Citizen journalists and even professionals in Jordan are often ill-equipped to serve as both advocates and reporters of the news. Furthermore, though there are a number of well-regarded bloggers in Jordan and throughout the Arab world, they are not all considered to be reputable sources of information. In an effort to help this new population of Jordanian journalists and activists, IREX helped launch the Bloggers Guide, the first of its kind in the Arab world.
Jordanian bloggers seeking to shed light on social issues in their communities can now enhance their typically opinion-based reports with professional journalism techniques, by using the Bloggers Guide, which was launched in Amman in September. Well-known Jordanian blogger Haithan Nasser [5] edited the guide, which includes contributions from several popular Jordanian bloggers and offers lessons on accuracy, balance, transparency, language usage, and the importance of providing up-to-date information.
At the launch event, bloggers hailed the guide as an important tool to encourage bloggers in their work and inspire others to begin. “Many are thinking of quitting blogging simply because they have lost interest, or are afraid,” said Osama Romoh, who launched his blog in 2008. Others describe the Jordanian blogging scene as weak, with many bloggers unaware of the potential to influence and impact their communities. Compounding the issue is disengaged civil society organizations, which fail to recognize the value of blog content and have yet to take advantage of the internet as a strategic advocacy medium. The guide will serve as a tool for bloggers to build these relationships and strengthen their ties within their communities through communication and networking with government officials, media outlets, and civil society organizations.
The Blogging Guide was created as part of a small grant awarded to the Centre for Defending the Freedom of Journalists in Jordan through IREX’s USAID-funded Jordan Media Strengthening Program. It was the culmination of a series of activities that included training courses for 20 new and existing Jordanian bloggers as well as launching a website called Bloggers Gate [6]. The site provides bloggers with numerous resources, including the Bloggers Guide, in addition to a list of Jordanian blogs with more than 100 links, multimedia training documents, surveys, and a free online legal service for bloggers. The guide will be used in future training sessions for Jordanian journalists and bloggers.
The training sessions addressed numerous issues critical to media’s success, including the technical knowledge to launch and maintain a blog, professional development, and legal empowerment. Sessions were led by Mohammad Omar, managing editor of the Arabic-language electronic newspaper Aram, Mohammed Qutaishat, a renowned lawyer specializing in media law, and Ammar Ibrahim, an information technology specialist. Participants, including bloggers, journalists, and editors, gained the skills needed to enhance their online presence and increase their community impact.
The USAID-funded Jordan Media Strengthening Program (JMSP) works with media outlets, training institutes, journalism faculties, and media NGOs to improve the professionalism and sustainability of the Jordanian media sector. IREX and its partners Social Impact, the University of Tennessee, and the Annenberg School for Communication offer training, consulting, and small grants.
