Cadena de Prensa del Movimiento

The Cadena de Prensa del Movimiento (Press Chain of the Movement) was a Spanish media group that existed in Francoist Spain and belonged to the state's single party, the Falange Española Tradicionalista y de las JONS (FET y de las JONS). The group was formed after a state law of July 13, 1940, which granted single party ownership of all publications, printing presses, and rotary presses that had been seized by the Nationalists from Republican parties and organizations during the Spanish Civil War and the immediate postwar period.Timoteo Álvarez, 1989, p. 251. All these assets became part of the patrimony of the Delegación Nacional de Prensa y Propaganda (National Delegation of Press and Propaganda) of FET y de las JONS, which came to control more than forty newspapers. The Cadena de Prensa del Movimiento constituted an important propaganda element for the Franco regime and was one of the most important business groups in the Francoist State.Gallego and Morente, 2005, p. 225.Reig García, 2011, p. 165.

Following Franco's death and the democratization of Spain, the group was renamed to the Medios de Comunicación Social del Estado (MCSE). This organization survived for some years until it was dissolved by law.Pérez Gómez, 2002, p. 313. The dismantling of the former Cadena de Prensa del Movimiento continued until 1984, with its final liquidation.

History

Birth and consolidation Following the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, the Nationalist forces seized control of numerous newspapers, publishing houses, and printing presses belonging to the Republicans and their allies. All these publications—as well as printing presses, rotary presses, and radio stations—came under the control of the National Delegation of Press and Propaganda.Gil and Mateos-Pérez, 2012, p. 40. All newspapers were subjected to censorship established in the 1938 Press Law.Fusi, 2000, p. 175-176. The Francoist authorities banned all liberal, republican, and leftist newspapers, and their assets were eventually confiscated by the State.Sinova, 2006, p. 47. Finally, the law of July 13, 1940, granted full ownership of the confiscated media outlets to the National Delegation of Press and Propaganda of the FET y de las JONS.Sinova, 2006, p. 110.

This marked the birth of what would become known as the "Cadena de Prensa del Movimiento."Herrero Suárez, 2007, p. 71.  At its inception, it comprised some 40 newspapers, among which Arriba —the official organ of FET y de las JONS—and Pueblo—the newspaper of the Spanish Syndical Organization—stood out.Sevillano Calero, 1998, p. 86. However, the publication with the largest circulation and the widest readership was the sports daily Marca, which began daily publication in 1942. The newspaper Arriba became the doctrinal organ of the Franco regime, even influencing the editorial line of many provincial newspapers.  Of all the newspapers in the Prensa del Movimiento, the Pamplona-based newspaper Arriba España was the first to have begun publication—on August 1, 1936.Sánchez Rada, 1996, p. 13.  At the provincial and/or local level, there were cases in which the Prensa del Movimiento almost enjoyed a journalistic monopoly.López, Fernández and Durán, 2002, p. 187.  With this privileged position the independent press was greatly reinforced when a ministerial order of May 1, 1941, exempted the Movement's press from having to undergo prior censorship by the authorities.Sinova, 2006, p. 111.

On January 28, 1947, Sociedad Editora Universal—former owner of the newspapers Heraldo de Madrid, El Liberal, and El Defensor of Granada—submitted a notarized demand to FET y de las JONS requiring the return of its assets, but the request came to nothing.Guillermo Busquets le Monnier, The press of the former Movement · El País.com

The newspapers in the Prensa del Movimiento shared some of their material among themselves. An example of this was the children's supplement "La Hora del Recreo" (Recess Time) of the newspaper Levante, whose sales success led to its acquisition by 14 other newspapers in the group.Porcel, 2002, pp. 456-459. The press network had its own publishing house—Ediciones del Movimiento (Movement Editions)—and also a news agency, Pyresa (Prensa y Radio Española - Spanish Press and Radio).Palacios Bañuelos and Rodríguez Jiménez, 2001, p. 223.Sánchez Rada, 1996, p. 21.

