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UNCLAS ASUNCION 000002 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECPS OIIP PA KPAO PREL AID
SUBJECT: Paraguay Media Analysis 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  Paraguay is characterized by a free and vibrant 
media environment with independent newspapers, TV and radio 
stations.  While radio and TV penetration is close to 100%, 
Internet diffusion is fairly low at about 8%, with Google, Orkut 
and YouTube being the most popular sites.  Text messaging and 
Twitter are increasingly popular due to wide distribution of cell 
phones (96%). In a July 2009 survey by the Open Source Center, 
those responding indicated the media most recently used were ?????? 
TV 
94%, radio 81%, newspapers 32%, and internet 20%.  Media frequently 
criticized the government and freely discussed opposition 
viewpoints without censorship.  However, many media outlets reflect 
personal, business or political interests, and ethical and 
professional standards are often low.  In general, reporting is 
sketchy, fact checking optional, and the line between reporting and 
editorializing is often blurred.  Paradoxically, the media is still 
one of the most trusted institutions in Paraguay. END SUMMARY. 
 
 
 
THE LAW 
 
 
 
¶2. (U) The law provides for freedom of speech and of the press, and 
the government generally respected these rights in practice. 
Independent media were active and expressed a wide variety of views 
with few legal restrictions.  Many of the leading media moguls own 
media conglomerates which include print, TV, and radio outlets, 
real estate, supermarkets, fast food chains, and import/export 
businesses.  Many of the important media outlets also have obvious 
political biases. 
 
 
 
¶3. (SBU) The government recently started an education TV channel, 
owns a public radio station, and pays for publicity.  Unregistered, 
unlicensed radio stations are the norm, often owned by politicians, 
especially in the rural countryside.  Communications Minister 
Augusto Dos Santos told PAO that he was interested in 
??????legalizing?????? 
these community radio stations.  He estimated that of the roughly 
1,000 community radio stations, only 200 were licensed to 
broadcast.  In November 2009, however, Dos Santos was criticized 
when it was revealed that the GOP paid for publicity on 51 
community radio stations (of which only 3 had licenses). 
 
 
 
 
 
POOR QUALITY OF REPORTING 
 
 
 
¶4. (SBU) The quality of reporting is poor in Paraguay and ethical 
and professional standards are often low.   In general, reporting 
is sketchy, fact checking optional, and the line between reporting 
and editorializing is often blurred.  Many media outlets reflect 
personal, business, or political interests.  For example, both ABC 
Color and La Nacion mirror the conservative political views of the 
papers?????? owners (see below).  Both have taken a hard-line against 
President Lugo and coverage of him and his government is extremely 
negative in these publications.  Paradoxically, the media is still 
one of the most trusted institutions in Paraguay. 
 
 
 
PRINT 
 
 
 
¶5. (U) Paraguay has three main daily newspapers: ABC Color, Ultima 
Hora and La Nacion.  ABC Color is center-right in orientation and 
the leading paper in circulation (40,000) and influence.  Ultima 
Hora is center-left oriented and is second in circulation 
(22,000-25,000).  Finally, La Nacion has a conservative business 
orientation and is third in circulation (8,000-10,000).  These 
circulation numbers are a bit misleading because newspapers are 
frequently passed around and leading stories are discussed on TV 
and radio. 
 
 
 
¶6. (U) Popular (Grupo Multimedia) and Cronica (Grupo La Nacion) are 
the two main tabloid-type dailies, with solid circulation amongst 
middle-low income readers.  In fact, Popular, red mainly by 
less-educated urban Paraguayans, has a circulation (45,000) 
comparable to ABC Color.  There are also regional newspapers like 
 
Vanguardia and TN Press in Ciudad Del Este. 
 
