(MENAFN- Amman Net) Community media has emerged as an independent local press serving the public without a profit motive. It is designed to reflect people's concerns and amplify their voices, particularly those whose perspectives have been marginalized or absent from traditional media.

The concept of community media took strong root in the Arab world starting from Jordan. Twenty-five years ago, the first Arabic electronic and community radio, "AmmanNet," was launched in Amman, pioneering a new concept for community media both locally and regionally. It later transitioned to "Radio Al-Balad" on the FM airwaves under the umbrella of the Community Media Network (CMN).

Community media is built on the values of trust, truthfulness, and social participation, and it is not beholden to any agenda outside the public interest. In this sense, the core of its mission lies in serving the public good and objectively seeking the truth, while upholding professional independence and resisting external pressures.

It has rightly been said that "the strength of local radio stations does not lie in technology, but in trust." This principle has been the guiding compass for every bulletin and broadcast, establishing a relationship with listeners based on credibility and constant fairness.

From this standpoint, we at the Community Media Network, of which I am proud to be a part, believe that community media is not merely a narrative platform, but a space for dialogue and knowledge exchange. Consequently, 85% of our radio content has been dedicated to local affairs and the daily issues facing the people, allocating significant space to hear from all segments of society (including children, women, and youth), without any embellishment or distortion of facts.

We have also been keen to integrate meaningful local music and voices as a part of our media message, fostering the values of dialogue and tolerance. This commitment to reflecting the community in its full diversity has been the foundation for building a responsible community media that educates citizens and strengthens the spirit of citizenship among them.

To further our social role, we are committed to building media capacity through specialized education and training programs. We open the doors of our stations to media students and the general public, providing them with practical and professional guidance, and teaching them the ethics of journalism, from transparency to documentation. Community media sees its mission as extending beyond daily programming to include the transfer of expertise and professional integrity to a new generation of aspiring journalists.

This approach has successfully graduated promising journalists who now hold leadership positions in local and regional media outlets, carrying with them the values of independence and truthfulness they learned with us.

At the same time, community media faces the challenges of the digital age and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Digital media has revolutionized how we interact with information; social media platforms and digital applications have made communication more efficient and personalized. However, this has also enabled sophisticated AI and algorithmic chains to rapidly disseminate content, including fake news and propaganda accounts, which can be exploited to harmfully influence public opinion.

In light of this reality, it is increasingly urgent for community media to adhere to the principle of credibility and to utilize digital technologies to enhance participatory roles and combine speed with accuracy-not to improve media manipulation. This means investing in new journalistic skills and responsibly employing AI tools to support communication methods, all while preserving the credibility that defines us.

The importance of this discussion is highlighted by the upcoming "Community Media in the Digital Age" conference, organized by the Community Media Network in Amman on November 15-16, 2025. The conference celebrates the 25th anniversary of the founding of AmmanNet radio and is expected to gather approximately 300 participants from both within and outside Jordan, including over fifty international experts from the media, civil society, academia, and policymaking circles.

The conference aims to underscore the vital role of community media in promoting transparency, empowering marginalized groups, and supporting social change. It will also discuss the legal and financial challenges facing the sector and explore ways to ensure its sustainability and enhance cooperation with civil society. In its announced key themes, the conference specifically focuses on empowering communities by amplifying the voices of underrepresented groups in traditional media and encouraging reforms that support the independence of community media, ensuring its continuity as a platform accessible to all.

Community media has the power to empower individuals and give marginalized groups a platform to advocate for their rights and seek justice. Since the beginning of our journey, the inclusion of marginalized segments of society on our station has had a clear impact on shifting the public discussion agenda and bringing up neglected issues-from rural populations and refugees to women's and youth issues.

We realize that giving these voices a platform is an ethical and professional commitment that makes a difference in people's lives and entrenches the values of justice. This principle-embodied in dedicated programs and youth media initiatives-has formed a fundamental part of the pledge we have made to our community.

Community media remains at the heart of a media experience that strives to create real and comprehensive change. It is not merely a transmitter of news, but a builder of a conscious society capable of dialogue and criticism, one that is addressed with its own stories and dreams. A conference like the upcoming one in Amman represents a genuine opportunity to reimagine the future of this media, ensuring it remains a medium that believes in everyone's participation and their right to access information, especially in this era where we need a free and responsible press more than ever before.

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