In the mid-1950s, the influence of the Prensa del Movimiento was enormous: in 1956, of the 104 newspapers published in metropolitan Spain and the colonies, 38 belonged to the Movement, meaning that 32% of the Spanish press was in the hands of the single party.Reig García, 2011, p. 147. However, as time passed, the influence of the party's press diminished: while in 1945, 41% of the Spanish press was controlled by the FET y de las JONS, by 1970 it controlled only 26%.

Throughout its history, the newspaper group experienced financial difficulties, primarily due to a lack of profitability. Political rather than economic criteria were often prioritized in the management and administration of these publications. Its final years resulted in a significant drain on public funds. From 1966 to 1970, profits fell from 44,547,529 pesetas to 5,443,134.De las Heras Pedrosa, 2000, p. 42. From that point onward, the figure continued to decline, and the group entered into heavy losses, reaching -74,309,865 pesetas in 1975.De las Heras Pedrosa, 2000, p. 54. By 1975, the poor financial situation of the state-owned press chain demonstrated the project's unsustainability.Martín de la Guardia, 1994, p. 313. Emilio Romero Gómez, the new National Delegate for Press and Radio in 1975, faced with this situation, proposed closing the most unprofitable newspapers—among others, Amanecer in Zaragoza, Diario de Cuenca, La Voz de Castilla in Burgos, Pueblo Gallego in Vigo, La Prensa, and Libertad in Valladolid.Sánchez Rada, 1996, p. 64. However, the measure was only partially implemented: Arriba España closed in the summer of 1975, and by mid-1976 Jornada, La Voz de Castilla, Sevilla, La Tarde, and Voluntad had also closed.De las Heras Pedrosa, 2000, p. 61.

Recent Years Following Franco's death and facing an uncertain future, the group underwent several changes during the late Francoist period. In April 1977, both FET y de las JONS and the National Delegation of Press and Propaganda were dissolved by the government of Adolfo Suárez.Rodríguez Jiménez, 1994, p. 234. Following this, Decree Law 708/1977 of April 15, 1977, established the change of name and structure of the media group,De las Heras Pedrosa, 2000, p. 66 transforming it into an autonomous state body called "State Social Communication Media."De Haro, 2013, pp. 192-193.  This body, which was organically dependent on the Ministry of Culture, continued to exist until its dissolution in 1984. At the time of its establishment, the body comprised 35 newspapers, the Pyresa news agency, 43 radio stations, and a radio production company.De las Heras Pedrosa, 2000, p. 68. The newspaper Pueblo was later added to the organization, although as a separate unit. During these years, the State proceeded in some cases to close numerous loss-making newspapers, while in others it privatized some titles through public auction.López, Fernández and Durán, 2002, p. 188. In practice, this meant the dismantling and suppression of the old Prensa del Movimiento, constituting a momentous event for the Spanish journalistic field.