 
 
¶7. (SBU) ABC Color, the leading daily, was founded by Aldo 
??????Acero?????? 
Zuccolillo-Moscarda in 1967.  ??????Acero?????? (which means steel in 
Spanish) at 79 is still going strong and very much involved in 
daily operations.  Zuccolillo also owns a department store chain, a 
construction company, a finance company, and has extensive real 
estate holdings.  Zuccolillo strongly dislikes Venezuela??????s Hugo 
Chavez and although he supported President Lugo in the 2008 
elections, has since taken a strong anti-Lugo line.  He has told us 
that he fears Lugo is a ??????Chavez-Marxist?????? who wants to shut 
down 
independent media.  ABC is also highly critical of the long-ruling 
Colorado Party, defeated in the 2008 presidential elections after 
61 years in power.  Zuccolillo??????s political line is clearly 
reflected in both reporting and editorials.  (NOTE:  In December 
2009, a group of supposed ??????leftists?????? started a public 
relations 
campaign against ABC Color entitled ??????ABC Lies?????? involving 
posters, 
flyers, and internet sites.  ABC Color is a powerful media 
conglomerate and it is doubtful that Zuccolillo, who survived some 
tough times when his paper was shut down during Alfredo 
Stroessner??????s dictatorship in the 1980s, is too worried.  END 
NOTE). 
 
¶8. (SBU) Ultima Hora, founded in 1973, has a center-left, social 
justice editorial line.  Today Ultima Hora is owned by business and 
media tycoon Antonio Juan Vierci Mendoza.  Vierci was born in 1945 
and studied Accounting and Business Administration at the Catholic 
University of Asuncion.  Vierci, more of an entrepreneur than a 
journalist, has extensive business holdings which include 
supermarkets, the Paraguayan Burger King franchise, import/export 
businesses, and several fashion and gossip magazines.  Vierci is 
also the owner of CIM, Centro Informativo Multimedios, a media 
group which includes two television channels (Telefuturo and La 
Tele) and two FM radio stations (Radio La Estaci????n FM 91.1 and 
Radio Urbana FM 106.0).  Vierci is a conservative business man and 
has told us that he is ??????pro-U.S.?????? and believes the world 
needs a 
strong and vibrant USA. 
 
 
 
¶9. (SBU) La Nacion has a conservative and business oriented 
editorial line and is owned by businessman and well-known Colorado 
Party activist Osvaldo Dominguez-Dibb.  Dominguez-Dibb also owns a 
cigarette manufacturer (Tabacalera Boquern) and has extensive real 
estate holdings. His son, Alejandro Dominguez Wilson-Smith, who 
studied in the US, is the Director of Grupo La Nacion, which 
includes two dailies: La Nacion and Cronica, radio 970 AM and 
various FM stations.  Both father and son have ties to the 
Stroessner family.  It has been rumored (but not proven) that 
Dominguez-Dibb is involved in the production of fraudulent brand 
cigarettes.  (NOTE: Paraguay is considered the number two producer 
worldwide of counterfeit brand cigarettes, after China.  END NOTE). 
 
 
 
TELEVISION 
 
 
 
¶10. (U) Paraguay has four nationwide TV stations with a significant 
media presence: SNT (ch. 9), Telefuturo (ch. 4), El Trece (ch.13), 
and Red Guarani (ch. 2).  Nearly every household in Paraguay has a 
television set.  Other TV stations with a smaller presence are: 
Paravision (ch.5), La Tele (ch.11), Unicanal (cable ch.8), and 
recently inaugurated Arandu Rape (government-owned educational 
cable TV channel 4). 
 
 
 
¶11. (SBU) Sistema Nacional de Television (SNT - Channel 9) reaches 
the widest audience in the country (76%).  SNT is a commercial TV 
station with a centrist line.  The leading journalists are: Yolanda 
Park (former IV), Mario Ferreiro, Carlos Troche and Manuel Cuenca. 
SNT began operating in 1965, and is owned by the Albavision Group 
belonging to Mexican businessman Angel Gonzalez.  Gonzalez also 
owns other TV and radio stations in Mexico and Central America. 
The Director of SNT since 1999 has been Ismael Hadid Florentin. 
Hadid, 48 years old, is Paraguayan of Middle Eastern descent.  In 
addition to Channel 9 and its nine repeaters, Hadid also manages 
Channel 7 Itap????a, Channel 8 Ciudad del Este and Channel 5 
Paravision.  Hadid has told us he believes in the US, is amazed at 
how we keep reinventing ourselves (in reference to the election of 
 
Barack Obama), and is proud that his son graduated from Georgetown 
University and speaks English. 
 
