Younes Mjahed’s academic milestone reflects a lifetime shaping Moroccan journalism

Sunday 19 July 2026 - 13:30

By: Sahili Aya

Younes Mjahed’s academic milestone reflects a lifetime shaping Moroccan journalism

For decades, Younes Mjahed has been recognized as one of the most influential voices in Moroccan journalism and media governance. Now, his career has entered a new chapter with the successful defense of a doctoral dissertation that examines the evolution of Morocco’s journalistic landscape through the experiences of those who helped shape it.

Presented at the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences of Ibn Tofail University in Kenitra, the research marks more than an academic achievement. It represents the culmination of a professional and personal journey that has traversed political activism, imprisonment, journalism, trade union leadership, institutional reform and international media representation.

A study grounded in lived experience

Rather than approaching Morocco’s media sector solely through theoretical analysis, Mjahed's doctoral research explores the development of the country's journalistic and media field from the perspective of its practitioners. His work investigates how journalists, publishers, institutions and political actors have collectively influenced the profession's transformation over several decades.

The dissertation argues that understanding Moroccan journalism requires examining not only editorial practices but also the broader political, economic and social forces that have shaped the sector.

From political prisoner to media leader

Born in 1956, Mjahed became politically active during the turbulent 1970s, joining the Marxist-Leninist movement Ilal Amam while still a young student. His activism led to his arrest in 1976 and a prison sentence of ten years after a high-profile political trial.

Instead of abandoning education during his imprisonment, he continued his academic studies, earning a degree in sociology while behind bars. Those years profoundly influenced his understanding of institutions, authority and social structures—subjects that would later become central to both his professional and academic work.

Following his release in 1986, Mjahed redirected his commitment toward journalism and democratic engagement. He joined the newspaper Al Ittihad Al Ichtiraki while also working as a correspondent for the Spanish news agency EFE, gradually establishing himself as a respected journalist and media advocate.

Building institutions for Moroccan journalism

Beyond newsroom reporting, Mjahed became deeply involved in strengthening professional journalism in Morocco. His leadership within the National Union of the Moroccan Press helped advance discussions on journalists' rights, professional ethics and the sustainability of media organizations.

His influence eventually extended onto the international stage. In 2019, he became the first African and Arab journalist elected President of the International Federation of Journalists, one of the world's largest organizations representing media professionals.

Earlier, in 2018, he had also become the inaugural President of Morocco's National Press Council, an institution created to promote professional self-regulation and reinforce ethical standards across the country's media sector.

Diagnosing the structural challenges facing the press

A central conclusion of Mjahed's doctoral research is that the challenges confronting Moroccan journalism cannot be explained by technological change alone.

The study identifies structural issues affecting the industry, including economic fragility among media companies, declining newspaper readership, weaknesses in distribution networks, advertising market imbalances and the continued interaction between political, economic and media interests.

According to the research, digital transformation has created new opportunities but has not eliminated longstanding structural inequalities. Instead, technological innovation must be accompanied by stronger economic models, professional standards and institutional reforms if journalism is to remain sustainable.

Scholarship informed by five decades of engagement

Mjahed's dissertation illustrates how academic research can benefit from extensive professional experience. Having participated in nearly every dimension of Morocco's media ecosystem—as a journalist, union leader, institutional official and international representative—he offers an insider's perspective supported by sociological analysis.

His doctoral work therefore stands not only as a contribution to media studies but also as a reflection on the evolution of Moroccan journalism during a period of profound political, technological and institutional change.

As Morocco continues adapting its media environment to new economic realities and digital transformation, Mjahed's research provides a comprehensive framework for understanding both the progress achieved and the challenges that remain ahead.