In a statement regarding the events surrounding the African Cup, particularly the media aspect, the Moroccan National Press Syndicate attributed the weak national narrative to the exclusion of several professional journalists from covering the competitions and replacing them with a large number of “influencers” or content creators on social media.
The Syndicate stated that when it criticized this exclusion, it was not merely a matter of exaggeration or inflation, but a precise diagnosis of a real problem that led to tangible negative results.
The Syndicate directly links this exclusion to:
- Poverty of professional and communicative confrontation: that is, the lack of capacity to confront negative narratives or “narratives of belittling and skepticism” propagated by certain foreign media (especially from competing countries like Algeria and Egypt, according to the overall context of the statement).
- Generalizing negative narratives about the organization, arbitration, or events, due to the absence of a strong and experienced Moroccan professional media presence in the field.
- Revisiting the question of unilateral framing: that is, relying on a centralized/unilateral media organization style that excludes long-experienced professionals, preventing them from participating in the programs and plans to qualify the national sports media for such major events.
Unprofessional Practices
In contrast, the statement expressed great regret and condemnation for what it described as “unprofessional media practices” from some media outlets in competing countries, particularly during the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and finals, and thereafter, through:
- Unprofessional alignment with goals of pressure and skepticism regarding the integrity of the organization, through promoting unfounded accusations and attempts at blackmail.
- Engaging in political agendas that turned into incitement and crowd stirring, disrupting the atmosphere of the sports celebration.
- Turning the final match into an “media war zone.”
- The spread of fake news and incitement speeches via social media, which threatens the values of peace and coexistence.
The Syndicate has called for respecting professional ethics and preserving the role of the media as a bridge for rapprochement between peoples instead of being a tool for incitement.
