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 March 4, 1989. It used to be a cable channel broadcasting uncoded twice a day. After 7 years of activity, SOREAD, 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. 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 now a government-controlled public TV station and has close under-the-table ties with influential parts of the Moroccan political power structure. 2M has been used by the government as an indirect means to attack independent newspapers such as Le Journal. 2M has two different channels, a local analog channel and a satellite channel whose name is 2M Monde, which means 2M World. Both local and satellite/world versions of 2M have the same shows but are aired at different times. 2M Monde does not broadcast Hollywood movies and American TV shows because it only buys their broadcasting rights for within Morocco. On November 23, the TV channel aired in its morning show "Sabahiyat" a segment on how to cover beaten bruises with make up on the International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women. Moroccan TV has apologized on Monday for airing the segment.
2M in figures
Personnel: 500 persons, including 30% executives;
Coverage: 80% of the population;
Capital: 302,371,500 Moroccan dirham, including 68% owned by the state and 20.7% owned by Mohammed VI's holding SNI.
Foreign series
List of American and European TV shows broadcast by the local version of 2M :
American TV shows and Hollywood movies are imported from France with French dubbing. Some Mexican TV shows are dubbed locally in Moroccan Arabic. Besides American TV shows, 2M TV also airs a few Turkish shows dubbed in Arabic. 2M TV's children's programming schedule also includes foreign TV shows, such as Célestin, Braceface ''Oggy and the Cockroaches' and 1001 Nights
