Blogs becoming increasingly popular in Morocco
2006-09-11
A growing number of Moroccan Internet surfers have become bloggers this year due to cheaper Internet access, the general availability of ADSL and the launch of a number of local blog platforms. Current developments in the already diverse Moroccan blogosphere include the creation of an Arabic-language blog platform and an Internet portal combining news, a subject directory and a blog platform.
By Adam Mahdi for Magharebia in Casablanca – 11/09/06
 [File] Blogjahiz.ma is one of the two major Moroccan blog platforms. |
A Moroccan blog boom has occurred this year due to a number of technological developments.
ADSL access has become cheaper and more available due to deregulation of the telecom sector. Morocco now has over 5 million Internet surfers and more than 400,000 subscribers, with most using ADSL.
The increased access has encouraged a number of Moroccan businesses to launch their own platforms. Blogjahiz.ma and Blogs.ma are the two major Moroccan platforms at the present. The immense popularity of blogs among young people has led to the recent launch of Marblog.com by Multimedia Studios.
The Moroccan blogosphere now has over 10,000 blogs, not including blogs set up on other international platforms or private blogs with personal domain names.
The dominance of French in the Moroccan blogosphere is beginning to lessen as Arcanes Technologies' recently-launched Blogjahiz is the first Arabic-language Moroccan platform.
"The creation of an Arabic-language platform will certainly help Moroccan bloggers overcome the language barrier of French and English and start blogging with ease," says Arcanes CEO Amine Riadi.
Blogs.ma is currently working to create an Internet portal to provide news, a comprehensive subject directory, and a forum to create blogs, according to Tarik Essaadi, manager of Point Info, which is running this platform.
An indicator of the diversity of the Moroccan blogosphere is the wide variety of different kinds of blogs. Blog types include personal diaries, professional, discussion of a field of interest, medical, photoblogs, and podcasts.
"Moroccan bloggers come from a wide variety of backgrounds and all have different stories to tell. They have a wide variety of everyday interests and concerns. They also have wide-ranging views on politics and philosophy," according to Moroccan blogger Larbi.
Email to a friend
Print version
كمال Posted 2006-09-21
I would like to get to know this forum
احمد - بْلا فْرَنْسِيَّه Posted 2006-10-06
a good news and encouraging for Arabic language writers is here: http://www.maktoobblog.com/blafrancia
abid Posted 2008-02-26
It's nice thing that blogs are becoming popular in Morocco. More blogs mean that more freedom of speech through words, ideas. I have searched morocco blogs but most are not so usefull. There must be blogs for education, science, fun and others. Most blogs just contains photos. Touerism is also an important field for morocco.
We welcome your comments on Magharebia's articles.
It is our hope that you will use this forum to interact with other readers across the Maghreb. In order to keep this experience interesting, we ask you to follow the rules outlined in the comments policy. By submitting comments, you are consenting to these rules. While Magharebia.com encourages discussion on all subjects, including sensitive ones, the comments posted are solely the views of those submitting them. Magharebia.com does not necessarily endorse or agree with the ideas, views, or opinions voiced in these comments.
Magharebia's Comments Policy