Ammon News - AMMAN - Media representatives on Thursday welcomed Prime Minister Samir Rifai's decision to annul the 1 per cent culture tax on advertising revenues, but asked for more freedom of expression and access to information.

Sector leaders called the measure a "step in the right direction" towards greater press freedom, and said it would help the sector weather the difficult economic conditions impacting the Kingdom.

The government's decision to annul the culture tax was announced during a meeting Rifai and Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Nabil Sharif held Wednesday with the editors-in-chief of the country's eight daily newspapers.

Editor-in-Chief of Al Ghad daily Mousa Barhoumeh told The Jordan Times that the decision to repeal the culture tax is a “true translation of the government's promise to support the media sector and press freedom”.

"The removal of this tax is a call for media outlets to declare their independence from any governmental influence and practise their job in supervising, monitoring and exposing any violations by the authorities in a credible and unbiased manner," Barhoumeh said, adding that the measure complements the code of conduct recently adopted to regulate the government's relationship with the media.

"Obviously, the government, by adopting the code of conduct, wants to address distortions in its relationship with the media and end unacceptable practices by former governments based on appeasement or personal agendas," the editor said, adding that the media sector is also required to do its job with professionalism, credibility and efficiency, and to shun baseless defamation.

Agreeing with Barhoumeh, Chief Editor of As-Sabeel daily Atef Joulani said that the decision must not be seen as government charity, but rather as a reflection of the Rifai administration's commitment to supporting the media industry as a component of the national economy.

"The removal of the culture tax will have a positive impact on media institutions' finances and this will be reflected on the enhancement of journalists' financial status, thus improving their skills and performance," Joulani said.

Referring to the code of conduct, Joulani said the decision was untimely and should have been made after consultations with the press, but added that the government must now abide by the rules it has pledged to follow.

"The core issue here is the freedom of expression and press freedom and we hope that the year 2010 will be a year for more political and media reforms. We welcome and support any step in that direction," he added.

"Financial stability makes media outlets more independent with better outcomes," said Al Anbat Editor-in-Chief Faris Sharaan, stressing that the abolition of the culture tax will enable media institutions to direct more resources towards developing the skills of journalists.

"The annulment of the culture tax law and the government's intention to reconsider the mechanism of pricing its ads in publications will have positive impact on the economic situations of media institutions and thus the enhancement of their staff," Abdul Wahab Zgheilat, editor-in-chief of Al Rai daily, told The Jordan Times on Wednesday, following the media representatives' meeting with the government.

Zgheilat, who is also the president of the Jordan Press Association, said the government's move would improve the economic situation of the sector.

In its editorial, Al Rai said Thursday that the code of conduct is aimed at correcting some of the practices of previous governments, adding that the pact includes measures designed to support the media sector and make a qualitative leap in the Jordanian press towards a higher degree of professionalism and a wider influence.

"The prime minister's decision to cancel the culture tax underscores the goals behind the promulgation of the code of conduct, which goes into effect as of tomorrow [Friday], and has been welcomed and supported by the vast majority in the media sector," said the daily.

The premier's promise to revisit the possibility of calculating the cost of government advertisements in the same manner as commercial advertising is priced, according to Al Rai, will boost confidence in the government's keenness to genuinely reform its relationship with the media.

Zgheilat said the government must make good on its pledge to have a more positive and open relationship with the press, stressing that journalists must have access to whatever information they need, at all times.

"Reporters sometimes need immediate answers to questions pertaining to timely news. We asked the government to be more open when dealing with reporters and facilitate their access to information as guaranteed by relevant laws," he said.

(By Hani Hazaimeh/ Jordan Times)