JMI trains students to highest standards, human values — Princess Rym

AMMAN — HRH Princess Rym Ali has said that the Jordan Media Institute (JMI) trains its students to the highest possible standards and human values, fights hate speech and provides them with a space where freedom of expression and respect for others are not contradictory.

Princess Rym was addressing guests at a celebration, held under the Royal Patronage on Monday, to mark the 10th anniversary of the Master’s in Journalism and New Media Programme on Tuesday, according to a statement from the institute. 

The princess warned against delivering technology without making sure it is accompanied by “some understanding” of human sciences, ethics, and the legal framework in which the flow of information operates. These, she noted should be incorporated into curricula to promote responsible use of media, the statement said.

She said, during the event that was also addressed by CNN’s Richard Quest, that the JMI believes that journalism education is not only about defending freedoms, but also about building a truly democratic culture. 

Princess Rym highlighted the institute’s efforts in promoting media literacy in the Kingdom, noting that proper journalism education accompanied by media literacy can help bring about a culture of change, a vision for the future and one that would focus on what is essential in terms of values, with depth, rather than fashionable opinions and sensationalism. 

She also commended the JMI’s fact-checking and media-monitoring website, Akeed. 

Quest, CNN’s anchor and business editor at large, stressed the importance of freedom as key to good press. He noted how press freedoms contribute to people’s prosperity and wellbeing. 

He added that people trained by the JMI will be the “backbone of society” and therefore must understand that there are two sides to each story with a few exceptions, and must ensure society has access to information. 

During his interactive remarks, Quest also addressed the issue of neutrality and noted that while journalists are entitled to their opinions, they must leave them outside the newsroom. They have to be objective about their coverage and how to tell the stories.  

JMI Dean Basim Tweissi said the establishment of the JMI by Princess Rym Ali was a “turning point” in journalism education in Jordan and the region, shifting the focus to practical training and field work. 

He also added that the master’s programme focuses on digital media and ethics and supports the commitment of young journalists to values and freedoms of expression and independence. 

He added that the institute is a primary source of expertise for Jordan and the region, noting that the JMI’s work focuses on three themes that address practical journalism experience: Updated communication technology knowledge, solid ethics which help graduates make informed and responsible decisions on the job. 

The celebration also included testimonials by some alumni about their experience at the JMI. They are part of more than 260 graduates who have achieved 91 per cent employment rate in a highly competitive market, according to the statement.   

The JMI is a non-profit academic institution that has also provided training opportunities to more than 6,000 people and has implemented more than 30 media development projects, including Media and Information Literacy. These efforts made it the recipient of the second prize of UNESCO’s Global Alliance for Partnerships on Media and Information Literacy  Awards for 2018, read the statement.