Alcohol ads raise more important issue of press financing, says minister

Moroccan Communication minister and government spokesman told representative on Wednesday the issue of ads for alcohol beverages raises the more important issue of press financing.

Nabil Benabdellah, who was answering a question by a representative, said Moroccan newspapers and magazines are generally fulfilling their duties in the respect of the constitution, the law and the code of ethics.

He told representatives the question on alcohol beverages ads in Moroccan newspapers concerns privately-owned newspapers which are not bound by the same standards regulating advertisement in state-owned media organizations, stressing that the question raises the fundamental issue of press financing and means to develop its financial resources. "Considerable efforts by the state which grants newspapers an annual subsidy are not enough to enable the media play their information and awareness-promotion role," he went on.

The government is currently working with the federation of newspapers editors on a new approach based on the conclusion of a contract-program for the upgrading of written press enterprises, said Benabdellah, who also underlined that the advertisement aspect is also being examined with the ministry working to organize the ads sector and clarify links between various advertisement acts, namely advertisement agencies, media and consumers.

He also announced that the communication projects to submit a draft law regulating the sector in order to open new perspectives for the media and advertisers "in the respect of our references and objectives."