At a distinguished conference held at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Sultan Moulay Slimane University, Younes Mjahed, President of the Provisional Commission for the Management of the Press and Publishing Sector, delivered a thought-provoking address that called for a fundamental rethinking of the role and purpose of press councils.
Far from being exclusive professional guilds, Mjahed argued, press councils must be understood as institutions anchored in the public interest — mechanisms of democratic accountability rather than corporate self-governance.
“These councils were not created to merely regulate the profession from within,” he stated. “They are designed to safeguard the public from potential abuses arising in the practice of journalism. Their legitimacy stems from their orientation toward society, not from insular professional consensus.”
Drawing from comparative international experiences, he noted that in mature democracies, press councils are often led by esteemed figures from civil society — judges, academics, or independent experts — rather than industry insiders. This openness to external scrutiny, he suggested, is precisely what ensures their credibility and moral authority.
“Journalistic ethics,” Mjahed asserted, “should not be treated as internal codes of conduct limited to practitioners. They embody a social contract between the media and the public — a commitment to truth, responsibility, and transparency.”
He further cautioned against limiting the discourse on media and digital transformation to professional circles or university halls. Instead, he called for a broader national dialogue, one that engages all branches of government, civil institutions, and constitutional bodies.
In pursuit of this vision, Mjahed announced the forthcoming signature of a strategic framework agreement with the Ministry of Higher Education. This ambitious partnership will foster collaboration between the media and academia, encouraging the cross-pollination of expertise, promoting scientific literacy, and opening the world of journalism to the intellectual capital housed in Morocco’s universities.
“Every visit to a university leaves me astounded by the wealth of knowledge being produced — research, data, analysis of the highest calibre,” he remarked. “And yet, so little of this academic insight filters into our public discourse. The press has a duty to bridge this gap. But universities, too, must step forward with a renewed commitment to public engagement and strategic communication.”
Mjahed concluded with a call to elevate the quality of public information, rooting it in rigorous evidence, scholarly analysis, and journalistic integrity.
The two-day conference, entitled “Media and Law: Challenges and Opportunities in the Digital Age,” brought together leading Moroccan and international scholars, journalists, and legal experts for a timely exploration of the shifting landscape of press freedom and responsibility.
