Reporters Without Borders have made their 2009 index of press freedom public.
Jordan is 112th on the list – an improvement from last year. Reading the Methodology paper RSF mentions that the Index ”measure the level of self-censorship in each country and the ability of the media to investigate and criticise” which is probably what puts Jordan in the lower half.
On top of the list you find a group of Nordic countries (Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland – and Ireland) – all at an equal high score of zero points meaning full freedom of Press.
The first 15 countries are all small and highly developed countries and no one more than roughly double the size of Jordan in population. It seems that size does matter…and there is room for Jordan in the club.
October 21, 2009 at 23:13
in the meantime a room for Jordan in the club could be totally idealistic
Djibouti is 110…
October 26, 2009 at 00:00
I was really amazed with the high spirit in which the government celebrated being in 112th position. In reality it should have kept its head in the sand. This is a shameful outcome compared to the dynamics of dialogue and progress in the country. The problem of the media in Jordan is even more intrinsic within the media institutions themselves. The journalists syndicate goes to court to attack a newly established club for the columnist. This is utter dictatorship by the journalists themselves.