Report on Media in Morocco - Arab Center for the Rule of Law and ...

especially those relating to the written press, in comparison with the high cost
required by such training, is linked to other factors, some of which are cultural and
may be summarized in the lack of awareness vis-à-vis the value of training in
developing journalism and media institutions alike.
In the absence of internal training, practice and daily contact with colleagues inside
the institution, as well as personal efforts, are determining factors for developing the
potentials of most journalists and refining their talents.
In appreciation of the importance of training, the National Union for Moroccan Press
lobbied towards forcing media outlets to attach special importance to the said subject
and make it obligatory. The collective agreement for professional journalists
stipulates that "press institutions, professional journalists and their syndicates should
show joint interest in vocational training and cooperate for the development thereof."
It added that "every press institution should draw up a training plan, taking into
account the objectives of its development, as well as the rehabilitation and training
requirements for the benefit of professional journalists," stressing that "professional
journalists should seek to improving their competence continuously, whether through
training programs organized by the institution or professional organizations, or by
other means, including those made available by public education and research
institutions."
3-2 Access to the Profession
In general, embarking on a career in journalism is considered as an open field for
those interested therein. Although there is an institute for journalistic training,
accessed after passing an examination for those who have earned a Baccalaureate
degree, the certificate earned after four years of studying at the said institute is not
compulsory to practice the profession. The same applies to the certificates conferred
by private journalism institutes. Therefore, as aforementioned, the majority of
practitioners have not received any specialized journalistic training. The only
condition for practicing this profession is to obtain a press card, as it is the only tool
that entitles him to practice of the profession and "to benefit from the privileges that
the administrative authorities or any other person from the public or private sector
gives to representatives of the written press or the audio-visual media" (Article 2 of
the Professional Journalists Law).
This card is given by the Ministry of Communications after consulting the
"Committee of the Press Card", composed of representatives of the Ministry of
Communications and the National Union for the Moroccan Press. The said card was
given randomly in the past. For instance, many secretary-generals of parties were
given this card just because they owned newspapers in their names. Moreover, some
executives of the managements of parties were given this card because they were
listed as staff members of the newspapers of their parties. In addition, this card was
offered to some technicians in press institutions who had the capacity of a journalist.
However, in the past few years, the card has been granted only to those practicing
journalism and have the capacity of a journalist.
If favoritism exists in one way or another in the practice of this profession although
proving it remains a difficult issue, there are facts of a certain discrimination in
journalistic practice, based on gender, political opinions or sexual preference.