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Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - The Lower House of Parliament on Wednesday voted to recommend dismantling the Print and Publications Department and the Audio-Visual Commission, and merge them both within one media commission to be established after endorsing the draft Public Institutions and Departments Restructuring Law.

Members of Parliament were in favor of dismantling the two departments and merging them under a new Media Commission considering their similar work nature.

Several MPs criticized the Print and Publications Department, citing its recent decision to block over 290 unlicensed electronic news websites.

MPs Wafa Bani Mustafa, Zaid Shawabkeh and Zakariya al-Shaikh considered the department's measure as restrictive of media freedoms.

MP Kareem al-Dughmi said during the parliamentary session that the recommendation of the parliamentary administrative ad-hoc committee to merge the two departments is in line with principles of civil state, noting that there is no more room for a "print" department now that the electronic space makes everything available on the Internet.

Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications however criticized the recommendation to merge the two institutions, noting that the Audio-Visual Commission - which used to be part of the Media Affairs Ministry - was established because of the increased work load and the different technical nature between it and the Print and Publications Department.

Minister Mohammad al-Momani, who is also the government spokesperson, said that establishing a new media commission will only an additional administrative body, citing the need to separate between the two departments.

Wednesday's vote to merge the two departments came based on the recommendations of the Parliamentary Administrative Committee, and less than two days after the Print and Publications Department issued orders to block over 290 unlicensed news websites, a measure that triggered wide criticism from media freedoms watchdogs and civil society organizations.