Press association decries assault on Hawatmeh

AMMAN — Chairman of the Jordan Radio and Television Corporation (JRTVC) Board George Hawatmeh on Wednesday was assaulted by a JRTVC employee and taken to hospital, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

JRTVC Director General Mohammad Tarawneh told Petra that the employee was reacting to a "purely administrative decision", which entailed restoring his position from a presenter to a news reporter without affecting his employment.

Tarawneh said the recently appointed board of directors has carried out several reforms to improve the institution, including cancelling some shows and launching new ones. 

The JRTVC, he added, seeks to place the right people in the right positions.

Jordan Press Association (JPA) President Tareq Momani said the assault on Hawatmeh — a former chief editor of The Jordan Times, Al Rai and Al Ghad — is a violation of the profession's code of ethics.

Momani added that dialogue must be the solution to any issue.

Minister of State for Media Affairs Mohammad Momani has said that the government did not name a minister as JRTVC chairman to enhance the independence and objectiveness of the institution in accordance with the principles of media professionalism.

Momani said the move sends a message to media institutions to take the initiative and reaffirms their right to criticise and debate public issues.