The Cadena de Prensa del Movimiento (Press Chain of the Movement) was a Spanish media group that existed in Francoist Spain and belonged to the state's single party, the Falange Española Tradicionalista y de las JONS (FET y de las JONS). The group was formed after a state law of July 13, 1940, which granted single party ownership of all publications, printing presses, and rotary presses that had been seized by the Nationalists from Republican parties and organizations during the Spanish Civil War and the immediate postwar period. All these assets became part of the patrimony of the Delegación Nacional de Prensa y Propaganda (National Delegation of Press and Propaganda) of FET y de las JONS, which came to control more than forty newspapers. The Cadena de Prensa del Movimiento constituted an important propaganda element for the Franco regime and was one of the most important business groups in the Francoist State.
Following Franco's death and the democratization of Spain, the group was renamed to the Medios de Comunicación Social del Estado (MCSE). This organization survived for some years until it was dissolved by law. The dismantling of the former Cadena de Prensa del Movimiento continued until 1984, with its final liquidation.
Following the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, the Nationalist forces seized control of numerous newspapers, publishing houses, and printing presses belonging to the Republicans and their allies. All these publicationsâÂÂas well as printing presses, rotary presses, and radio stationsâÂÂcame under the control of the National Delegation of Press and Propaganda. All newspapers were subjected to censorship established in the 1938 Press Law. The Francoist authorities banned all liberal, republican, and leftist newspapers, and their assets were eventually confiscated by the State. Finally, the law of July 13, 1940, granted full ownership of the confiscated media outlets to the National Delegation of Press and Propaganda of the FET y de las JONS.
This marked the birth of what would become known as the "Cadena de Prensa del Movimiento." àAt its inception, it comprised some 40 newspapers, among which Arriba âÂÂthe official organ of FET y de las JONSâÂÂand PuebloâÂÂthe newspaper of the Spanish Syndical OrganizationâÂÂstood out. However, the publication with the largest circulation and the widest readership was the sports daily Marca, which began daily publication in 1942. The newspaper Arriba became the doctrinal organ of the Franco regime, even influencing the editorial line of many provincial newspapers. àOf all the newspapers in the Prensa del Movimiento, the Pamplona-based newspaper Arriba España was the first to have begun publicationâÂÂon August 1, 1936. àAt the provincial and/or local level, there were cases in which the Prensa del Movimiento almost enjoyed a journalistic monopoly. àWith this privileged position the independent press was greatly reinforced when a ministerial order of May 1, 1941, exempted the Movement's press from having to undergo prior censorship by the authorities.
On January 28, 1947, Sociedad Editora UniversalâÂÂformer owner of the newspapers Heraldo de Madrid, El Liberal, and El Defensor of GranadaâÂÂsubmitted a notarized demand to FET y de las JONS requiring the return of its assets, but the request came to nothing.
The newspapers in the Prensa del Movimiento shared some of their material among themselves. An example of this was the children's supplement "La Hora del Recreo" (Recess Time) of the newspaper Levante, whose sales success led to its acquisition by 14 other newspapers in the group. The press network had its own publishing houseâÂÂEdiciones del Movimiento (Movement Editions)âÂÂand also a news agency, Pyresa (Prensa y Radio Española - Spanish Press and Radio).
In the mid-1950s, the influence of the Prensa del Movimiento was enormous: in 1956, of the 104 newspapers published in metropolitan Spain and the colonies, 38 belonged to the Movement, meaning that 32% of the Spanish press was in the hands of the single party. However, as time passed, the influence of the party's press diminished: while in 1945, 41% of the Spanish press was controlled by the FET y de las JONS, by 1970 it controlled only 26%.
Throughout its history, the newspaper group experienced financial difficulties, primarily due to a lack of profitability. Political rather than economic criteria were often prioritized in the management and administration of these publications. Its final years resulted in a significant drain on public funds. From 1966 to 1970, profits fell from 44,547,529 pesetas to 5,443,134. From that point onward, the figure continued to decline, and the group entered into heavy losses, reaching -74,309,865 pesetas in 1975. By 1975, the poor financial situation of the state-owned press chain demonstrated the project's unsustainability. Emilio Romero Gómez, the new National Delegate for Press and Radio in 1975, faced with this situation, proposed closing the most unprofitable newspapersâÂÂamong others, Amanecer in Zaragoza, Diario de Cuenca, La Voz de Castilla in Burgos, Pueblo Gallego in Vigo, La Prensa, and Libertad in Valladolid. However, the measure was only partially implemented: Arriba España closed in the summer of 1975, and by mid-1976 Jornada, La Voz de Castilla, Sevilla, La Tarde, and Voluntad had also closed.
Following Franco's death and facing an uncertain future, the group underwent several changes during the late Francoist period. In April 1977, both FET y de las JONS and the National Delegation of Press and Propaganda were dissolved by the government of Adolfo Suárez. Following this, Decree Law 708/1977 of April 15, 1977, established the change of name and structure of the media group, transforming it into an autonomous state body called "State Social Communication Media." àThis body, which was organically dependent on the Ministry of Culture, continued to exist until its dissolution in 1984. At the time of its establishment, the body comprised 35 newspapers, the Pyresa news agency, 43 radio stations, and a radio production company. The newspaper Pueblo was later added to the organization, although as a separate unit. During these years, the State proceeded in some cases to close numerous loss-making newspapers, while in others it privatized some titles through public auction. In practice, this meant the dismantling and suppression of the old Prensa del Movimiento, constituting a momentous event for the Spanish journalistic field.
In the Spanish territories of Guinea, the Province of the Sahara and the Protectorate in Morocco, the Prensa del Movimiento also controlled several publications. Among others, notable examples included El Telegrama del Rif in Melilla, La Realidad in El Aaiún, and El ÃÂbanoàin Santa Isabel de Fernando Póo. After Morocco's independence, El Telegrama del Rif was renamed El Telegrama de Melilla and was one of the few newspapers that did not go to public auction along with the others in the media group during the 1980s.
In other respects, the press chain published a number of magazines, among which the following stood out: 7 Fechas, Fotos, Vértice, Haz, Escorial, Maravillas, El Ruedo, Primer Plano, Sucedió, Flechas y Pelayos, etc. It also published five weekly news bulletins/newspapers and other publications such as Fénix, Asàes, El BoletÃÂn de Prensa Extranjera, and the renowned weekly El Español. These latter publications were distributed by the Prensa del Movimiento's Publications Section.