The Jordanian government rejected last week issuing a license for a women’s community radio station in the Jordan valley. The request was for an FM station that will not broadcast news or political programs. This is the second time that the government rejects a community radio station. No reason was given for the rejection. The 2002 temporary Jordanian Audio visual law allows the government to refuse issuing a license without giving an explanation. The decision of the Jordanian cabinet was made on January 19th 2009.

The applicant, Daoud Kuttab, expressed astonishment at the decision which he said makes no sense. “What is the message sent to media investors when after a year of running around and fulfilling all the requirements including paying the hefty initiatiion license fee and first year’s fees in advance, the government rejects the application. It would make better sense if the government would give the criteria for how it makes its decision.”

Kuttab, the founder and director of the Amman-based radio Al Balad, also complained about rejecting a station for women in a farming area. “His Majesty King Abdullah has declared 2009 the farming year and has repeatedly called on the media to pay attention to women’s rights. What is the message of the government by rejecting a license to establish a community radio station for women in a povery striken farming area,” he asked?

Radio al Balad, formerly AmmanNet was denied in November 2007 a license to establish a community radio station in the third largest Jordanian city Zarqa by the Bakhit government. No explanation was given then to the decision. An appeal of that decision to the Jordanian high court was turned down.

The idea of a station in the Jordan valley came during the 9th conference of AMARC, the global associatin of community radio stations. The conference held in Amman in November 2006. The conference held under the patronage of the Prime Minsiter was organised with the expectation that Jordan which had allowed the licenseing of private radio stations would be open to the licensing of community radio stations. Community radio is almost totally absent in the Arab region where air waves are restricted to government monopolies or commercial enertainment stations. Germany’s women’s prayer breakfast and the Norweigian government as well as local businesses have been supportive of the initiative. A weekly radio program “Zahrat al Aghwar” has been produced and broadcast on Radio Al Balad in Amman and rebroadcast from Palestinian radio stations in Bethlehem and Jericho to Jordan valley residents.