On August, 24, 2007 11:53 PM , Hani Obaid
from Jordan said:

I stopped watching JTV 14 years ago. They just can't compete.

If they really think in this day and age that stopping a TV station is going to eliminate competition and allow total media control, I wonder which rock they've been hiding under.

Not only is it a conflict of interest for JTV to be making this decision, it is a conflict of interest for them to even be heading this comission.

I think arresting reporters for things like jeopardizing relations with another country, or reprinting (even to criticise)the Danish cartoons about prophet mohammad is probably a much more serious example of lack of media freedom.

See the Jordan section of the (Reporters without borders) report on media freedom in the middle east.

www.rsf.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=665

On August, 25, 2007 2:08 AM , hatem abunimeh
from United States said:

The delay is beyond pale, what I don’t understand though is why we aren’t hearing anything beyond eerie silence from the officials at ATV. At least in Abu Ghazaleh’s controversy were able to look at both sides of the argument. The argument here appears to be one sided. Why the ATV is keeping tight lip on what is going on, are they worried about their investment, about their audience, about their advertisers, or about what?! How come they don’t speak up so we can learn about what exactly is going on! Is the fear of back lash worrying them so much to the point of reticence? I hope that they would speak up as so far the most naïve amongst us doesn’t believe the stories that are being put out for public consumption. What is the real reason, why was the launching stopped in the last minute after the eleventh hour and fifty nine minutes? The inquiring mind wants to know. For now I’m just flabbergasted

On August, 25, 2007 10:58 PM , Alurdunialhurr
from United States said:

Batir,,,I had to come and visit your Blog because you have wrote a comment addressing me on Nassem's Blog and here it is"الأردني الحر أنا واثق تماما بأنك قد قمت بفعل المستحيل لمنع العدوان الغاشم من موقعك في الولايات المتحدة نفسها. أتمنى لك التوفيق وأن تحرص على التدفئة الجيدة في الشتاء بفضل النفط العراقي المسروق أميركيا والذي يستهلكه سكان الولايات المتحدة مثلك تماما.
"
Here is my reply to you,
Batir,, while Iam individual with limited ability that has always participated in in every mass demonstration against this naked aggression, ,I and along with my true Americans friends participated in mass demonstration to voice our disgust and opposition to this illegal immoral and unjust war, while “your” government have banned Jordanians to demonstrate and at the same time has been assisting and providing logistics and intelligence to the American Army to occupy and attack Iraq.
And here is another one in Arabic, if it is not enough.
بتير ،روح ألعب غيرها،جاي تلومني وتلوم أشخاص مثلي علي أحتلال العراق،أنا ومعي الملاين من الشعب الامريكي الحر والمسالم أشتركنا في كثير من الفعاليات والمظهارات لوقف هذاالعدون الغاشم علي دوله العراق،ولكن في المقابل حكومتك وعلي رأسهم الملك عبدالله قد قام بتقديم كل المساعدات الجوستيكيه والمخابراتيه الي بوش والجيش الامريكي لحتلال العراق….

On August, 26, 2007 9:54 AM , Markus
from United Arab Emirates said:

Batir, your argument against Al Urduni Al hurr was bad, and his response shows you why, this is the worst angle you can take regarding Iraq, the stance jordan took towards the war is nothing to write home about...... Secondly your suggestion on who can solve the ATV matter is not realistic in my opnion, the source of the matter cannot be the solution to it, its another layer of conflict of interest, in other words who do u think torpedoed the ATV launch in the first place?

On August, 27, 2007 4:32 AM , nasifmasad
from Chile said:

It is a competition or a fighting between two shadows, we can't expect a different style of TV. What is the difference between the two sides of the same stream of absolutism. In the Arab countries diversity is abcent, most of the thinkers are in state of competition to serve the unique colour and the most powerful authority . The rest have nothing to do, but silence. In fact diversity and Democracy as civilized experiences proved to be desasterous, it is too early and too late to gain freedom of speech. Arab thinkers should study the experiences of the palestinian and the Iraqi elections, and learn from the deadly mistakes, and learn how to prepare the nation for any Democracy before practicing it by enriching an infrastructure of cultural maturity, tolerance, self esteam and spirit of independance. As an Arab, I guess that we have fear of Democracy and we resist the creative thinking. As it is observed that criticism causes frustration to us, we should learn to control our attitudes and admit criticism as a mean of reconstruction not as a mean of destruction.
Let me tell a story of a 10 years girl who returned from a S. American country to visit her family who welcomed her, but when they saw a chain and cross around her neck a woman hysterically snatched it, causing an injury and unforgettable shock to the child.
We still remember the reaction on the silly cartoon controversy, we are addicted to the confrontation.
In fact, our societies need a lot of effort to make significant change or proggress.
In this kind of solid society we ask a traditional question "Is any independent TV capable to absorb the shock, and how long?"