Mass media in Jordan
The Constitution of Jordan guarantees freedom of opinion and speech, in addition to freedom of the press and mass media, but all within the limits of the law. According to the U.S. Department of State, in practice there are significant restrictions in place curtailing the free operation of the media. Any criticism or defamation of the king or royal family is prohibited, as well as anything deemed to harm "the state's reputation and dignity." The government has used tactics such as the threat of fines, prosecution, and detention to intimidate journalists and encourage self-censorship. Moreover, informants and censors at printing presses often give the government warning if a particularly inflammatory article is slated for publication, thereby allowing the government to apply pressure on the publisher to change or remove the item. However, King Abdullah recently issued a statement outlawing imprisonment of journalists, an act praised by human rights groups. Wikipedia