Mehdi Bensaïd Defends the Independence of the National Press Council in Parliament
The Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaïd, called on Monday, October 13, during a parliamentary study session, for a comprehensive reform of the legal framework governing the National Press Council (CNP), describing the initiative as a “truly democratic moment” that reflects the constitutional role of the legislative institution.
Bensaïd reminded that Morocco is currently undergoing “an experiment in media self-regulation,” built on a clear distinction between government management and the profession’s internal organization. He noted that the first mandate of the CNP “revealed legal shortcomings,” which led to a revision of the founding law as early as 2021. The updated text, he said, “was adopted by the House of Representatives and is now under review by the House of Councillors.”
According to the minister, “organizing the media and press sector is one of the cornerstones of a modern democratic society.” The reform aims to balance “press freedom with the need for professional self-regulation,” and its primary goal is to “build trust between citizens and the media.” The Council, as an independent body, must be empowered to ensure “respect for ethics, the fight against misinformation, and the defense of high-quality media content.”
The proposed law also seeks to grant the CNP “clearer and more effective prerogatives,” enabling it to fully perform its functions regarding “professional accreditation, complaint handling, and the promotion of a healthy professional environment.”
Bensaïd emphasized the need to “adapt to digital transformation,” noting that “the media landscape is no longer limited to traditional outlets but now includes the digital sphere.” The project must, he added, take into account the realities of digital media companies and “the challenges posed by artificial intelligence,” in order to ensure both sustainability and “the production of quality content.”
Addressing the economic dimension, the minister argued that “self-regulation should serve as a bridge to support credible media companies and protect them from unfair competition by unprofessional platforms.” Strengthening the Council, he said, “means strengthening the economic model of genuine journalism.”
He also stressed that “no strong media system can exist without qualified journalists,” encouraging the CNP to play “a central role, in partnership with universities and specialized institutes, in establishing continuous training standards adapted to technological changes.”
On the institutional level, Bensaïd recalled that “the philosophy of self-regulation is founded on freedom and responsibility,” as enshrined in Article 28 of the Constitution. He pointed out that the provisional commission “led consultations to develop a vision for the sector,” upon which the government “drafted the necessary legislative texts, while fully respecting professional independence.”
Calling the approach “unprecedented,” he said it “answers the essential question of the CNP’s role” and “prepares the national media landscape for the challenges of 2030, in pursuit of full media sovereignty.”
Drawing from international comparisons, the minister noted that “each country has its own model of self-regulation,” and that Morocco’s draft was “based on the vision of professionals within the provisional commission, free from any government interference.”
Finally, he urged for a “constructive and critical debate” centered on “legal provisions that strike a balance between journalists’ rights and duties, far from political one-upmanship.” The government’s role, he concluded, “is merely to provide a legal framework for self-regulation, while journalists remain the masters of their own organization.”
Bensaïd expressed gratitude to the President of the House of Councillors and to committee members for “their commitment to this essential preliminary dialogue,” reiterating that “the government remains open to all opinions and suggestions.”
Editorial team/le7tv
