The current king, Mohammed VI, came to power in 1999 and is the third monarch to rule Morocco since it gained its independence from France in 1956. King Mohammed VI instituted a number of liberalising reforms when he succeeded his father, King Hassan II, who ruled from 1961. He put in place further reforms in 2011 against a backdrop of regional unrest and domestic political protest. The country ha
Morocco’s economy is diversified, particularly relative to many other countries in the MENA region. Both the agricultural and the tourism sectors are major contributors to economy, with the former generating 40% of the employment and the latter accounting for roughly 8% of GDP. Manufacturing industries, including textiles, automotive and aeronautics, are also highly developed. In addition, the k
With a surge of independent newspapers, Morocco’s media landscape is gaining diversity as it tries to adapt its dispersed market to the growing weight of online news content. Internet-based products are becoming more relevant, as new daily and weekly Arabic print newspapers compete for advertising spend with francophone titles. The new radio audience measurement system is pushing established…
Despite going through a tough period due to regional instability and financial turmoil in several Western economies, Morocco remains one of the main advertising markets in the Maghreb in terms of its size and dynamism. Television is still the most important of traditional media vehicles, and local established channels are seeing increased competition from pan-Arab satellite channels, steadily claiming…
The rise of new print titles in an increasingly digitally driven sector shows that the Moroccan media business still has the capacity to absorb innovative products, particularly if they cater for the larger, Arabic-speaking public. A 14-member commission led by the minister of communication has been set up to design a new press code to include standards for online newspapers and to create a national…