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Casablanca – According to the daily Al Massae , the Moroccan channel 2M, as well as the radio affiliated to the same channel (Radio 2M) are now bound to broadcast the five calls for prayer on a daily basis. The new contract approved by the HACA (the High Authority for Audio-visual Communication) requires the Moroccan channel to observe this provision on a daily basis.
The High Authority for Audio-visual Communication (HACA: Haute Autorité de la Communication Audiovisuelle) was established in accordance with the Dahir (decree) n°1-02-212 of August 31, 2002. It is an independent administrative body in charge of regulating the audio-visual communication sector. Its main mission is to ensure the respect of the principles of pluralism and freedom of speech in the audio-visual communication sector and compliance to the fundamental cultural values and the laws of the Kingdom.
Thus, 2M is expected to broadcast the call for prayer in the few coming days. As set out in the provisions of the contract , 2M is equally required to broadcast the Friday prayer, the Eid al Adha and Eid al Fitr prayers that were broadcast only by the first channel. Before the elections of the new government, 2M used to broadcast the call for prayers only during the Islamic holy month Ramadan.
To meet the new sets of requirements, the Moroccan channel 2M will have to reconsider the time allotted to programs broadcast in Arabic. Indeed, 2M is now requested to broadcast 50% of its programs in Arabic, 30% in Berber and 20 % in foreign languages. It is of note that the Moroccan channel 2M was considered by many as a proponent of Francophone values rather than the national culture, since the bulk of its programs was broadcast in French.
When asked about the reforms scheduled for the media sector in an interview last month, Mr. Habib Shoubani, Minister in Charge of Relations with the Parliament and civil society, told MWN that the ministry of Communication intends to review the clauses of some contracts previously signed and more specifically those related to the typology of programs being broadcast. He added that more talk shows will be planned, which is liable to raise the quality standard of Moroccan channels.
