Goals and Origin

• The Higher Media Council is a non-executive regulatory referential body that was established in accordance with the temporary law no. (74) of 2001, which was then amended and issued as the permanent law no. (26) of 2004. The council is a body that is financially and administratively independent, and is located in Amman.

• The council is formed by a royal decree based upon the recommendation of the prime minister, and is composed of nine members, including the president, from qualified and experienced Jordanians. The term of each member is three years that is subject to renewal. A royal decree was issued on 13/12/2001 to form the council, and was formed again on 3/12/2002. On 20/12/2004 the council was formed once again headed by Ibrahim Ezzidin, and included the following members:

o        Director of the Jordan Armed Forces\' Moral Guidance Directorate Brigadier General Ahmad Masarweh.

o        Jordan Press Association (JPA) president Tareq Momani.

o        Suleiman Al-Qudha.

o        Saif El-Sherif.

o        Sawsan Touffaha.

o        Jamil Al-Nimri.

o        Abdul Razaq Abu Al-Ithim.

o        Sultan Al- Hattab.

•  The council has a secretary general who is appointed by a royal decree.

• The council aims to contribute in developing the media sector in order to express national identity in all its groups, adjust to the changes and new developments of the era, and enhance the competitive abilities of the Jordanian media, and to support media institutions in performing their monitoring role in society. Furthermore, the council encourages multiplicity and respect of other opinions, and aims to prepare a suitable environment for media investment. The council also strives to cooperate with academic and vocational institutions concerned with training in order to develop the human resources of the media sector.

• Through Jordan’s Media Training Center, which is subsidiary to the council, the council trains and qualifies people working in the media field.

• In cooperation with concerned authorities, the council helps through studies to recommend plans to restructure government media institutions.

• The council presents to the government draft laws and regulations related to the media sector.

• The council assumes the duty of monitoring media performance in order to ensure:

o        All groups in society have the chance to express freely.

o        Safeguarding media independency.

o        Safeguarding freedom, media and press professionalism.

• The council also assumes the task of conducting studies, researches, and publishing annual reports pertaining to press freedom and content analysis of what is published by the Jordanian media. 

• The council overlooks any complaint related to media issues that is referred to it, and thus works to settle it through specialized and independent committees in compliance with the relevant media codes of honor. The council also works to reconcile disputing sides before any of these sides resort to any legal action in front of legal authorities.