Maroc Soir Group

Maroc Soir Group is a pro-government publishing company based in Casablanca, Morocco.

Profile

The group is the oldest media company in Morocco.[1] It was founded during the French protectorate-era as "Mas presse" by Pierre Mas and Yves Mas.[2] Moulay Ahmed Alaoui was founder of the group.[3] It edited the publication Le Petit Marocain which promoted the colonial policies of France in Morocco and defended its interests.[4] It also supported the Vichy government and was reprimanded for that after 1945.[5]

On 1 November 1971, during the Moroccanization, the company was expropriated and re-branded as Maroc Soir, editing Le Matin and Maroc Soir.[4][2] In 2001, the group was acquired by Othman Benjelloun[6] and sold again in March 2004 to its current Saudi owner, businessman Othman Al Omeir, a former editor-in-chief of Asharq Alawsat and current owner of Elaph.[7][8] He acquired the group for $16 million.[1]

Newspapers

The Group owns the following papers:[9]

• Assahra Al Maghribiya
• Le Matin[10]
• Maroc Soir[10]
• La Mañana – Weekly
• Defunct Morocco Times – in

See also

• Ecomedias media group partly owned by the firm SNI editing Assabah and L'Économiste

References

1. "New French-Language Daily in Morocco". The Arab Press Network. 22 November 2005. Archived from the original on 14 October 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
2. Abdellah Chankou. "Jettou au chevet de Maroc Soir". Maroc Hebdo. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 27 November 2013.
3. Thomas K. Park; Aomar Boum (16 January 2006). Historical Dictionary of Morocco. Scarecrow Press. p. 25. ISBN 978-0-8108-6511-2. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
4. Aârab ISSIALI (14 December 2001). "Une nouvelle vie pour Maroc Soir". Aujourd'hui le Maroc. Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 27 November 2013.
5. Louis Gravier (January 1972). "La disparition des quotidiens du groupe Mas répondait aux vœux de la population". Le Monde diplomatique. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
6. "Media". Telquel. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 27 November 2013.
7. "The Murdoch of the Middle East". The Majalla. 21 May 2010. Archived from the original on 23 July 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2012.
8. "Al Omair's group becomes owner of Morocco's largest press establishment". KUNA. 27 March 2004. Archived from the original on 17 October 2014. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
9. "Maroc Soir Orders KBA Continent for Casablanca". KBA. Archived from the original on 8 October 2013. Retrieved 8 October 2013.
10. Jeter, James Phillip (1996). International Afro mass media: a reference guide. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 114. ISBN 0-313-28400-8.