The HACA publishes its final report on the respect of pluralistic expression of currents of thought and opinion in the audiovisual media during the referendum of 2011
As part of its mission to guarantee the pluralistic expression of thought and opinion in the audiovisual media, and after publishing its mid-phase report, the High Authority for Audiovisual Communication (HACA) has prepared its final report on the respect of pluralistic expression of different currents of thought and opinion in the Moroccan audiovisual media, either public or private, during the referendum of 2011 (from June 17 at 21:30 to June 30 at midnight).
The High Council of Audiovisual Communication (CSCA) adopted on June 16, 2011, for the period, its recommendation No. 01-11 on the guarantee of pluralism of expression of currents of thought and opinion in the audiovisual media during the referendum of 2011.
In its recommendation, while reaffirming their full leading freedom, the CSCA has recommended that broadcasters open their programs during the referendum period to all currents of thought and opinion, especially for political, union, economic, academic, cultural and social players, in line with their editorial decisions. The CSCA also called for these broadcasters to ensure a balance between the plurality of views within each program, based on a policy of fair and diverse hosting, in accordance with legal provisions and commonly established ethical rules.
Furthermore, The HACA ensured, as part of its mission of a posteriori control, compliance by the public broadcasters to the regulations set up by the Government to guarantee to all lawfully constituted political parties and unions equitable access, minimum and incompressible, to public broadcast media, particularly through the dissemination of "direct speech pods" of political parties and unions relating to the referendum.
In light of this regulations device, the HACA found out that the total amount of hours of speech, all media and all types of programs combined, excluding direct speech pods of political parties and unions (newspapers, magazines and TV specials), reached 236:07:44 (two hundreds thirty-six hours, seven minutes and forty-four seconds). The amount of hours was distributed as follows:
- Speech identified in the five concerned TV channels (Al Oula, 2M, TV Tamazight, Medi 1 TV and TV Laayoune) represented 69 hours 36 minutes, i.e. 29.5% of the total speech time.
- The three concerned public radio stations (Radio Nationale, Radio Amazigh Rabat Chaîne Inter) accounted for 55 hours and 43 minutes, i.e. 23.5% of the total speech time.
- Private radio stations have confirmed their strong rise, as their share amounted to 110 hours and 48 minutes, i.e. 47% of the total speech time, while they were recording at the mid-phase, on June 25, 38.5% of the total speech time.
Finally, in terms of content, it should be noted that the participation of civil society including the Movement of the 20th of February, has changed significantly during the 2nd half of the referendum period. The speech time of 154 entities from civil society which participated to the debate during the entire referendum period represented 22.9% of total speech time, against 24.4% for political parties, 4.7% in favor of unions, 29.2% of the total time occupied by the experts and academicians providing didactic and scholarly analysis of the Constitution draft. It should be recalled that on June 25 at midnight, only 93 entities from civil society were present with 12% of the total speech time.
Finally, the HACA set for view and download on its website ( www.haca.ma ) the detailed monitoring results relating to the entire referendum period from June 17 at 21:30 to June 30 at midnight.