Study urges JPA reform to include freelancers, digital journalists

AMMAN — A new study by the Jordanian Network to Combat Digital Violence Against Female Journalists has found that restrictive membership criteria for the Jordan Press Association (JPA) are excluding many female journalists, particularly those working outside traditional media institutions.

The study highlighted how current regulations,  including rigid job title classifications, mandatory social security registration, and financial ties to officially recognised media outlets, disproportionately affect women in journalism, particularly freelancers and digital media professionals.

Launched in cooperation with the Canadian organisation SECDV and funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the study titled “Professional and Legal Impacts on Female Journalists Unable to Join the Jordanian Press Association” has reignited calls for reforming the JPA’s bylaws and membership requirements.

Presented during a session attended by journalists and media advocates, the findings underscored the urgent need to expand access to JPA membership, reflecting the shifting dynamics of the media sector and the rise of non-traditional journalism roles.

The report recommended amending internal regulations and trainee examination criteria, and revising the legal definitions of "journalist" under both the Press and Publications Law and the JPA Law to encompass a broader spectrum of media professionals, rather than limiting recognition solely to those formally affiliated with JPA-registered outlets.

Based on a survey of 117 female journalists working in print, broadcast, and digital media, none of whom are JPA members, the study found that many are excluded due to freelance status, unrecognised job titles, or employment at organisations that do not meet social security requirements. Others cited a lack of clarity around the membership process itself.

The consequences of exclusion are far-reaching. According to the study, the lack of union affiliation leaves female journalists legally vulnerable, limits their access to official information and prevents them from meaningfully participating in media policy discourse.

“In the context of rapidly evolving media trends and digital transitions, journalism has become a profession fraught with complex challenges, particularly for women outside formal union structures,” the Network told The Jordan Times.

Since JPA membership is a legal requirement for professional recognition, the report stated that the existing framework poses a significant obstacle to women’s full inclusion and protection within the journalism field.