Publications

Newspaper Network MediaHeadquartersCreation or AcquisitionDisappearanceNotes Alerta Santander September 1, 1937 — Sold at public auction (1984). Amanecer Zaragoza March 11, 1936 June 17, 1979 Arriba Madrid March 29, 1939 June 16, 1979 Arriba España Pamplona (Navarra) August 1, 1936 July 1, 1975 Baleares Palma de Mallorca (Baleares) June 13, 1939 — Sold at public auction (1983). CórdobaReig García, 2011, p. 140. Córdoba July 25, 1941 — Sold at public auction (1984). Diario de Cuenca Cuenca June 4, 1942Sánchez Rada, 1996, p. 22. April 29, 1984 Diario Español Tarragona January 17, 1939 May 15, 1984 Transformed into Diari de Tarragona Ébano Santa Isabel de Fernando Poo (Spanish Guinea) November, 1939 — Equatorial Guinea became independent on October 12, 1968. El Eco de Canarias Las Palmas de Gran Canaria June 23, 1963 February 13, 1983 Part of its machinery transferred to Ébano El Correo de Zamora Zamora June 11, 1963 — Sold at public auction (1984). El Pueblo Gallego Vigo (Pontevedra) January 10, 1937 June 17, 1979 Falange Las Palmas de Gran Canaria December 7, 1936 June 22, 1963 Transformed into El Eco de Canarias F.E. Sevilla September 1, 1936Reig García, 2011, p. 142. June 16, 1946Reig García, 2011, p. 156. La Gaceta Regional Salamanca c. 1956 — Sold at public auction (1984). Hierro Bilbao (Biscay) July 5, 1937 February 14, 1983 Imperio Zamora October 29, 1936 June 9, 1963 Merged with El Correo de Zamora Información Alicante July 18, 1941 — Sold at public auction (1984). Jaén Jaén April 1, 1941 — Sold at public auction (1984). Jornada Valencia October 4, 1941 September 30, 1975 La Mañana Lleida December 20, 1938 July 27, 1984 La Nueva España Oviedo December 19, 1936 — Sold at public auction (1984). La Prensa Barcelona May 28, 1941 June 16, 1979 La Tarde Málaga 1937/1940Reig García, 2011, p. 154. September 30, 1975 La Voz de Castilla Burgos September 1, 1945De la Viuda, 2010, p. 240. January 24, 1976 La Voz de España San Sebastián (Guipúzcoa) June 2, 1937 February 17, 1980 La Voz del Sur Jerez de la Frontera (Cádiz) November 1, 1963Sánchez Rada, 1996, p. 23.Reig García, 2011, p. 151. March 31, 1984 Levante Valencia April 10, 1939 — Sold at public auction (1983). Libertad Valladolid August 21, 1938 c. 1979 Línea Murcia March 29, 1939 February 12, 1983 Los Sitios Gerona January 1, 1943 — Sold at public auction (1979). Lucha Teruel 1936/1942Sánchez Rada, 1996, p. 29. c. 1980 Marca Madrid November 25, 1942 — Sold at public auction (1984). Mediterráneo Castellón de la Plana June 14, 1938 — Sold at public auction (1984). Nueva España Huesca November 30, 1936Ramírez de Arellano Oñate, 1981, p. 152. February 21, 1984 Transformed into Diario del Altoaragón. Odiel Huelva August 1, 1937Checa Godoy, 2006, p. 175. April 29, 1984Reig García, 2011, p. 171. Patria Granada 1937/1939 February 14, 1983 Proa León November 10, 1936Carro Celada, 1984, p. 53. May 16, 1984 Pueblo Madrid June 17, 1940 May 17, 1984 Sevilla Seville March 16, 1942 June 26, 1976Reig García, 2011, p. 169.Reig García, 2011, p. 181.Transformed into Suroeste Suroeste Seville June 29, 1976 February 13, 1983 Solidaridad Nacional Barcelona February 14, 1939 June 16, 1979 Sur Málaga February 10, 1937 — Sold at public auction (1984). Unidad San Sebastián (Guipúzcoa) September 16, 1936 February 17, 1980 Voluntad Gijón (Oviedo) November 3, 1937 August 31, 1975 YugoReig García, 2011, p. 150. Almería March 30, 1939 —Sold at public auction (1984).

Other Publications

In the Spanish territories of Guinea, the Province of the Sahara and the Protectorate in Morocco, the Prensa del Movimiento also controlled several publications. Among others, notable examples included El Telegrama del Rif in Melilla, La Realidad in El Aaiún, and El Ébano in Santa Isabel de Fernando Póo. After Morocco's independence, El Telegrama del Rif was renamed El Telegrama de Melilla and was one of the few newspapers that did not go to public auction along with the others in the media group during the 1980s.Sánchez Rada, 1996, p. 163.

In other respects, the press chain published a number of magazines, among which the following stood out: 7 Fechas, Fotos, Vértice, Haz, Escorial, Maravillas, El Ruedo, Primer Plano, Sucedió, Flechas y Pelayos, etc. It also published five weekly news bulletins/newspapers and other publications such as Fénix, Así es, El Boletín de Prensa Extranjera, and the renowned weekly El Español. These latter publications were distributed by the Prensa del Movimiento's Publications Section.

See also