TELMA was the first television station in both Africa and the Arab world. It was created during the time of the French protectorate in Morocco and existed for a brief period between 1954 and 1955.[2] It was owned by a French company (Compagnie Marocaine de Radio-Télévision) which was independent from the French state and RTF, effectively making it the first Francophone television station in the private sector, ahead of peripheral stations in the border with France.[3] Its slogan was Premier Poste de l'Islam, Premier Poste Africain (First Station of Islam, First African Station).[4] During its brief existence, the channel broadcast primarily to the European community residing in the protectorate.
History
On 25 January 1950, during the protectorate period, the "Moroccan Company for Television Studies" (Société Marocaine d'Études de Télévision) was established. The decision taken by the Post Office was to transmit commercial advertising and producing advertising links, without paying royalties imposed to owners of television sets. A few months after the project began, the study group failed and gave TELMA its opportunity. On 25 May 1951, TELMA was given a distribution and operation license from the French government to broadcast.