Morocco: Soir Echos launch, francophone independent daily

Posted by Jean Yves Chainon on February 26, 2008 at 9:48 AM

Newly-launched Moroccan daily Soir Echos is carving its place in the landscape of independent francophone dailies and recruiting some of the best francophone writers available.

Soir Echos was launched by the Al Massae Group mid-February. Al Massae director Rachid Nini succeeded in recruiting former TelQuel reporter Driss Bennani to become editor of the paper, as well as leading journalists Khalid Tritki and Hakima el Mariky.

Despite its ties with the Al Massae group, Soir Echos is independent from the Arabic edition of Al Massae.

"The newspaper mostly covers national politics, with considerable emphasis on the Islamists who made the front page twice in four days. Basically, it doesn't seek information, but rather comments on information provided by other publications one or two days beforehand,”said a Moroccan media personality who wanted to remain anonymous, reported the Arab Press Network.

Soir Echos, published in a Berliner format, counts about twenty pages and a daily economics supplement. Its circulation is 21,000 copies.

Source: Arab Press Network