Al Rai marks 44th anniversary with renewed commitment to professionalism

AMMAN — Al Rai, Jordan's leading Arabic daily, on Tuesday celebrated its 44th anniversary with senior editors pledging to stand by the interests of the country and the public. 

The newspaper, which has been dominating the largest share of the advertisement market, was established by a Cabinet decision on May 18, 1971 as a government-owned newspaper. The first issue hit newsstands on June 2 of the same year. 

Currently, the state-owned Social Security Investment Fund (SSIF) owns around 55 per cent of the shares of the Jordan Press Foundation (JPF), which publishes Al Rai and The Jordan Times. 

Over the past two months, the daily has seen an unprecedented shift in its editorial line by boycotting government news and publishing articles criticising public policies. 

The shift was due to disputes between employees and SSIF-appointed board members over issues workers considered threats to the financial stability of the JPF and job security of its staff, estimated at over 650 people. 

Among the disputed issues were proposals by some board members to carry out layoff plans, while, according to employees, failing to address the declining financial situation of the foundation. They also accused the board of failure to find a solution to the commercial printing press on the airport road, which cost over JD35 million, saying that it has drained the finances of the JPF with millions of dinars pumped into it every year. On Tuesday, a group of editors, dubbed the "rescue commission", that represents employees, decided to end the boycott of government news after a shake-up by the SSIF that changed the JPF chairman and chief editor of Al Rai as well as some board members. 

The decision was prompted, according to the commission, by government assurances to address all demands and guarantees to take a set of measures that would boost the profitability and financial status of the foundation. 

The editors pledged at a meeting on Tuesday evening that they would continue "a strong editorial approach" and criticism of "wrong government policies" but in an objective manner that takes the views of all concerned parties. 

In an interview with The Jordan Times, Tareq Momani, the recently appointed editor-in-chief of Al Rai, said the newspaper would continue an editorial approach based on media freedom and responsibility. 

"We are all concerned with raising the professional level of the newspaper as it leads to a freer media," Momani said, adding that objective criticism that takes the views of stakeholders is the daily's approach. 

Momani, who is also president of the Jordan Press Association, said around 150 journalists work in the Kingdom's largest newspaper, which will stand against injustice, corruption and extremism and remain a defender of Jordan and public interests. 

As a newspaper with professional and objective coverage, Al Rai will continue to guarantee the right of readers to obtain accurate and true information in addition to taking to the streets to listen to the concerns and views of the public, Momani added.