Exceptional Government Press Support to End in March as New Decree Takes Effect

Doha – Government exceptional support for Morocco’s press and publishing sector will end in March following the implementation of a new decree governing public funding conditions for press, publishing, printing, and distribution sectors.

This was announced today by Youth, Culture and Communication Minister Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid at the parliament in Rabat.

Speaking at the Education, Culture and Communication Committee meeting, Bensaid explained that the support aims to strengthen the economic model of press enterprises and encourage investment both nationally and internationally, while improving the financial and social conditions of journalists and sector workers.

The new decree requires regional daily print publications to employ four professional journalists to qualify for public support, a measure intended to increase employment in the sector.

Bensaid called for creating regional media enterprise hubs to strengthen their presence and boost specialized journalism.

The minister revealed that support for press enterprises reached MAD 325 million ($32.5 million) in 2024, allocated for payroll costs, National Social Security Fund (CNSS) contributions, and income tax payments.

This support began in 2020 due to COVID-19’s impact on enterprises, initially totaling MAD 164 million ($16.4 million), benefiting companies operating legally and declaring their journalists to the CNSS.

Fixed support for the press and publishing sector amounted to MAD 35 million ($3.5 million) in 2024, plus MAD 1.4 million ($140,000) for political parties’ media platforms.

For printing, publishing and distribution, MAD 9 million ($900,000) was allocated for printing in both 2023 and 2024, while MAD 30 million ($3 million) went to publishing in 2023.

The distribution sector received no support due to ongoing discussions about these companies’ economic model.

Morocco’s media landscape has expanded significantly, now comprising 988 online platforms, 275 newspapers, and 106 international journalists operating in the country.

These platforms produce content in multiple languages, including Arabic, French, with a notable rise in English and Tamazight.

The sector has seen substantial growth in media pluralism over the past two decades, reflecting broader developments in the country’s democratic landscape.