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

the suspension of the first and the conveyance of the second to a foreigner 19 did not
prevent newspapers in the group from behaving as public newspapers. “Arab
Morocco News Agency” remains the best proof of the presence of an official written
press. This agency, established in the late 50's, is considered as state-affiliated,
whether in terms of supervision, financing or editorial orientations.
Until 2004, there has been 1782 Moroccan journalists 20 , distributed into 802 in the
written press, 526 in Moroccan radios and TVs, 131 in Channel 2, 40 in Medi 1, one
journalist in the FM radio station, 208 in the Arab Morocco News Agency, 9 in the
Moroccan Cinema Center, 10 in electronic press, 10 in production agencies in the
field of communications, 6 in the photography department at the Ministry of
Communications and 38 free-lancers.
However, most of those are not graduated from institutes specialized in press
formation. They practice this profession based on their party affiliations with respect
to party-based journalism or based on their university formation.
If the Moroccan media on the quantitative level knows significant diversity, the
qualitative aspect (the how) triggers an unprecedented debate. Since 1999, a
significant year where a change took place in the authority pyramid in Morocco with
the decease of King Hassan II, who was succeeded by his son King Mohammed VI,
the roles of journalism was the main subject to be discussed in Morocco. In light of
the political vacuum caused by the participation of parties of the former opposition in
the government as of March 14, 1998, and due to the lack of an alternative
institutional opposition 21 , some viewed independent press as the only existing
opposition press.
Such people base their judgment on the nature of subjects covered by this press, and
the critical method in which this press tackles the issues. Discussing monarchy
peculiarities, the King's and his family's private life, prostitution, sexual perversion,
drug gangs, the issue of the Desert, religious issues, embezzlement of public funds,
Moroccan diplomacy, as well as the political crimes perpetrated under the former
King's regime, are no longer taboos for this press, as it was in the past, when tackling
such issues even implicitly endangered the press and journalists 22 .
Hence, with the new roles of press in Morocco and the nature of topics covered,
journalists found themselves before urgent questions, mainly: How can they conciliate
between practicing the profession, i.e. conveying the truth as it is, and dealing with
the piece of news with a touch of divinity and between the love of the country, trying
19 Transferring the ownership of this institution to the Saudi businessman Osman al-Amir raises
questions and ambiguity among media stakeholders regarding its real status. While decree No.
15/90/42, issued on March 18, 2004, relevant to licensing the printing of the group's newspapers in
Morocco, indicates that it is concerning a foreign company, the Moroccan government rendered this
group among its national newspapers that benefited from the financial support in 2005.
20 The above-mentioned report of the Ministry of Communications.
21 With the participation of traditional opposition parties in the government, it was expected that
Islamic parties would play this role, particularly the Justice and Development Party. However, the
terrorist acts witnessed by Casablanca on May 16, 2003 and the pressures exerted by the authority
limited the efficiency of their opposition, forcing them to focus mainly on ethical aspects, neglecting
any interest to criticize the government's action and choices.
22 At the end of the 80's, "La Malif" magazine, a famous independent magazine at that time, was
suspended merely because it covered the topic of sexual perversion in Morocco. However today,
dealing with this topic has become a cliché due to the excessive interest of the press in the same.