As in the Middle East and North African (MENA) region, public service broadcasting (PSB) in Morocco suffers from the existence of authoritarian forms of governance that hinders PSB performance. Technology is also a factor. TV and radio stations still rely on analog terrestrial and digital satellite broadcasting and their online presence are extensions of their analog versions, rather than new digital multiplatform distribution systems. In Morocco, the wave of political liberalization and democratization that marked the second half of the 1990s resulted in major media reforms especially in the broadcasting sector. The High Authority for Audiovisual Communication was created in 2002 as an independent public institution to establish the legal framework for the liberalization of the audiovisual sector and to oversee the PSB sector in the country. The paper analyzes the legal environment to assess the extent to which PSB is safeguarded from political influence. The study found that the overall non-democratic cultures within Morocco and the countries of the MENA region are the main determinants of performance. In some MENA countries, the legal framework and the institutional structure were created to provide the conditions for public service to materialize. PSB performance in this region remains weak, however. The study argues that unless there is political will at the highest level, a public service system will be nothing more than a pseudo 'public' system bouncing back and forth between milder and stronger forms of authoritarianism.
Why are some subnational states more dangerous for journalists? This exploratory article assesses the association of social variables with the murders of journalists within one single country, Mexico, where forty-one journalists were killed from 2010 to 2015. The article suggests that the violent deaths of journalists in Mexico's thirty-two states are more likely to happen in those subnational polities with high levels of social violence, internal conflict, severe violations of human rights, low democratic development, and economic inequality. The implications of this research and policy recommendations are discussed within the conclusion.
As in Latin America generally, public service media (PSM) has struggled in efforts for development in Mexico due to a lack of editorial independence, economic precariousness and absence of widespread availability as well as popularity. Nevertheless, Latin American social, political, economic and technological landscapes have changed significantly in the last two decades. In this context, the paper addresses the question of what this has meant for PSM development in the region. The study focuses on the case of Mexico, drawing on official data, interviews with experts, and providing specific examples of the situation in the country. This paper offers an overview and update of the state of PSM in Mexico and argues that despite challenges, problems and complications, improvements have been achieved and there is hope that development will continue.
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