Maghreb Arabe Presse (MAP) is a state-run news agency founded in Morocco in 1959. MAP runs a television (M24) and a radio service (RIM), two dailies (Maroc Le Jour in French and Al Yaoum Al Maghribi in Arabic), monthly magazines and a raft of news portals.
Media assets
Agency: MAP
Print: Maroc Le Jour, Al Yaoum Al Maghribi
TV: M24
Radio: RIM
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
MAP is a state-owned news agency subordinated to the Department of Communication in the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports. The highest governing body at MAP is its Administration Council whose president is the head of the government (a position he/she can delegate to the minister of communication). The members of the council are all representatives of the authorities (royal house, the government and various ministries).
Source of funding and budget
MAP has not published in recent years detailed financial accounts. According to local experts and journalists, the agency receives more than 50% of its budget from the government. In 2021, MAP had a budget of MAD 318m (US$ 35.9m), according to the latest available data.
Editorial independence
The mission of MAP, as the official news agency of the Moroccan state, is to propagate the policies and interests of the national government. An ad hoc content analysis confirmed that the agency’s content is favorable towards the authorities.
MAP has several rulebooks that govern the work and activities of the agency, including an Ethical Charter and a Charter on use of the information resources. However, none of these documents guarantee MAP’s editorial independence.
MAP has a so-called “mediator”, a position filled by a professional, whose main task is to handle complaints and feedback from the audience. The mediator is appointed by the MAP’s Administration Council. The mediator, among other things, responds to queries from the public and informs MAP’s general director about the issues raised by the public.
August 2023