Radio and Television in Morocco: New Regulation and Licensing for Private Channels
JAMMR 3 (1+2) pp. 19–36 Intellect Limited 2010 Journal of Arab & Muslim Media Research Volume 3 Numbers 1 and 2 © 2010 Intellect Ltd Article. English language. doi: 10.1386/jammr.3.1-2.19_1 AHMED HIDASS Institut Supérieur d’Information et Communication, Rabat, Morocco Radio and television in Morocco: New regulation and licensing for private channels ABSTRACT KEYWORDS Until 2006, Morocco had only two radio and two television stations catering for a satellite broadcasting population of 30 million people. Like in most Arab countries, such stations tradi- State monopoly tionally fell under the administrative, financial and editorial authority of the State, freedom of expression something that contrasts with the status of the printed press, which remained, glo- democratic transition bally speaking, private and partisan. regulation Over the last year, Morocco’s broadcast media landscape has witnessed the censorship emergence of more media outlets. New radio and television stations were created, all of which were private. Because of this, the public monopoly was abolished and public authorities (the King, Parliament and the Government) again adopted a code that would regulate the broadcasting media functioning. As such, Morocco seems to be revisiting its past. Before gaining independence, when it first launched its media, Morocco possessed as many public as private stations. However, newly launched private television stations, although constitut- ing the first initiative in the Maghreb, are only broadcast by satellite, and their programmes are limited in time. New radio stations are all local and with basic programming. They are restricted to music and entertainment. The administrative regulating authority, Haute Autorité de la Communication Audiovisuelle, however, has not granted licenses for all projects.
[Show full text]