies serve to map the strengths and weaknesses of the national media environment and propose evidence-based recommendations on how to address the identified media development priorities. The MDIs have been endorsed by the Intergovernmental Council of UNESCO’s International Programme for the Development of Communication Assessment of Media Development in (IPDC). They have proved invaluable in contributing to an improved environment for free, pluralistic and independent media in many countries, thereby supporting national democracy and development. List of countries in which MDI-based assessments have been completed to date: Bhutan, Croatia, Assessment Ecuador, Egypt, Gabon, Libya, Maldives, Mozambique, Nepal, Palestine, South Sudan, Timor-Leste, Tunisia. of Media For more information, see www.unesco.org/new/en/communication-and- information/intergovernmental-programmes/ipdc/ initiatives/media-development-indicators-mdis/ Development in JORDAN JORDAN Based on UNESCO’s Media Development United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Indicators 9 789231 001246 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Assessment of Media Development in JORDAN Based on UNESCO’s Media Development Indicators July 2015 Published in 2015 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization 7, place de Fontenoy, 75352 Paris 07 SP, France and the UNESCO Amman Office © UNESCO 2015 ISBN 978-92-3-100124-6 This publication is available in Open Access under the Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 IGO (CC-BY-SA 3.0 IGO) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/igo/). By using the content of this publication, the users accept to be bound by the terms of use of the UNESCO Open Access Repository (http://www.unesco.org/open-access/terms-use-ccbysa-en). The designations employed and presentation of material throughout this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNESCO concerning the legal status of any country, city or area or its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The ideas and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors; they are not necessarily those of UNESCO and do not commit the Organization. Graphic design: UNESCO Cover design: Corinne Hayworth for UNESCO Publishing Photographs: Wencke Müller, Ameen Otla (Category 2) Typesetting and Layout: National Press Jordan Printed by: National Press Jordan Printed in Jordan Dates of research: January – June 2015 Research team: Toby Mendel, international expert Yahia Shukkeir, national lead researcher Dina Baslan, national researcher May Shalabieh, national researcher Sawsan Zaideh, national researcher Peer review: Dr. Abeer Al-Najjar and Dr. Basim Tweissi Coordinated by UNESCO Amman Office: Johan Romare, Senior Project Manager, Support to Media in Jordan Hanadi Gharaibeh, Project Officer, Support to Media in Jordan Wencke Müller, Project Officer, Support to Media in Jordan UNESCO review and editing: Johan Romare, Saorla McCabe and Andoni Santamaria-Kampfner Acknowledgement: The assessment of the media sector in Jordan using UNESCO’s Media Development Indicators was conducted as part of the Support to Media in Jordan project, funded by the European Union. International Media Support (IMS) was contracted to conduct the assessment in close collaboration with UNESCO. Revision: If readers wish to propose any corrections to this assessment of the media sector in Jordan, these may be taken into account in a second version of the report. Should there be a second version, it will be published in electronic format and made available on the UNESCO website. 3 4 Foreword he UNESCO Amman office is pleased to publish a comprehensive assessment of the Jordanian media landscape based on the Organisation’s Media Development Indicators T(MDIs). The study is part of the ‘Support to Media in Jordan’ project, funded by the European Union, aiming to increase media freedom, media independence and journalistic professionalism in the country. The UNESCO Media Development Indicators offer a comprehensive framework for assessing the contemporary media landscape in any country at any given time, but do not hold the ambition to compare countries with each other. Thus the MDI is not a ranking instrument. It is a tool to measure the media landscape against indicators approved by UNESCO’s Member States, and to recommend possible steps to further develop a free, independent and pluralistic media in line with international standards. Jordan is the fifth country in the Middle East and North Africa covered by UNESCO’s MDI series, following Egypt, Libya, Palestine and Tunisia. Outside the region, UNESCO has assessed media development in 10 countries based on the MDI framework, and there are 16 more studies in the making. The Media Development Indicators define a framework, within which the media can best contribute to, and benefit from, good governance and democratic development. The indicators look at all aspects of the media environment and are structured around the following categories: 1. A system of regulation conducive to freedom of expression, pluralism and diversity of the media 2. Plurality and diversity of media, a level economic playing field and transparency of ownership 3. Media as a platform for democratic discourse 4. Professional capacity building and supporting institutions that underpin freedom of expression, pluralism and diversity 5. Infrastructural capacity is sufficient to support independent and pluralistic media The MDI assessment was carried out by a team of Jordanian and international researchers during the first six months of 2015, and builds on the rich body of literature on the Jordanian media landscape, as well as on original research and in-depth consultations with stakeholders. 5 The UNESCO MDI assessment offers a thorough analysis of the media landscape as seen in June 2015, and a set of recommendations on the way forward. In that sense the study is more than an assessment, it provides a UNESCO-validated road map towards a Jordanian media allowing every woman, man, youth and child to express themselves freely, and to have access to information that is relevant to their day-to-day lives. This is especially important as the world moves towards the UN’s new Sustainable Development Goals. It is UNESCO’s hope that the findings will contribute to the on-going discussion on how to expand media freedom, independence and professionalism in Jordan. As in any country this discussion never ends, but is a continuous conversation and debate between the media, the Government, the civil society and the public. July 2015 Guy Berger UNESCO Director for Freedom of Expression and Media Development 6 Table of Contents Foreword ......................................................................................................................................... 5 Acronyms ........................................................................................................................................ 9 Executive summary ...................................................................................................................... 11 Key Recommendations ................................................................................................................ 16 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 19 Background Information ................................................................................................................ 25 Methodology ................................................................................................................................. 33 Category 1 A system of regulation conducive to freedom of expression, pluralism and diversity of the media ............................................... 35 A. Legal and policy framework ...............................................................................................37 B. Regulatory system for broadcasting ..................................................................................62 C. Defamation laws and other legal restrictions on journalists ..........................................65 D. Censorship ............................................................................................................................88 Recommendations for Category 1 .........................................................................................95 Category 2 Plurality and diversity of media, a level economic playing field and transparency of ownership ............................................................................ 97 A. Media concentration ............................................................................................................99 B. A diverse mix of public, private and community media ............................................... 102 C. Licensing and spectrum allocation ................................................................................. 111 D. Taxation and business regulation ................................................................................... 118 E. Advertising .........................................................................................................................