Communication Minister Clarifies Remarks On Digital Influencers And Media Role

Amman, May 16 (Petra) -- Minister of Government Communication and Government Spokesperson Mohammad Momani clarified on Saturday that the state's engagement with modern digital communication tools does not come at the expense of professional media, which remains the "fourth estate." Momani's comments, published on his social media accounts, followed a public debate regarding remarks he made earlier in the day during a panel at the Tawasol 2026 Forum.

"Anyone who followed the full session heard my repeated emphasis on the importance of empowering professional media and upgrading its capabilities to keep pace with digital transformations," Momani said. He explained that strengthening professional media, both public and private, alongside the network of government spokespersons, remains critical to delivering accurate information and countering rumors and misinformation.

The minister pointed out the irony that the critique of his statements was unfolding on social media platforms the very medium he was using to clarify his position and that most criticisms came from journalists acting as individual influencers on their personal accounts rather than through formal media institutions.

"This reflects the scale of transformation in communication tools and public debate, which is exactly what I meant during my talk about communicating with activists and influencers," Momani added.

He stressed that his discussion focused entirely on adapting to modern communication patterns and developing public outreach tools, rather than replacing professional journalism or diminishing its national role. To provide full context and prevent selective interpretations, Momani attached the complete video recording of his forum remarks to his social media post.

The spokesperson concluded by reaffirming that tackling misinformation effectively requires the deployment of all available traditional and digital communication channels to deliver accurate information swiftly, while simultaneously preserving the institutional standing of professional journalism.

//Petra// AF

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