Moroccan media sector regulatory and political disputes

Tensions have escalated within the Moroccan media sector involving professional associations and regulatory or political entities.

The Moroccan Federation of Newspaper Publishers denounced the Provisional Committee for the Management of the Press and Publishing Sector after it rejected 69 out of 74 applications for nominations to the National Press Council. The Federation described the decision as a “massacre of pluralism” and an attempt to exclude independent voices, noting that established outlets and regional news sites were among those disqualified despite meeting official requirements.

Concurrently, the National Association of Media and Publishers in Morocco announced a boycott of all activities related to the Popular Movement Party and its Secretary-General, Mohamed Ouzzine. This decision follows remarks by Ouzzine, who characterized the association as a “sector of scavengers” during parliamentary discussions regarding the renewal of the National Press Council. The association further accused Ouzzine of attempting to broker deals to inflate media coverage for his party’s electoral campaign.