Casablanca – The government has adopted a new financial support formula for press companies as part of a wider reform of the media sector, announced yesterday in Rabat by the Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid.
Speaking during a press conference dedicated to developments in press self-regulation, Bensaid confirmed that his department, in coordination with the Ministry of Economy and Finance, decided to return to the previous support mechanism for media companies, while allocating a larger budget envelope.
He said delays in implementation were partly due to some small and medium-sized enterprises not completing required procedures, unlike larger companies that had already submitted their applications.
The financial announcement came the same day the Government Council adopted amendments to draft law 09.26, reorganizing the National Press Council. According to the minister, the revisions take into account observations and decisions issued by the Constitutional Court, particularly decision 261/26 dated January 22, 2026.
The amendments include removing two seats previously allocated to senior publisher representatives, reserving at least one seat for women within each professional organization, and introducing proportional representation in seat allocation.
The government also withdrew a draft decree-law that had proposed creating a special commission to manage the press and publishing sector during the transitional period.
Bensaid said a legal debate had taken place within the government regarding the management of the Council, including the issuance of press cards and the handling of staff and financial obligations. He stressed that his department adopted an approach based on ensuring continuity of public service.
Support formula and journalists’ moral rights
Beyond institutional restructuring, the minister announced a new legal provision granting journalists expanded moral rights over their articles. An envelope of approximately MAD 30 million has been allocated under this framework.
Press companies holding copyright will receive 30% of the total amount, while the remaining 70% is intended for journalists. Bensaid emphasized that these funds do not constitute a salary, but rather a legal right aimed at strengthening the socio-professional situation of journalists.
He called on media companies and journalists to register with the Moroccan Copyright Office in order to benefit from the system and receive the allocated rights.
The combined measures reflect a dual approach by the government, addressing both the legal framework governing press self-regulation and the financial and professional conditions of media actors.
What we do not yet know from the announcement is how the 70% allocated to journalists will be divided, whether per article, per outlet, per declared work, equally or proportionally. It is also not yet clear whether distribution will take place annually or be tied to specific usage of published content.
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