Media personality Muhannad Al-Khatib Managing Director of ATV

Al-Khatib expressed his delight at having returned home after several years of working in media abroad, saying:" I look forward to working with a group of media professionals on launching such a leading project, one our beloved country desperately needs. We have a wealth of talented qualified media people both inside and outside of Jordan, all of whom were waiting for the right opportunity and media platform to exercise their creative freedom."

Al-Khatib, who has worked with several media outfits, most recently the Dubai-based "Al Arabiya" Satellite Channel, said: "The current climate of openness in Jordan makes it a perfect spot in the Arab World to launch such a project. The time has come for Media of the highest caliber in professionalism and credibility, one that respects the audience's taste and intelligence, and offers the best product to that audience."

Al-Khatib described ATV as "a channel for the entire family", in as far as it aims to satisfy the needs of the entire Jordanian spectrum, especially the youth that comprise the majority of the country.

"ATV aims to become the leading source of news on Jordan specifically, the viewer will sense a dramatic shift in the content and look of News and Current Affairs programming that strays away from the mundane, repetitive and traditional way of covering news. ATV News will be balanced, precise, and trustworthy, and will cover important events with speed and accuracy"

Al-Khatib, who worked as a journalist and News Anchor for many years, added.

Construction of the channel's headquarters is currently underway, and the main sections, including the News Centre and Studios, are expected to wrap-up soon, Al Khatib said, adding that editorial and technical training on the comprehensive "Newsroom Systems" will commence shortly thereafter.

ATV has contracted British companies dB and ITN to supervise the installation and testing of the technical equipment in the building that houses three studios and a newsroom environment equipped with the latest technology in TV broadcasting.

On the official launch date, Al-Khatib said that it hinges on the technical readiness of the building, but "I expect that it would be within the next few months."