By Mohamed Al-Achouri
Oujda hosted, last Saturday, November 15th, the work of the ordinary general assembly of the Eastern Region branch of the Moroccan Federation of Newspaper Publishers, with the participation of members representing the various provinces of the region, under the slogan: "Moroccan Journalism: A Strategic Partner in National Issues."
The meeting was chaired by a delegation from the executive office in the presence of the president of the Federation. The works were distinguished by a frank and interactive dialogue about the challenges facing journalistic companies, especially regional ones, and the issues related to the sector's conditions in the Eastern region and the organizational issues associated with it. The participants recalled the coincidence of this meeting with National Media Day, considering that this date has a special rights and democratic symbolism, while at the same time emphasizing the importance of journalism as a key partner in various national issues, its role in the success of development and renaissance paths that the regions of the Kingdom are witnessing, and strengthening national mobilization and unity, and addressing campaigns hostile to the supreme interests of the country. The General Assembly recorded, with deep regret, what it described as the government and the relevant ministry's ignoring of the strategic role of regional journalistic companies and local media, and the continued exclusion of them from access to public support, sources of funding, advertising opportunities, and partnerships with public and elected institutions. It also drew attention to the resulting suffocating economic difficulties that impede the stability or development of these companies.
Regional media in the Eastern region suffers, according to the statement, from a non-stimulating local and regional economic environment, and a lack of awareness among many officials and actors of the importance of cooperation with serious professional journalism. In this context, the Federation branch affirmed its pride in the communication and advocacy efforts it has made in recent years, hoping that they will translate into practical results that serve the interests of regional journalistic companies, and into developing a real support system that takes into account its role in development. The General Assembly also stressed that journalistic companies in the region operate in a geographical contact zone, which puts them in daily confrontation with fake news and the fallacies promoted by entities hostile to the Kingdom, calling for the need to support regional media and enable it with the necessary capabilities to perform its national roles in promoting the values of unity and brotherhood, and implementing the royal directives to build the post-October 31, 2025, phase. The attendees pointed out that regional journalistic companies, as economic and social units that guarantee the living of a number of families, are in urgent need to open a serious dialogue with their representatives to find solutions to their accumulated problems, especially those related to tax and social obligations resulting from the difficult economic environment, while enabling them to access small and emerging enterprise support programs. The statement criticized what it considered the responsibility of the relevant ministry at the national level in deepening the crisis of regional journalism, whether through legislation related to public support or through bureaucratic obstacles that prevent the activation of regional initiatives, and even putting an end to some of them centrally. It called for changing the way of dealing with regional journalism and strengthening its structure and improving its administrative and professional system. The General Assembly also addressed a number of internal organizational issues specific to the Federation's branch in the Eastern region, where they were discussed and recommendations were issued regarding them with the aim of strengthening the organizational, promotional, and framing work of the member companies. The Federation reiterated its assertion that it is a national professional organization for structured journalistic companies, with its openness to emerging companies to qualify them according to the laws in force and the ethics of the profession. At the conclusion of the General Assembly's work, the new office of the Eastern Region branch of the Moroccan Federation of Newspaper Publishers was elected, where the members renewed their confidence in Abdelali Al-Jabri as president of the branch, and Anas Zizi, and Abdelsamad Al-Aziz as vice presidents, and Mohamed Al-Achouri as secretary-general of the branch, and Abbas Ayada as treasurer.
