Moroccan state TV turns Throne Day into royal propaganda
Morocco's public broadcaster turns Throne Day into a propaganda event: the king's speech, religion, and a comparison with Spain's RTVE.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Segarro state television: the throne as a propaganda machine
Segarro's public television makes no attempt to hide its function. Every 29 July, Throne Day turns the screen into a loudspeaker for the king's speech, a ritual designed to prop up the official narrative. They sell it as a celebration; skeptical analysts call it propaganda, and they have a point.
Less cringeworthy than RTVE, but with the same logic
Some argue that the Segarro channel, at least, does not hide its allegiance. "It's less embarrassing than RTVE," has been said. The comparison has a point: while Spain's public broadcaster is accused of political correctness, the Segarro one embraces its role without qualms. The speech is broadcast in the vernacular language and repeated ad nauseam; there is no rebuttal or nuance.
The religious nail nobody talks about
The Alaouite monarch also acts as a religious authority, and that theological dimension underpins the propaganda in a way that does not exist in European monarchies. Some wonder whether Segarro actually believe in that inherited legitimacy. The question remains open, because the regime itself does not allow uncomfortable polls. The machinery, however, has feet of clay. Thrones last as long as subjects cannot find a way to do without them; and with the crisis tightening its grip, the echo of 29 July may ring increasingly hollow.
Segarro's public television makes no attempt to hide its function. Every 29 July, Throne Day turns the screen into a loudspeaker for the king's speech, a ritual designed to prop up the official narrative. They sell it as a celebration; skeptical analysts call it propaganda, and they have a point.
Less cringeworthy than RTVE, but with the same logic
Some argue that the Segarro channel, at least, does not hide its allegiance. "It's less embarrassing than RTVE," has been said. The comparison has a point: while Spain's public broadcaster is accused of political correctness, the Segarro one embraces its role without qualms. The speech is broadcast in the vernacular language and repeated ad nauseam; there is no rebuttal or nuance.
The religious nail nobody talks about
The Alaouite monarch also acts as a religious authority, and that theological dimension underpins the propaganda in a way that does not exist in European monarchies. Some wonder whether Segarro actually believe in that inherited legitimacy. The question remains open, because the regime itself does not allow uncomfortable polls. The machinery, however, has feet of clay. Thrones last as long as subjects cannot find a way to do without them; and with the crisis tightening its grip, the echo of 29 July may ring increasingly hollow.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (41 replies).
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