Newspapers of Jordan: Al Rai, Ad-Dustour, Al Ghad and online media

In Jordan, the news is followed in Arabic in the dailies Al Rai, Ad-Dustour and Al Ghad, on sites such as Ammon News or Khaberni, in English in the Jordan Times, with the Petra agency and the channels Al Mamlaka and Roya, mostly free.

From Jerusalem papers to Amman newsrooms

Part of the Jordanian press descends from titles founded in Palestine before 1967. Ad-Dustour was created in 1967 from the merger of Falastin and Al Manar, Al Rai appeared in Amman in 1971, followed by the English-language Jordan Times in 1975.

Al Rai and Ad-Dustour, historic dailies close to the state

Al Rai, published by the Jordan Press Foundation, is the most widely circulated daily and largely reflects government positions. Ad-Dustour follows a similar line, while giving more room to opinion columns and to news from Palestine than its main rival does.

Al Ghad, the private daily launched in 2004

Founded in 2004 by a private investor, Al Ghad modernised page design and social reporting in Amman. It covers youth unemployment, water, public health and parliamentary life, in a more liberal tone than the older dailies that dominated the market before it.

Arabic and English: who reads what?

Arabic dominates Jordanian media as a whole. The Jordan Times, published by the same group as Al Rai, is aimed at diplomats, NGOs and foreigners living in the Abdoun or Jabal Amman districts, as well as English-speaking Jordanians.

Ammon News and the rise of news websites

Since the mid-2000s, portals such as Ammon News, Khaberni, Saraya News, JO24 and Jfra News have published around the clock. An amendment to the press law in 2012 required news websites based in Jordan to obtain official registration.

Petra, the kingdom's news agency

The Petra agency, founded in 1969, reports on the activities of King Abdullah II, the government and Parliament. It publishes in Arabic and English, and its dispatches are the reference for appointments, economic decisions and security announcements across the kingdom.

JRTV, Al Mamlaka and Roya on screen

The Jordan Radio and Television Corporation runs public television and radio. Al Mamlaka, a public-service news channel launched in 2018, covers national affairs, while Roya, a private channel, is widely watched for its programmes and its online videos.

Refugees, Palestinians and the diaspora

A large share of the population is of Palestinian origin, and the country hosts many Syrian and Iraqi refugees. Reading Jordanian outlets is best complemented by the Palestinian press and the Syrian press online for a fuller regional picture.

Business pages and football

The dailies publish supplements on the Amman Stock Exchange, tourism in Petra and Aqaba, and international aid. Sport is dominated by football, notably Al-Faisaly and Al-Wehdat, and by the national team, runner-up at the 2023 Asian Cup.

What limits apply to press freedom?

The Constitution guarantees freedom of expression, but criticism of the king and security matters remains restricted. A cybercrime law adopted in 2023 raised concerns among journalists and rights defenders about what can safely be posted on social media.

Free websites and same-day PDF editions in Amman

The websites of the Amman dailies are largely free, funded by advertising and official notices. Al Rai and Ad-Dustour also offer the day's edition as a PDF, handy for finding a legal notice or the results of a public competition.

Placing Amman within the Levant press

To cross-check a regional story, compare Jordanian titles with the Arab press of the Middle East. On Iraq, Gaza or the Gulf, the cautious and diplomatic line taken in Amman often differs from that of the pan-Arab channels.

Reading Jordan from afar, step by step

1. Choose a daily such as Al Ghad or Al Rai and add a fast news site such as Ammon News.
2. Check government decisions and announcements from the Royal Court on the Petra agency.
3. Read the Jordan Times if you do not read Arabic, then compare with an Arabic-language title.
4. Watch Al Mamlaka live for press conferences and major parliamentary sessions.
5. Follow the official accounts of the Public Security Directorate for extreme weather and road closures.

Cost of accessing Jordanian media

Key facts about Jordan

• Main language: Arabic; English-language title: Jordan Times
• News agency: Petra, Jordan News Agency
• Public broadcasting: JRTV and the news channel Al Mamlaka
• Leading dailies: Al Rai, Ad-Dustour, Al Ghad
• Time zone: UTC+3 all year round since 2022
• Currency: Jordanian dinar (JOD)

What often misleads foreign readers of Jordanian news

• Confusing Al Rai of Amman with the Kuwaiti daily of the same name, which features heavily in online searches.
• Taking a rumour about a fuel price rise for an official decision before Petra has published it.
• Forgetting that many Jordanian sites copy the same dispatches word for word, which does not confirm the story.
• Sharing an old video of flash floods in Petra or at the Dead Sea presented as recent.

Questions about Jordanian newspapers