Hamid El Mahdaouy: The Man Who Wanted to Be a Journalist… Against Winds, Laws, and Verdicts

Hamid El Mahdaouy dreamed of it, but Moroccan justice decided otherwise. The administrative court of Rabat has once again reminded him of a cruel but simple truth: YouTube does not turn a YouTuber into a journalist. By definitively rejecting his appeal against the refusal to renew his professional press card for 2025, the judiciary has ended an episode of media illusion.

Those somewhat familiar with the workings of the Moroccan media landscape were hardly surprised. The decision relies on Law No. 89-13 which, it must be recalled to some, reserves the title of professional journalist for those who, among other criteria, earn a stable income from actual editorial work—not from monetizing “buzz” on TikTok or YouTube.

But El Mahdaouy persists. Failing recognition from his peers or by law, he clings to his camera like a shipwrecked man to a buoy, cheerfully confusing freedom of expression with the practice of a regulated profession. Yet, he has provided no proof that his income comes from any recognized media outlet, though he wonders why he is not rolled out a red carpet.

Justice has thus ruled: holding a smartphone and speaking loudly does not make you a journalist. Otherwise, press cards should also be issued to “Omi Naïma” or “Weld Chinwiya”—after all, they also cover “current topics,” don’t they?

For years, El Mahdaouy has played on the confusion between activism, militancy, digital spectacle, and journalism. And every time a verdict is handed down, he cries scandal, as if the law should bend before his followers. Even if he tried again in 2026, nothing would change. As long as his income depends on clicks, not real journalistic work, his chances of obtaining the famous card remain close to zero.

Meanwhile, real journalists—those who work behind the scenes, respect ethics, an employer, and an editorial line—will continue to work, press card in hand, far from the cameras focused on themselves.