‘72.5% of reports on elections in print media rely on one source’

AMMAN — The Jordan Media Institute (JMI) on Saturday issued its first report on Jordanian media outlets’ coverage of the parliamentary elections. 

The institute is monitoring media coverage of the September 20 polls, and its first report covers the last stages of candidate registration and campaigning between August 16 and August 25, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The JMI, which examined 20 media outlets across the political spectrum, found that 72.5 per cent of news reports in print media relied on one source. 

The outlets monitored included four dailies: Al Rai, Ad-Dustour, Al Ghad and As Sabeel; four radio stations: Radio Jordan, Hayat FM, Al Balad and Sawt Al Janub; and four TV stations: Jordan Television, Al Haqiqa Al Dawliyeh, Yarmouk and Ro’ya.

The sample also included eight news websites: Ammon, Khaberni, Saraya, Al Wakeel, Hala News, Jafra News, Al Bosala and Garaa News. 

The report examined 3,183 media items in the 20 outlets, which included 1,845 news items (59.1 per cent), 723 opinion pieces (23.2 per cent), 534 items for parliamentary campaigning (17 per cent) and 19 replies and corrections (0.6 per cent).

Election materials covered a total area of 43,732 square centimetres in print media, with Ad-Dustour publishing the biggest share (12,146 square centimetres), and As Sabeel the smallest share (8,969 square centimetres).

The four television stations in the sample broadcast 29 hours, 35 minutes and 25 seconds of election materials, compared with 18 hours, 1 minute and 56 seconds in radio stations, Petra reported.

According to the JMI report, news websites’ coverage for elections amounted to 110,155 words.