Digital platforms continue to confirm their grip on the Moroccan media landscape despite their nascent nature, with Hespress leading the way thanks to a remarkable weekly reach, according to recent data from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism.
As an e-newspaper providing comprehensive coverage of local and international news, Hespress dominates the online media sector, with “weekly usage” at 47%.
Additionally, 34% of users log in to the site at least three days a week. This leading position is followed by other players, but at a considerable distance.
In second place is “2M en ligne,” with 28% weekly usage and 21% visiting the site at least three days a week. “Al Jazeera en ligne” ranks third with 25% and 18%, respectively.
Other media such as “Al Oula en ligne” (21% for weekly usage and 14% for usage at least 3 days), “Hibapress” (21% and 11%), and “Medi 1 TV” (18% and 11%) follow in the rankings.
“Le360” and “Medi 1 Radio en ligne” show weekly usage of 17% and 10% respectively, with a frequency of three days a week of 9% and 6%.
The top 10 is rounded off with “Other foreign online media” (10% for weekly usage and 3% for usage at least three days) and “Le Matin online” (9% and 4%).
This digital dominance is all the more remarkable given that, despite the rise of social platforms (60%), online media remain the preferred source of information for most Moroccans.
The Digital News Report study highlights a pronounced preference for online news consumption, with 79% of urban and well-educated respondents favoring digital platforms.
This stands in sharp contrast to TV (41%) and print media (14%), which are more frequently used by older generations. The reliance on smartphones and social media for news is increasing across all demographics. Facebook (51%) and YouTube (50%) are the primary online channels for news, while TikTok (22%) is gaining popularity among younger Moroccans. YouTube stands out particularly as a platform where bloggers, political commentators, and social media influencers often push the boundaries of what is considered acceptable discourse in Morocco. Television and print media, however, still hold their importance for older generations and people who are not online. In Morocco, overall trust in news sources is relatively low, with only 31% of the population expressing confidence in the mentioned institutions.
Certain brands, however, stand out with higher levels of trust: Medi1 TV and Medi1 Radio are trusted by 68% and 65% of respondents, respectively, while Hespress enjoys a trust rate of 63%, placing it 4th in the ranking. “2M” completes the top 5 with a trust score of 60%.
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