El Mundo (Spain)

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El Mundo
(El Mundo del Siglo Veintiuno)
Type Daily newspaper
Format Tabloid

Owner Unidad Editorial S.A.
Publisher Pedro J. Ramírez
Editor Pedro J. Ramírez
Founded 23 October 1989, as El Mundo del Siglo Veinte
Political allegiance Conservative[1]
Language Spanish
Price 1.30 daily in Spain
Headquarters Pradillo 42, 28002 Madrid Flag of Spain Spain
Circulation 330,634 daily in 2006[2]

Website: www.elmundo.es

El Mundo (Spanish for "The World", full name El Mundo del Siglo Veintiuno, "The World of the 21st century") is the second largest daily newspaper in Spain and one of the newspapers of record in this country, with a circulation topping 330,000. It first appeared on October 23, 1989, founded by Alfonso de Salas, Pedro J. Ramírez (who still serves as publisher and editor), Balbino Fraga and Juan González. It has maintained a self-defined liberal (in the sense of classical liberalism) editorial line.

It has its headquarters in Madrid, but maintains several news bureaux in outlying cities and different editions are printed for regions such as Andalusia, Valencia, Castile and Leon, the Balearic Islands, Bilbao, etc. Unlike other Spanish newspapers, its editor, Pedro J. Ramirez, is a very prominent public figure who has become totally identified with the paper in the eyes of the public.

[edit] Political impact

El Mundo has played a key role in uncovering several scandals. Among them was embezzlement by the Guardia Civil commander, Luis Roldán, and the governor of the Central Bank of Spain, Mariano Rubio, who was accused of insider trading and tax fraud. El Mundo also gave publicity to connections between the terrorist Grupos Antiterroristas de Liberación (GAL) and the socialist administration of Felipe González, a news story that contributed to the defeat of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party in the 1996 elections.

In October 2005, El Mundo revealed that Nazi Aribert Heim (aka "Doctor Death") had been living for 20 years in Spain, probably due to help to ODESSA network, among whom were the henchmen of Otto Skorzeny, who had helped set up one of the most important ODESSA bases in former dictator Francisco Franco's Spain.

Since the 11 March 2004 Madrid train bombings, El Mundo, La Razón newspaper, the regional Telemadrid TV station and radio station COPE alleged that there were inconsistencies in the explanation given by the Spanish judiciary about the bombings; other Spanish media, such as El País, ABC and radio station Cadena SER accuse El Mundo and the other media of manipulation over this issue.

The allegations made by El Mundo were dismissed by the final report of the investigation committee.

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ Carvajal, Doreen. "Tape Cites Iraq War as Reason for Bombs; 5 Suspects Arrested". International Herald Tribune, March 15, 2004.
  2. ^ Figures covering January to December 2006 from Oficina de Justificación de la Difusión, accessed April 26, 2007.