Jordan News Agency (PETRA) has witnessed important developments on technical and professional levels since it was first established in 1969, as an independent body linked to the Ministry of Information.

The Royal Decree by virtue of which PETRA was established stated that the mission of PETRA is to "achieve the goals of the Jordanian media by covering news and transmitting them both inside and outside Jordan through proper technical means".

Petra's news bulletins reflect the diversity of opinions in Jordanian society and further the cause of democracy in the Kingdom. 

PETRA started with 32 employees, 18 of them were journalists who provided an evening news bulletin typed in both Arabic and English, and disseminated to all those concerned: media, press, Arab and foreign embassies and some ministries and government departments.

PETRA increased its daily working hours to 18, including Fridays and official holidays. However, it can work around the clock in times of emergency. The staffs also increased to reach 238 employees, 135 of them are journalists who enjoy membership of the Jordan Press Association (JPA). PETRA is a fully-fledged professional body that participated actively in the inception of the JPA.

PETRA is an active member in the Federation of Arab News Agencies (FANA), and the Non-Aligned Countries' News Agencies Pooling.
It has correspondents in Cairo, Copenhagen, New York, Tokyo, Bonn, Paris, Gaza, Ramallah, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Bahrain, Moscow, London, Kuwait, Kuala Lumpur, Beijing, Sana'a and Bucharest, Baghdad, Manama and Beirut.

PETRA became an independent entity in June 2004, following the dissolvement of the Ministry of Information. A special ordinance was enacted to give PETRA financial and administrative independence and to specify the powers of the Agency's Council and those of the Director General.
The new ordinance grants the agency the right to sell some of its services to willing subscribers.
The ordinance defines services that could be sold as: