2M was set up as a second national television channel with the aim of promoting competition and diversity in Moroccan audio-visual broadcasting.
2M started its programmes officially on 4 March 1989. It used to be a cable channel broadcasting unscrambled twice a day. After 7 years of activity, SOREAD (ONA group), the major shareholder, withdrew from the management of this TV channel due to financial reasons. The Moroccan state took over the control of 2M with a participation of 68% in its capital. This takeover was supported by a major effort to develop the audio-visual sector.
In early October 2000, 2M started 24-hour broadcasts, changed its schedule and later started broadcasting on Intelsat on January 15, 2001.[4]
Radio 2M is the companion radio channel to 2M, presenting music, news, and information directly from Morocco in Arabic and French.
Content
2M challenged taboos by debating controversial issues and established a reputation for itself as a symbol of freedom of speech in Morocco. The channel regularly broadcasts news, films, sports and music. It is a government-controlled public TV station and it has been alleged that the government also controls editorial choices.
2M has two separate feeds: one available nationwide via terrestrial television, and a satellite feed under the branding 2M Monde (French for lit. 2M World). Both feeds have the same local shows but are aired at different times. 2M Monde does not broadcast Hollywood movies and American TV shows because the network only buys their broadcasting rights for within Morocco.[5]
2M in figures
Personnel: 500 people, including 30% executives;
Coverage: 80% of the population;
Capital: 302,371,500 Moroccan dirham (€27,008,467 / £18,228,395 / US$36,750,427), including 68% owned by the state and 20.7% owned by Mohammed VI's holding SNI.
Programming
Foreign shows
List of American and European TV shows broadcast by the local version of 2M (which may change time by time):
