La Tercera

La Tercera
Name	La Tercera
Type	Daily newspaper
Format	Broadsheet
Founded	1950
Headquarters	Santiago, Chile
Language	Spanish

La Tercera is a Chilean national daily newspaper based in Santiago de Chile known for its national circulation and influence in Chilean public life. Founded in 1950, it has played a prominent role in covering Chilean politics, business, and culture, reporting on events involving figures such as Salvador Allende, Augusto Pinochet, Michelle Bachelet, Sebastián Piñera, and institutions like the Congreso Nacional de Chile, Banco Central de Chile, and Universidad de Chile. The paper is part of the South American media landscape alongside outlets like El Mercurio (Chile), Clarín (Buenos Aires), and El País (Spain).

History

Launched in 1950, the newspaper emerged during the presidency of Gabriel González Videla and alongside publications such as El Mercurio (Chile), La Nación (Chile), and Última Hora (Chile). During the 1960s and 1970s it covered campaigns and administrations connected to Jorge Alessandri, Eduardo Frei Montalva, and Salvador Allende, reporting on events that intersected with the 1964 Chilean presidential election and the 1973 Chilean coup d'état. Under the military regime of Augusto Pinochet, La Tercera, like other Chilean media outlets, operated in a constrained environment influenced by actors including the Dirección de Inteligencia Nacional and Chilean institutional frameworks. After the transition to democracy in the 1990s involving figures such as Patricio Aylwin and Ricardo Lagos, La Tercera adapted coverage to the evolving roles of institutions such as the Corte Suprema de Justicia de Chile and the Comisión Nacional de Energía (Chile). In the 21st century the paper reported on national developments tied to the administrations of Michelle Bachelet and Sebastián Piñera, as well as social movements exemplified by the 2011–2013 Chilean student protests and the 2019–2021 Chilean protests.

Ownership and management

Ownership of the newspaper has involved media groups and conglomerates comparable to holdings such as those of El Mercurio SAP, Copesa, and corporate structures present in Latin America like Grupo Clarín and Grupo Prisa. Executive leadership has included figures with ties to Chilean business and media sectors, interacting with organizations such as the Superintendencia de Valores y Seguros (Chile), major Chilean banks including Banco Santander-Chile and Banco de Chile, and media regulators comparable to counterparts like Comisión de la Unión Europea in broader comparative contexts. Management changes reflected market pressures seen across outlets like Folha de S.Paulo and The New York Times Company, while strategic alliances connected the paper with advertising networks, printing firms, and distribution channels operating in Santiago and regions such as Valparaíso Region and Biobío Region.

Editorial stance and political influence

The paper's editorial line has been characterized by shifts over decades, interacting with political actors including Partido Demócrata Cristiano (Chile), Renovación Nacional, Partido Socialista (Chile), and coalitions such as Concertación and Chile Vamos. Its influence extends to policymaking debates in arenas like the Cámara de Diputados de Chile and the Senado de Chile, as well as commentary on economic policy by figures affiliated with entities such as the Ministerio de Hacienda (Chile), Codelco, and the Superintendencia de Bancos e Instituciones Financieras. Editorial positions have at times aligned or diverged from those in other national papers such as El Mercurio (Chile), La Nación (Chile), and regional weeklies, contributing to public discourse on constitutional reform initiatives like the Chilean constitutional process and social policy debates tied to legislation such as the Ley de Pesca (Chile).

Circulation, format, and digital presence

Historically published in broadsheet format, the newspaper extended operations to include supplements, weekend editions, and specialized sections on business, sports, and culture covering subjects like Unión Española, Colo-Colo, and institutions such as the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (Santiago). Circulation competition involved peers like El Mercurio (Chile) and digital rivals including 24 Horas (Chile), BioBioChile, and international outlets such as BBC News and The Guardian. The digital transition saw investments in a web platform and mobile applications, social media engagement across networks like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and multimedia reporting practices similar to those adopted by The New York Times, The Washington Post, and El País (Spain).

Notable coverage and controversies

The newspaper covered major national events including the 1973 Chilean coup d'état, the Armed Forces of Chile's post-dictatorship role, and the investigations into human rights abuses involving entities like the Comisión Nacional sobre Prisión Política y Tortura. It has been involved in controversies related to sourcing, editorial decisions, and alleged political bias, comparable to disputes involving outlets such as The Wall Street Journal and Der Spiegel. High-profile reporting on corporate affairs has intersected with companies like Codelco, Enersis, and legal proceedings before the Corte Suprema de Justicia de Chile, occasionally provoking public debate and scrutiny from civil society organizations including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International.

Staff and contributors

The newsroom has included editors, columnists, and journalists who have worked on topics involving personalities such as Heraldo Muñoz, Andrés Allamand, Gonzalo Lira, and commentators linked to universities like Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and Universidad de Chile. Contributors span investigative reporters, business correspondents, cultural critics, and photojournalists with professional affiliations to institutions such as the Colegio de Periodistas de Chile and international networks including the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. The paper has also featured interviews and op-eds by politicians, academics, and business leaders active in arenas like the Fondo Monetario Internacional, Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo, and regional think tanks.

Awards and recognition

Over time the outlet and its journalists have received distinctions in Chilean and international journalism competitions comparable to honors awarded by organizations such as the Society of Professional Journalists, Inter American Press Association, and national press awards in Chile. Recognized reporting has covered subjects ranging from political investigations to economic analysis involving entities like Codelco and public policy debates within institutions such as the Ministerio de Salud (Chile). The newspaper's investigative pieces have been cited by academic studies at universities like Universidad de Santiago de Chile and in reports by NGOs and intergovernmental bodies.

Category:Newspapers published in Chile