La Razón (Buenos Aires)
Encyclopedia
La Razón is a local newspaper distributed in the public transportation system in Buenos Aires
, Argentina
. It was founded in 1905 by Argentine journalist Emilio Morales an as an afternoon (Quinta edición) and evening (Sexta edición) newspaper in broadsheet
format. The daily was acquired by a prominent news editor, José A. Cortejarena, in 1911 and became the first newspaper in Argentina owned by a journalist. Cortejarena died in 1921, and the paper was directed by Ángel L. Sojo, during whose tenure La Razón became known for scooping the city's numerous other papers. The daily also became the first to publish cartoonist Dante Quinterno
's Patoruzú
(an enduring Argentine comic strip) in 1928.
La Razón was acquired by Ricardo Peralta Ramos, the scion of the founding family of seaside Mar del Plata
, in 1939. Peralta Ramos named Félix Laiño director, and the paper's broadsheet layout was reformatted and more heavily illustrated. The paper grew steadily, and La Razón was expropriated in 1947 by order of President Juan Perón
, whose populist leadership had become increasingly autocratic. Controlled by influential First Lady Eva Perón
, the paper displaced longtime circulation leader La Nación by 1952, when its daily distribution reached 500,000 copies (Latin America's largest). The dictatorship that displaced Perón in 1955 initially resolved to retain the lucrative daily, but were challenged in court by the Peralta Ramos family; the legal case presented by their attorney, Marcos Satanowsky, made La Razón one of the few such publications returned to its rightful owners, as many were reportedly resold by the regime to pliant buyers.
The paper inaugurated new printing installations in the pampas town of General Hornos
, in 1964, and remained among the leading Argentine newspapers (second only to Clarín
). Editor-in-chief Félix Laiño retired in 1984, and was replaced by former La Opinión
publisher Jacobo Timerman
, who had returned from exile in Israel
, to where he fled after his abduction and torture by the last dictatorship
, in 1977-79. Timerman downsized the ailing daily, and converted it into a morning paper, but a 1987 staff strike resulted in its closure.
La Razón was then acquired by the Buenos Aires City Council
. The insolvent publication was converted into a free-distribution evening daily in tabloid format, and can be found most commonly in train
and subway
stations, as well in as coffee shops in Buenos Aires. It was acquired from the city by the Clarín Group
, the country's largst media conglomerate, on December 27, 2000, and the paper reintroduced its morning edition in 2008.
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, 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...
. It was founded in 1905 by Argentine journalist Emilio Morales an as an afternoon (Quinta edición) and evening (Sexta edición) newspaper in broadsheet
Broadsheet
Broadsheet is the largest of the various newspaper formats and is characterized by long vertical pages . The term derives from types of popular prints usually just of a single sheet, sold on the streets and containing various types of material, from ballads to political satire. The first broadsheet...
format. The daily was acquired by a prominent news editor, José A. Cortejarena, in 1911 and became the first newspaper in Argentina owned by a journalist. Cortejarena died in 1921, and the paper was directed by Ángel L. Sojo, during whose tenure La Razón became known for scooping the city's numerous other papers. The daily also became the first to publish cartoonist Dante Quinterno
Dante Quinterno
Dante Quinterno was an Argentine comics artist, famous for being the creator of the Patoruzú, Isidoro Cañones and Patoruzito characters....
's Patoruzú
Patoruzú
Patoruzú is a comic character created in 1928 by Dante Quinterno and is considered the most popular hero of Argentine comics. Patoruzú is a wealthy Tehuelche cacique with great state properties in Patagonia, and is possessed of both superhuman physical strength and a charitable yet naive heart...
(an enduring Argentine comic strip) in 1928.
La Razón was acquired by Ricardo Peralta Ramos, the scion of the founding family of seaside Mar del Plata
Mar del Plata
Mar del Plata is an Argentine city located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, south of Buenos Aires. Mar del Plata is the second largest city of Buenos Aires Province. The name "Mar del Plata" had apparently the sense of "sea of the Río de la Plata region" or "adjoining sea to the Río de la Plata"...
