|
|
News
|
|
| |
| News |
PM: Govt upholds transparency, promotes objective criticism |
|
Date |
08/03/2010 |
| |
| Prime Minister Samir Rifai said on Sunday his government deems accountability and transparency as key tenets of its approach and that a strong, free and critical media would help to achieve national goals. "A self-confident government with a strong will opting for work and achievement and to serve the national march is one that seeks strong partners. A professional and objective media is a respected partner," Rifai told the Jordan Press Association JPA President and members. He told the meeting, attended by Deputy Premier and Minister of State Rajai Muasher and Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Nabil Al Sharif, that Jordanians were looking for a national media to convey to them accurate information detached from any agendas. "His Majesty King Abdullah II attached great importance to a fair and honest media that relays true information to citizens and that has a role to pin down the flaws (in the system) in order to be addressed," Rifai added. "Constructive criticism is necessary and important provided it is directed towards policies and programmes far from libel, defamation and personality assassination, which our Jordanian traditions disavow," He told the journalists. The Prime Minister said the government's relationship with the media was governed by a recently-introduced code of conduct that serves the goal of a free and independent media. He also noted that the document laid out strict controls on officials to stop their interference with the media or trying to contain media outlets by unsound means. Rifai also said that as part of its support to the media, his government had taken a series of measures to ease financial burdens on the press, including revoking the culture tax on newspapers and reconsidering government advertisement fees. He also said that the Press and Publications Department would no longer take any censorship role and the government would ensure that a journalist had the right to free access to information to promote a proficient and responsible media. Jordan Press Association President Abdul Wahab Zgheilat praised the government's transparency in its anti-corruption strategy and urged the media to help, not hinder, that effort by waiting until verdicts had been issued in any wrongdoing. |
Ministries News
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
