Established by Royal Decree in 1969, PETRA stands as Jordan’s official national news agency.
Media assets
News agency: PETRA
State Media Matrix Typology
Ownership and governance
Established by Royal Decree in 1969, PETRA was Initially part of the now-dissolved Ministry of Information, It gained administrative independence in 2004 and has since been overseen by the Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications.
PETRA operates under a framework in which hierarchical oversight remains firmly within the state’s grasp. While the Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications chairs the agency’s board, day-to-day operations are managed by a Director General. Since 2023, this role has been held by Fayrouz Mubaidin.
Source of funding and budget
PETRA remains overwhelmingly government-funded. In 2019, official sources reported a state allocation of JOD 2.8 million (around US$4 million). By 2023, that figure rose to over JOD 3 million (US$ 4.2 million), as documented in a government budget report.
Most recently, during the Lower House Finance Committee hearings in late 2024, PETRA was granted JD 3.2 million in the 2025 budget—an increase of JD 312,000 from the prior year.
The agency also generates additional revenue through the sale of news content, photo services, training, and media equipment rentals, but available data confirm that over 90% of its funding generally stems from state support.
Editorial independence
Despite its operational evolution, PETRA’s editorial framework remains constrained. Content analysis and expert assessments conducted for this report consistently indicate that PETRA functions as a government mouthpiece, with reporting firmly aligned with official state narratives.
There is no legal mandate guaranteeing autonomy, and no independent oversight bodymonitors editorial standards. Every recent analysis—including a fresh round in 2024 and 2025—confirms that editorial control firmly resides with the state, from news line direction to framing of key national issues.
July 2025