BBC Mundo
Encyclopedia
BBC Mundo is part of the BBC World Service
's foreign language output, one of 33 languages it provides.
and Fascist Italy
, which had begun a strong propaganda campaign aimed at Latin America. The British government wanted to counter the influences of those regimes' propaganda campaign, so the British government used its public broadcaster, the BBC
, to transmit radio to Latin America. The BBC established the BBC Latin American Service (or el Servicio Latinoamericano de la BBC), which aired four hours of News in Spanish and Portuguese.
When World War II
began, The BBC Latin American Service became crucial due to constant bombardment of propaganda from the Axis Powers
radio networks. The BBC aired news and information in favour of the Allies
, along with information about the horrible situation of the occupied countries under Nazi Germany, and the persecution of Europe's Jewish population.
After the end of the War, BBC Latin American Service changed form dramatically. In the 1950s, the Cold War
had already started. BBC Latin American Service suffered from a reduction in staff and transmissions, because the BBC and the British Government were focusing their services on Communist Eastern Europe
. Also, BBC Latin American Service changed from a public policy tool for the British government into a credible, fair, and neutral news organization. In Latin America, most radio networks were either under the control of the government, or owned by government supporters. Also, most Latin American countries were under military dictatorships. BBC Latin American Service became a crucial news organization for the people of Latin America since it was free from government censorship and bias from the media moguls. Many people tuned in to the BBC during the times of political crisis and military coups, like in Chile during the military coup that overthrew the democratically elected government on 1973.
The BBC Latin American Service's credibility came to a crisis on 2 April 1982. Great Britain
was at war with Argentina
over the Falkland Islands
, or las Islas Malvinas, in Argentina. The British government forced the BBC Latin American Service to air pro-British propaganda during the war. While it was airing British propaganda, BBC Latin American Service launched a program that allowed its listeners to speak their opinions. This program was called "El Circuito" (The Circuit). Once the Falklands War
was over, the BBC dropped the propaganda and continued with its credible programming.
The BBC Latin American Service expanded during the 1990s. New satellite technology allowed the BBC Latin American Service to be more accessible to the Latin American population. The creation of the internet allowed the BBC to create a Spanish Language News website. On 10 October 2005, the BBC Latin American Service officially changed its name to BBC Mundo. The name was changed because the Portuguese service was separated into its own personal service BBC Brasil
, and because BBC Mundo wanted to add Spanish-speaking listeners in the United States
.
BBC World Service
The BBC World Service is the world's largest international broadcaster, broadcasting in 27 languages to many parts of the world via analogue and digital shortwave, internet streaming and podcasting, satellite, FM and MW relays...
's foreign language output, one of 33 languages it provides.
History
The BBC Mundo was broadcasting between 14 March 1938 and 25th February 2011. It was initially launched as a response to broadcasts by the governments of Nazi GermanyNazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
and Fascist Italy
Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
, which had begun a strong propaganda campaign aimed at Latin America. The British government wanted to counter the influences of those regimes' propaganda campaign, so the British government used its public broadcaster, the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, to transmit radio to Latin America. The BBC established the BBC Latin American Service (or el Servicio Latinoamericano de la BBC), which aired four hours of News in Spanish and Portuguese.
When World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
began, The BBC Latin American Service became crucial due to constant bombardment of propaganda from the Axis Powers
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
radio networks. The BBC aired news and information in favour of the Allies
Allies
In everyday English usage, allies are people, groups, or nations that have joined together in an association for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out between them...
, along with information about the horrible situation of the occupied countries under Nazi Germany, and the persecution of Europe's Jewish population.
After the end of the War, BBC Latin American Service changed form dramatically. In the 1950s, the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
had already started. BBC Latin American Service suffered from a reduction in staff and transmissions, because the BBC and the British Government were focusing their services on Communist Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
. Also, BBC Latin American Service changed from a public policy tool for the British government into a credible, fair, and neutral news organization. In Latin America, most radio networks were either under the control of the government, or owned by government supporters. Also, most Latin American countries were under military dictatorships. BBC Latin American Service became a crucial news organization for the people of Latin America since it was free from government censorship and bias from the media moguls. Many people tuned in to the BBC during the times of political crisis and military coups, like in Chile during the military coup that overthrew the democratically elected government on 1973.
The BBC Latin American Service's credibility came to a crisis on 2 April 1982. Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
was at war with Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
over the Falkland Islands
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located about from the coast of mainland South America. The archipelago consists of East Falkland, West Falkland and 776 lesser islands. The capital, Stanley, is on East Falkland...
, or las Islas Malvinas, in Argentina. The British government forced the BBC Latin American Service to air pro-British propaganda during the war. While it was airing British propaganda, BBC Latin American Service launched a program that allowed its listeners to speak their opinions. This program was called "El Circuito" (The Circuit). Once the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
was over, the BBC dropped the propaganda and continued with its credible programming.
The BBC Latin American Service expanded during the 1990s. New satellite technology allowed the BBC Latin American Service to be more accessible to the Latin American population. The creation of the internet allowed the BBC to create a Spanish Language News website. On 10 October 2005, the BBC Latin American Service officially changed its name to BBC Mundo. The name was changed because the Portuguese service was separated into its own personal service BBC Brasil
BBC Brasil
BBC Brasil is the subsidiary of BBC in Brazil and Latin America. Acting as world news provider in Portuguese and news agency BBC Brasil competes with Reuters but with much more resources like physical installed branches in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro and team especially assigned in...
, and because BBC Mundo wanted to add Spanish-speaking listeners in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.