El Tiempo (Colombia)

El Tiempo (Colombia)
Eduardo Santos · Public domain · source
Name	El Tiempo
Caption	Headquarters of El Tiempo
Type	Daily newspaper
Format	Berliner
Founded	1911
Founder	Alberto Lleras Camargo
Owner	Grupo Santo Domingo
Headquarters	Bogotá
Language	Spanish

El Tiempo (Colombia) is a major Spanish-language daily newspaper published in Bogotá and distributed throughout Colombia. Founded in 1911 during the presidency of Carlos Eugenio Restrepo, it has played a central role in Colombian journalism alongside rivals such as El Espectador and media groups like Grupo Prisa and Semana (magazine). El Tiempo has covered national events including the Thousand Days' War, the era of La Violencia, the rise of FARC, peace negotiations with the FARC–EP, and international events such as the United Nations summits, reflecting ties with institutions like Paz Colombia and corporations such as Bavaria (Colombia).

History

El Tiempo was founded in 1911 by Alberto Lleras Camargo and originally edited in Bogotá amid the aftermath of the Panama Canal debates and the regional politics involving figures like José Vicente Concha and Carlos Eugenio Restrepo. During the 20th century the paper intersected with the careers of Gustavo Rojas Pinilla, Laureano Gómez, and cultural figures such as Jorge Eliécer Gaitán and Gabriel García Márquez, reporting on events including the Bogotazo and the activities of M-19. Ownership and editorial shifts involved families and groups connected to Lleras Restrepo networks, and later to business interests such as Grupo Santo Domingo and the Santo Domingo family, influencing coverage during administrations of Alvaro Uribe, Álvaro Gómez Hurtado, and Juan Manuel Santos.

Ownership and Editorial Line

Ownership of El Tiempo has passed from founding families to conglomerates such as Grupo Prisa interests and ultimately to Grupo Santo Domingo, associated with the Santo Domingo family. Editorial stances have engaged with political actors including Alberto Lleras Camargo, Carlos Lleras Restrepo, and modern presidents Andrés Pastrana and Gustavo Petro. Coverage and opinion pages have featured columnists linked to institutions like Universidad de los Andes (Colombia), Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, and Universidad Nacional de Colombia, and have been criticized or praised by organizations including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and Colombian parties such as Partido Liberal Colombiano and Partido Conservador Colombiano.

Circulation and Distribution

El Tiempo's print circulation historically competed with El Espectador and regional papers like El Colombiano and El Heraldo (Colombia), distributing across departments including Antioquia, Valle del Cauca, Atlántico, and the capital district of Bogotá. The paper's logistics intersect with transport corridors such as the Autopista Norte and media distribution networks involving newsstands, supermarkets like Éxito, and airport kiosks at El Dorado International Airport. Circulation figures have been tracked by audits and organizations linked to advertising markets like Asociación Colombiana de Medios de Información and ratings firms connected to Ibope.

Format and Supplements

Published in a Berliner format, El Tiempo includes national sections covering politics, economy, sports, and culture with supplements that have featured content tied to institutions like Fútbol Profesional Colombiano, the Copa Libertadores, and cultural festivals such as the Festival Iberoamericano de Teatro de Bogotá. Supplements have included weekend magazines engaging with figures like Shakira, Juanes, Fernando Botero, and institutions such as the Museo del Oro and Biblioteca Luis Ángel Arango, while special editions have been issued for events like the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games.

Online Presence and Digital Strategy

El Tiempo has developed an online edition competing with digital platforms such as Semana (magazine), El Espectador, and international outlets like BBC News and The New York Times. The digital strategy integrates multimedia partnerships with broadcasters such as Caracol Televisión and RCN Televisión, social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube, and content syndication with wire services like Agence France-Presse and Associated Press. Initiatives have involved data journalism collaborations with academic centers at Universidad de los Andes (Colombia) and investigative projects akin to Panama Papers-style reporting, leveraging analytics tools used by global media such as Google and Facebook.

Notable Coverage and Controversies

El Tiempo's reporting has encompassed major stories such as coverage of Pablo Escobar, the Medellín Cartel, extradition debates involving Colombia–United States relations, and peace negotiations with the FARC–EP culminating in accords endorsed by figures like Juan Manuel Santos. Controversies have included disputes over alleged bias during administrations of Álvaro Uribe and Iván Duque, legal actions involving libel claims by personalities such as Andrés Pastrana and corporate disputes with conglomerates like Grupo Aval, as well as debates over editorial independence involving owners such as the Santo Domingo family and international partners like Planeta Group.

Awards and Recognition

El Tiempo and its journalists have received national and international honors from institutions including the Círculo de Periodistas de Bogotá, the Simón Bolívar National Journalism Awards, and recognition tied to investigative collaborations with organizations such as Transparency International and the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. Staff have been acknowledged alongside figures like Gabriel García Márquez and outlets such as El País (Spain), reflecting contributions to reporting on events from the Thousand Days' War anniversary coverage to contemporary analyses of the Colombian peace process.

Category:Newspapers published in Colombia