(MENAFN- Amman Net) Journalist Daoud Kuttab said that the two-day Community Media Conference represented a qualitative step forward in enhancing the role of community media in Jordan and the region, positioning it as a driver of sustainable development and a supporter of transparency and active citizenship.

Speaking to the Tallet Subh program on Radio Al-Balad, Kuttab noted that the conference successfully highlighted the importance of community media, the risks of the digital age, and the opportunities it offers for networking among various stakeholders. It also contributed to resolving several internal disputes between institutions.

Kuttab emphasized the need for an official legal framework that formally defines community media in Jordan, pointing out that most university- and municipality-run radio stations currently operate without official recognition. He also addressed administrative and financial challenges-such as restrictions imposed by some municipalities on hiring journalists to manage radio stations-and suggested empowering local staff to run these stations more effectively.

Key outcomes of the conference included the establishment of a regional fund to support community media, efforts to strengthen the financial sustainability of these stations, and the launch of a Jordanian alliance for community radio aimed at expanding regional cooperation.

Kuttab concluded by stressing that community media is not“external,” but deeply local and dedicated to serving the public interest. He called on governments and civil society to support it and ensure its continuity.

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