, in 1939. Peralta Ramos named Félix Laiño director, and the paper's broadsheet layout was reformatted and more heavily illustrated. The paper grew steadily, and La Razón was expropriated in 1947 by order of President Juan Perón
Juan Perón
Juan Domingo Perón was an Argentine military officer, and politician. Perón was three times elected as President of Argentina though he only managed to serve one full term, after serving in several government positions, including the Secretary of Labor and the Vice Presidency...
, whose populist leadership had become increasingly autocratic. Controlled by influential First Lady Eva Perón
Eva Perón
María Eva Duarte de Perón was the second wife of President Juan Perón and served as the First Lady of Argentina from 1946 until her death in 1952. She is often referred to as simply Eva Perón, or by the affectionate Spanish language diminutive Evita.She was born in the village of Los Toldos in...
, the paper displaced longtime circulation leader La Nación by 1952, when its daily distribution reached 500,000 copies (Latin America's largest). The dictatorship that displaced Perón in 1955 initially resolved to retain the lucrative daily, but were challenged in court by the Peralta Ramos family; the legal case presented by their attorney, Marcos Satanowsky, made La Razón one of the few such publications returned to its rightful owners, as many were reportedly resold by the regime to pliant buyers.
The paper inaugurated new printing installations in the pampas town of General Hornos
General Las Heras Partido
General Las Heras Partido is a small partido in the north east of Buenos Aires Province in Argentina.The provincial subdivision has a population of about 13,000 inhabitants in an area of , and its capital city is General Las Heras, which is located from Buenos Aires.The partido and its main town...
, in 1964, and remained among the leading Argentine newspapers (second only to Clarín
Clarín (newspaper)
Clarín is the largest newspaper in Argentina, published by the Grupo Clarín media group. It was founded by Roberto Noble on 28 August 1945. It is politically centrist but popularly understood to oppose the Kirchner government...
). Editor-in-chief Félix Laiño retired in 1984, and was replaced by former La Opinión
La Opinión
La Opinión is a Spanish-language daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, USA and distributed throughout the six counties of Southern California. It is the largest Spanish-language newspaper in the United States and second-most read newspaper in Los Angeles . It is published by...
publisher Jacobo Timerman
Jacobo Timerman
Jacobo Timerman was an Argentine publisher, journalist, and author who was persecuted and honored for confronting the atrocities of the Argentine military regime's Dirty War...
, who had returned from exile in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, to where he fled after his abduction and torture by the last dictatorship
National Reorganization Process
The National Reorganization Process was the name used by its leaders for the military government that ruled Argentina from 1976 to 1983. In Argentina it is often known simply as la última junta militar or la última dictadura , because several of them existed throughout its history.The Argentine...
, in 1977-79. Timerman downsized the ailing daily, and converted it into a morning paper, but a 1987 staff strike resulted in its closure.
La Razón was then acquired by the Buenos Aires City Council
Buenos Aires City Legislature
The Buenos Aires City Legislature is a central part of the Government of the City of Buenos Aires, as well as an architectural landmark in the city's Montserrat section.-History:...
. The insolvent publication was converted into a free-distribution evening daily in tabloid format, and can be found most commonly in train
Rail transport in Argentina
The Argentine railway network comprised of track at the end of the Second World War and was, in its time, one of the most extensive and prosperous in South America. However, with the increase in highway construction, there followed a sharp decline in railway profitability, leading to the break-up...
and subway
Buenos Aires Metro
The Buenos Aires Metro , locally known as Subte is a mass-transit system that serves the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The first station of this network opened in 1913, the first of its kind in South America, the Southern Hemisphere and the entire Spanish-speaking world...
stations, as well in as coffee shops in Buenos Aires. It was acquired from the city by the Clarín Group
Clarín (newspaper)
Clarín is the largest newspaper in Argentina, published by the Grupo Clarín media group. It was founded by Roberto Noble on 28 August 1945. It is politically centrist but popularly understood to oppose the Kirchner government...
, the country's largst media conglomerate, on December 27, 2000, and the paper reintroduced its morning edition in 2008.