Amman, Sept. 15 (Petra) -- Secretary-General of the Ministry of Government Communication Zaid Nawaiseh said the 2026 Bylaw Governing Media Spokespersons in Ministries, Government Institutions and Departments establishes clear criteria for selecting media spokespersons, requiring the necessary competencies, qualifications and professional experience in line with the Media Spokespersons Competency Framework and job description.
Candidates must also meet the required knowledge and practical assessment standards, evaluation criteria and personal interview requirements.
In remarks to the Jordan News Agency (Petra), Nawaiseh said the bylaw assigns the Ministry of Government Communication a technical oversight role in monitoring the work of media spokespersons, guiding their efforts, and coordinating government communication, information-sharing and official messaging. Administratively, the spokesperson reports to the minister or an authorized representative.
He said the bylaw establishes a unified institutional framework for managing the work of media spokespersons, setting out their responsibilities as well as the requirements for their selection and performance evaluation. The framework is intended to strengthen the professionalism of government communication, improve coordination of official messaging, and ensure timely responses to issues, developments and crises.
Under the bylaw, spokespersons are responsible for developing communication messages and plans, as well as crisis and emerging-issue response plans. Their duties also include issuing or approving statements and press releases, responding to media inquiries, monitoring coverage of their respective departments, and providing the necessary clarifications and responses.
Their responsibilities further include representing their departments and speaking on their behalf, explaining policies, decisions and programs, coordinating with relevant units and departments, organizing media briefings and press conferences, and managing media communications during emergencies and crises to ensure timely responses, accurate information and consistent official messaging.
Nawaiseh said the bylaw strengthens coordination between media spokespersons and the media and communications units within government departments. It also requires government entities to provide the personnel, equipment, technical support and logistical resources needed to enable spokespersons to perform their duties effectively.
In addition, spokespersons are to participate in committees relevant to their departments’ work, allowing them to maintain continuous awareness of related issues and files.
He noted that the bylaw also reinforces accountability and professional development by subjecting spokespersons to periodic technical performance evaluations based on criteria and indicators covering performance, professionalism, compliance and media engagement.
The evaluations will be conducted jointly by the relevant government department, the Ministry of Government Communication and the Public Service and Administration Commission, and will be taken into consideration when deciding whether to renew or appoint a media spokesperson.
Nawaiseh said the "Natiq" platform has been adopted to coordinate official messaging, facilitate communication on media-related issues and respond to inquiries within the relevant department’s mandate, as well as to update related data and reports. The platform is designed to strengthen monitoring and coordination between government entities and the Ministry of Government Communication.
He added that the ministry, in cooperation with relevant entities, will organize training programs and courses for media spokespersons and their teams covering effective communication, digital media, crisis management and other skills needed to enhance professional performance.
//Petra//AA
