AMMAN (JT) - More than half the journalists in the Kingdom, some 58 per cent, are aware of the Access of Information Law, according to a study released on Saturday.

Results of a field survey carried out by Al Urdun Al Jadid Research Centre (UJRC) in December 2008 also revealed that 84.7 per cent of journalists did not know they had the right to request information from public agencies through the Information Council.

A vast majority, 89 per cent of respondents, said they do not utilise the Access to Information Law, compared to 11 per cent who said they have benefited from the legislation’s provisions.

Of the journalists who have made use of the law, half said the information they received was satisfactory, while the remaining 50 per cent said government responses to their inquiries were inadequate.

Measuring the responsiveness of government institutions, the study indicated that 7 per cent of media personnel believed government entities were “excellent and quick” in responding to inquiries.

Another 51 per cent described governmental bodies’ responsiveness as “good”, 37.4 per cent as “weak” and 5 per cent said public agencies were nonresponsive to their inquiries.

Approximately 54.3 per cent said officials’ hesitance to release information was a major obstacle, while 45 per cent said officials tend to give partial information without any further details.

Moreover, 37.5 per cent of respondents said officials prevented information from being released, while 29.7 per cent said they have received inaccurate information.

The poll also showed that 13.8 per cent were subjected to verbal abuse in response to their inquiries, such as threats of detention or physical violence.

Around 223 journalists working in daily and weekly newspapers, the Jordan Radio and Television Corporation, media websites and news agencies were surveyed for the study, 28 per cent of them women.

UJRC President Hani Horani told The Jordan Times yesterday that not all the surveyed journalists were members of the 780-strong Jordan Press Association.

Established in 1999, Al Urdun Al Jadid Research Centre is an independent entity that works in the field of research and studies.