2M (TV channel)

2M is a Moroccan free-to-air television network. It was established by the royal-owned conglomerate, ONA, before being sold to, in part, the Moroccan government. Of 2M, 45.3% is owned by Bank of Africa, while approximately 32.5% by the Moroccan government, Al Mada (12%), with the remaining shares being owned by Atlas Capital, the Grandson in-law of Othman Benjelloun (10.2%).

The channel is available free-to-air locally on digital signal with national coverage, and on satellite television via Globecast, Nilesat and Arabsat.

2M offers services in Arabic, French, and Berber.

Background
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 4 March 1989. It used to be a cable channel broadcasting unscrambled twice a day. After 7 years of activity, SOREAD (ONA group), 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.

In early October 2000, 2M started 24-hour broadcasts, changed its schedule and later started broadcasting on Intelsat on January 15, 2001.

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 a government-controlled public TV station and it has been alleged that the government also controls editorial choices.

2M has two separate feeds: one available nationwide via terrestrial television, and a satellite feed under the branding 2M Monde (French for lit. 2M World). Both feeds have the same local shows but are aired at different times. 2M Monde does not broadcast Hollywood movies and American TV shows because the network only buys their broadcasting rights for within Morocco.

2M in figures

 * Personnel: 500 people, including 30% executives;
 * Coverage: 80% of the population;
 * Capital: 302,371,500 Moroccan dirham (€27,008,467 / £18,228,395 / US$36,750,427), including 68% owned by the state and 20.7% owned by Mohammed VI's holding SNI.

Foreign shows
List of American and European TV shows broadcast by the local version of 2M (which may change time by time):


 * 24
 * Alias
 * Bones
 * Buffy (Buffy contre les vampires)
 * CSI (Les Experts)
 * CSI: NY (Les Experts : Manhattan)
 * CSI: Miami (Les Experts : Miami)
 * Cuenta Atràs (العد العكسي) (Moroccan dubbing)
 * Damages
 * Dark Angel
 * Desperate Housewives
 * Dexter
 * Friends
 * Gossip Girl
 * Instant Star (Ma vie de star)
 * Jericho
 * Just Cause (En quête de justice)
 * Law & Order (New York District)
 * Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (New York unité spéciale)
 * Los hombres de Paco (باكو) (Moroccan dubbing)
 * Mad Men
 * Medium
 * Maid in Manhattan (Amour à Manhattan)
 * Más sabe el diablo (L'Ange du diable, El Diablo)
 * NCIS (NCIS : Enquêtes spéciales)
 * Un paso adelante (Un, dos, tres) (Arabic dubbing)
 * Prison Break
 * Rubí (Arabic dubbing)
 * Stargate Atlantis
 * The 4400 (Les 4400)
 * The Invisible Man (Invisible Man)
 * The O.C. (Newport beach)
 * The Shield
 * The Sopranos
 * The Simpsons
 * Ugly Betty
 * Vermist (وحدة المفقودين) (Moroccan dubbing)

American TV shows and Hollywood movies are imported from France with French dubbing.

On both the local and satellite versions of the channel, a selection of other foreign shows are dubbed locally in Moroccan Arabic:


 * Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke
 * Saat Phere: Saloni Ka Safar
 * Vaidehi
 * Ghar Ki Lakshmi Betiyann
 * Beni Affet (سامحيني)
 * Avenida Brasil
 * Larin izbor

2M's children's programming block ("2M Kids") also includes foreign TV shows dubbed in French or in Moroccan Arabic, such as Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Oggy and the Cockroaches, Chaotic, Tommy e Oscar, Bob the Builder.

Locally-produced

 * Arabic afternoon news bulletin (الظهيرة)
 * Berber news bulletin (Inghmissen, ⵉⵏⵖⵎⵉⵙⵏ)
 * French evening news bulletin (Info Soir)
 * Arabic evening news bulletin (المسائية)
 * EcoNews
 * Sabahiyat 2M (صباحيات 2M)


 * Rachid Show (رشيد شو)
 * Shahiwat maa Shoumisha (شهيوة مع شميشة)
 * L'Couple
 * Maa Lnass (مع الناس, lit. "With the People")
 * Moubacharatan Maakoum (مباشرة معكم)
 * Obesity Challenge (تحدي السمنة)