BBC Mundo
3551117
224901808
2008-07-10T22:33:47Z
Cgingold
2013997
Removed category "International broadcasting" (using [[WP:HOTCAT|HotCat]])
:''For the parent World Service, see [[BBC World Service]].''
{{Infobox Network
| name = BBC Mundo
| logo =
| country = [[United Kingdom]]
| network_type = [[Radio network]] and [[website]]
| available = [[Latin America]]
| owner = [[BBC]]
| funding = [[Foreign and Commonwealth Office]], UK
| key_people = Julia Zapata
| launch_date = [[1938]]
| website = [http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/spanish/news/ bbcmundo.com]
|}}
'''BBC Mundo''' ([[Spanish language|Spanish]]: BBC World) is part of the [[BBC World Service]]'s foreign language output, one of 33 languages it provides.
== History ==
The BBC Mundo has been broadcasting since [[March 14]], 1938. It was initially a response to broadcasts by the governments of [[Nazi Germany]] 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 favor 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 [[April 2]], 1982. [[Great Britain]] was at war with [[Argentina]] over the 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 [[October 10]], 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 the BBC Mundo now also focuses on Spanish-speaking people in the [[United States]].
== References ==
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/spanish/specials/1721_bbcmundoanivers/page9.shtml 70 aƱos del Servicio Latinoamericano de la BBC]
== External links ==
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/spanish/news/ BBC Mundo's Official Website]
[[Category:Spanish-language radio stations]]
[[Category:BBC World Service]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 1938]]
[[es:BBC Mundo]]