Momani commends media coverage of crime against Kasasbeh

AMMAN — Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Mohammad Momani on Saturday praised the "professional and objective" performance of local, regional and international media outlets in dealing with the "heinous crime" committed by the so-called Islamic State group against pilot Muath Kasasbeh.

In a statement sent to The Jordan Times, Momani, who is also government spokesperson, said only a small group of media outlets were unprofessional and lost objectivity in reporting the crime, "which rocked the world".

Local official and private media outlets played "a major role as part of the national Jordanian fabric" in conveying the truth and expressing the feelings of all Jordanians, the minister said, noting that citizens were given the chance to share their opinions and comments on this "hideous crime", which was condemned by all.

Momani also thanked representatives of media outlets who came to Jordan from around the world and maintained professionalism and objectivity in their coverage, in line with the reputation of their respective outlets.

They reported the event "with a clear conscience", with the aim of conveying the truth to their audience, he noted.

The minister said the "atmosphere of freedom in which we live" and the Jordanian laws regulating the role of the press and guaranteeing its freedom enabled every journalist from anywhere in the world to address or discuss this incident.

Journalists from other countries, Momani said, had the right to report the incident — as they perceived it — with the utmost professionalism which "we respect and take pride in".

Jordan, he added, is committed to bolstering media freedom and guaranteeing every media outlet's right to access information within the limits of Jordanian laws and higher national interests.