Moroccan radio stations accused of breaking the law

02/10/2008

Moroccan radio stations must suspend broadcasting and pay fines for airing "sexually explicit" content and "clandestine advertising".

By Sarah Touahri for Magharebia in Rabat -- 02/10/08

[Sarah Touahri] Two Moroccan radio stations have been fined after HACA ruled that they had been disseminating "sexually explicit" material and "clandestine advertising".

Two Moroccan radio stations will be taken off the air for several hours each day and also face fines as a penalty for breaking the code of broadcast ethics.

The High Authority for Audiovisual Communications (HACA) ruled that Hit Radio broadcast "sexually explicit" and "pornographic"content on its "Libre Antenne" show (Open Antenna).

As a punishment, the station must suspend broadcasting on both terrestrial airwaves and the Internet between 8 p.m. and 12 a.m. for 15 days.

The other radio station, Chada FM, was ordered to pay 35,000-dirhams fine and suspend broadcasting between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. for seven days. HACA accused the station of "clandestine advertising output" during one of its programs.

The "advertising" benefited a property development company, the HACA decided.

Statutes forbid journalists from participating in any commercial advertising and should not be seen as supporting and serving the exclusive interests of groups with political, ethnic, economic, financial or ideological interests. Therefore, HACA ruled Chada FM was in violation of the law.

Although radio stations are free to broadcast and choose their content, this "freedom must be exercised with respect for human dignity, religious values, public order and morality," HACA says. Under broadcast law, the operator is required "to ensure under all circumstances that they are able to control the output, particularly during interactive broadcasts aimed at a young audience".

HACA has a program-monitoring department with 30 employees. They are equipped with enough technology to keep an eye on everything broadcast on Moroccan TV and radio stations. Their task is to report on violations of statutes or failure to comply with legislation or professional ethical standards.

Hit Radio chairman Younes Benmehdi said that the punishment is severe and will have negative repercussions on the station.

"We will lose a third of our income," he said. "That is 400,000 dirhams for the month of October. The anchors could also ask to be paid. Our plan to set up a television channel could also be seriously affected."

The Libre Antenne program was fined 100,000 dirhams for a similar charge last year. In August, the station decided to take the show off the air.

The station expects to lose 200,000 dirhams because of the suspension of broadcasting.

Mohamed Brahmi, a professor in communication science said that it is still early to evaluate the performance of the new private radio stations, but they do deserve some credit for reconciling the listener with the radio. "They should have resorted to warnings and fines without suspending broadcasting, because that can cause a deadly blow to stations."