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Television in Morocco. Terrestrial television viewing was estimated at 20% of total television households in 2011. IPTV is offered by Maroc Telecom. Digital terrestrial television is gradually spreading, with 41 national and foreign channels. The national broadcaster SNRT aimed to complete digital switchover by 2015.^[1]

Morocco has nine domestic free-to-air channels: seven government-owned, one privately-owned, and one of mixed ownership. 2M TV started out in 1989 as the first private terrestrial channel in Morocco, however it later became a mixed ownership channel as 70% of its capital was bought by the government. It is by far the most watched channel in Morocco, as cited by 84% of TV viewers. Medi 1 TV (formerly Medi 1 Sat) is a privately-owned channel, although 50% of its shares are owned by companies from the public sector. The other seven channels are all government-owned.^[1]

beIN SPORTS is the most popular pay-TV bouquet in Morocco, accounting for around 65% of the local pay-TV market.^[1]

History

Morocco was a pioneer in the television field in the Middle East. In the 1950s, the country had a first experience undertaken by a French company, known as TELMA, who saw in the European community in Morocco a potential audience. In 1951, the authorization of broadcasting was ceded to TELMA, which did not begin to transmit until February 1954. The experiment was short-lived and the station ceased broadcasts soon after covering the return of Sultan Mohammed V (later King) to Morocco on November 16, 1955. The cancellation was over political reasons generated by the Moroccan nationalist movement, which ultimately deprived the company of advertising resources, local advertisers gradually withdrawing their contracts for fear of possible reprisals, as reported in an interview with Abdellah Chakroun, former Director of Moroccan Television, author of the book "Reflections on the Audiovisual and Theater".^[2]

According to the technical guide "World Radio Television Handbook" of the time 2, TELMA broadcast in the standard 819 French lines (Standard E) format from its studios in the Ain Chock district of Casablanca. It had two transmitters, one in Casablanca on the F12 channel, the other in Rabat on the F8 channel (both connected by radio link) and planned to open two more in 1955 in Fes and Meknes. The main shareholders, the management and technical staff were mainly French, notably Jean Luc in the Programs Department, who had previously held this position on RTF Television. The programs were mainly of French origin, with magazines and varieties "kinescopés" (recorded on film), serials and films.

Abdellah Chakroun noted that in 1960, the Moroccan government bought TELMA for a symbolic sum of 100 million francs, and that as director he then called on Italian public television RAI to help him set up his own public channel, which was set up at Mohammed V Theater in Rabat. The technical standard adopted was the 625 "European" lines (Standard B) with specific channels in Morocco (channels M4 to M10 on band III). Like TELMA, it initially had only two transmitters, in Rabat (channel M10) and Casablanca (channel M7).^[3]

The Moroccan public channel began on the day of the celebration of the first year of Hassan II's reign on March 3, 1962. Colour (SÉCAM IIIb process) was introduced in 1972.

The status of the TVM has moved successively from the regime of legal capacity and financial autonomy to that of the public institution, and then to its integration into the central administration of the Ministry of Communication, with a subsidiary budget.

In terms of resources, the TVM ensures the balance of its budget through a grant from the State, in addition to a contribution-based contribution indexed to the energy consumption of households, the surplus of revenues of the Autonomous Advertising Service (SAP), as well as miscellaneous and accidental revenues resulting from the income from its services.