Amman, Jan. 28 (Petra) - The Amman Group for Future Dialogues on Wednesday evening organized a seminar titled "An Overview of Jordan TV Programming and Ramadan Schedule," with the participation of Jordan Radio and Television Corporation (JRTV) Board Chairman Ghaith Tarawneh and Director General Ibrahim Al-Bawareed, in the presence of the group’s president Bilal Hassan Al-Tal and members, as well as media professionals.
Tarawneh said Jordan Television places the Jordanian family, in all its segments, at the heart of its programming plan, stemming from its role as a national broadcaster addressing children, youth, and women in a professional and specialized manner.
He noted that television production has become costly, especially in light of rapid technological developments.
He explained that the corporation alone does not bear responsibility for supporting Jordanian drama, adding that updating content on its affiliated platforms is a step in the right direction, alongside consolidating Jordanian national identity and conveying soft messages through diverse programs linked to that identity.
Tarawneh said the new programming plan includes 34 programs targeting different age groups, a relatively large number, noting the presence of an independent evaluation and oversight committee responsible for reviewing dramatic scripts before approving their production.
He added that the production budget has risen this year to nearly JD2 million, compared with about JD700,000 last year, stressing that despite the increase, the figure remains limited compared with the scale and cost of television production and is primarily directed toward supporting national output.
For his part, Al-Bawareed said JRTV is among the pioneering Arab media institutions and has faced major challenges in recent years due to intense competition from satellite channels and modern media.
He said the corporation has managed to maintain its presence through specialization in sports and economic channels and programs, as well as those targeting children and drama, in addition to channels focused on national objectives, broadcasting on eight television platforms.
He explained that digital media and social networks have become a necessity, noting that since 2019 the corporation has launched digital platforms enabling viewers to access content at any time.
He pointed to the decline in traditional television viewership, citing surveys showing that average screen viewing does not exceed one hour per day.
Al-Bawareed said the corporation’s platforms have around 14 million followers across various channels, stressing that Jordan Television is a national broadcaster oriented toward the Jordanian family.
He added that responsibility for supporting national production does not fall solely on the corporation but is shared with private production companies.
He said the Ramadan programming cycle is characterized by diversity and meets the needs of Jordanian families, noting that producing historical drama series is among the most expensive forms of television production, with budgets that can reach millions of dinars.
//Petra// AF
