Taher Odwan, state minister for media and communications, said that attention to media is key to political reform. “We can’t create democratic institutions without creating free media.” Odwan who was speaking  on the occasion of the 10^th anniversary of AmmanNet and Radio al Balad, Thursday said that the red lines in Jordan’s media have fallen. “The governmental approach that considered media  a tool for marketing officials is over now with the proliferation of new media.” The Jordanian minister praised local radio for its attention to local news. “All claims that satellite television will end the work of radio has proven wrong.” Minister of State, Odwan said he is opposed to the return of the Ministry of Information insisting that there is a strong infrastructure for a thriving independent media in Jordan. Daoud Kuttab, the director general of Community Media Network which runs Radio al Balad and Ammannet said that the goal behind the creation of the Arab world’s first internet radio station was to change the way media works. “We wanted to create a new media that is free of the control of governments and advertising companies.” He said that the approach was focused on hiring new college graduates who had none of the prevailing negative media habits. Kuttab spoke about the importance of supporting community media because of its attention to local news and because it takes its editorial direction from the community. Radio al Balad and AmmanNet celebrated its ten anniversary under the auspices of Minister Odwan with a musical concert presented by Kaza Mada a musical group made up of Jordanian, Palestinian, Egyptian and Lebannese musicians. The event held at Expo Zara was attended by more than 350 people. AmmanNet was established as the Arab world’s first Internet radio station in 2000 with initial sponsorship from UNESCO, the Greater Amman Municipality and with continued support from the Open Society Institute. In 2006 it received license to broadcast terrestrially and changed its name to Radio al Balad. AmmanNet news website has continued and branched out to five thematic sites.