More than half of Moroccans (52%) surveyed by Afrobarometer support government control over media content, contrasting with Seychelles, Mauritius, and Gabon, where 84%, 83%, and 80% respectively, advocate for media freedom without government interference.
The same source added that 45% of Moroccan respondents believe that the news media in the Kingdom is not free from censorship or government interference, unlike in Tanzania and Gambia, where respondents reported that their media is somewhat to completely free, with percentages of 82% and 79% respectively.
Afrobarometer also stressed that Africans, in general, express broad support for the media’s role in fostering government accountability.
In this regard, almost two-thirds of Moroccans (64%) stated that the news media should constantly investigate and report on government mistakes and corruption, and only 34% believe that excessive coverage of such negative events harms the country.
This starkly contrasts with neighboring African countries like Cabo Verde, Nigeria, and Mauritius, where at least one in seven citizens believe that excessive reporting on government mistakes and corruption does not harm their country.
Instead, they advocate for constant investigation and reporting on these negative events.
Between 2014 and 2023, the Afrobarometer poll showcased that online news consumption in Morocco surged, with social media use for news jumping by 26 percentage points and internet news access growing by 19 percentage points, placing the country slightly above average.
74% of Moroccan informants emphasized accessing news on the internet or social media or both a few times a week or daily. This ranks Morocco third behind Mauritius (82%) and Gabon (79%) for frequent online news consumption.
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