 
 
¶12. (U) Telefuturo Channel 4, owned by businessman Antonio J. 
Vierci, is part of the Centro Informativo Multimedios Group (CIM) 
which includes popular FM radio Estacion 40.  Telefuturo is a 
commercial station with a center-social justice line. Telefuturo 
started broadcasting in 1997. Some of its leading journalists are 
Oscar Acosta, Sanie L????pez-Garelli, Carlos Baez, Luis Bareiro and 
Ana Rivas.  Telefuturo covers 75% of the country and has a 36% 
market share of primetime news. 
 
 
 
¶13. (U) El Trece or Red Privada de Comunicaci????n Channel 13 is a 
commercial television station, with a centrist line. El Trece was 
founded in 1981 by Nicolas Bo Parodi but was bought in 2007 by 
Christian Alfredo Chena of the Teledifusora Paraguaya group.  Chena 
is a young entrepreneur and e-commerce pioneer who controls 80% of 
total shares. Teledifusora Paraguaya includes Channel 13 and Radio 
Cardinal AM and FM.  Some of the leading journalists are Guillermo 
Domanizky, Carlos Martini, Diego Marini and Natalia Cabarcos. 
 
 
 
¶14. (U) Red Guarani Channel 2 is part of the Red de Comunicaci????n 
Integral/Radio Obedira group.  Red Guarani is a commercial TV 
station with centrist family oriented programming.  The director of 
Red Guarani is Arnoldo Wiens, host of a popular evening 
issue-oriented talk show.  The leading journalists are Roberto 
Coronel, Oscar Escobar, Mariana Pineda and Jazmin Garcia. 
 
 
 
RADIO 
 
 
 
¶15. (U) Radio in many ways is the most important communication 
medium in Paraguay with the largest audience share and largest 
reach in rural areas.  Several stations have national coverage; the 
most important AM ones are ????anduti 1020, Primero de Marzo 780, 
Cardinal 730, Radio Caritas 680 and Radio Uno 650. 
 
 
 
¶16. (U) Top-rated RADIO ????ANDUTI - 1020 AM ?????? 107.1 FM is a 
commercial station with a centrist line founded in 1962.  It is 
part of the Holding de Radio group, owned by Humberto Rubin and his 
family. The Holding de Radio group includes Radio ????anduti, Radio 
Mburucuy???? in Pedro Juan Caballero and Radio FM Concert. 
 
 
 
¶17. (U) Humberto Rubin, age 75, is a journalist with a long career 
in radio and television.  Rubin faced incarceration because of his 
defense of democracy during Stroessner's dictatorship and his radio 
station was closed down.  Rubin is married to present Minister of 
Women Gloria Rubin and has several children and grandchildren who 
also work in media. Rubin has two daily programs on Radio ????anduti, 
a top-rated morning show and an evening newscast program.  He also 
has a live TV program on La Tele Channel 11 which airs twice a 
week.  Radio Nanduti??????s leading journalists besides Rubin are 
Hugo 
Rubin, Leo Rubin, Divina Mendoza, and Osmar Apuril. 
 
 
 
¶18. (U) RADIO PRIMERO DE MARZO 780 AM is part of the Megacadena de 
Comunicaci????n group, whose director is Estela Riveros. Radio 
Primero 
de Marzo has one of the largest countrywide audience shares in 
Paraguay.  Radio Primero de Marzo can be heard in Argentine and 
Brazilian border towns. Some of its leading journalists are: Carlos 
Peralta, Mabel Rehnfeldt, Yolanda Park, Alfonso Leon, and Vladimir 
Jara. Carlos Peralta is one of Paraguay??????s most influential 
broadcast journalists.  Peralta hosts the second-ranked radio 
morning show. 
 
 
 
¶19. (U) RADIO CARDINAL ?????? 730 AM ?????? 92.30 FM is a commercial 
station 
with a centrist line.  The director is Alfredo Chena from the Chena 
Group. Some of the leading journalists are: Diego Marini, Roberto 
Sosa, and Guillermo Domanisky y Santiago Gonzalez. 
 
¶20. (U) RADIO 970 AM is part of Grupo La Nacion, whose Director is 
Alejandro Dominguez Wilson-Smith.  Some of its leading journalists 
are: Clari Arias (FM radio) and Enrique Vargas Pe????a, also a 
columnist/editorialist with La Nacion. 
 
 
 
¶21. (U) RADIO CARITAS 680 AM is a commercial station owned by 
Catholic University.  It is one of the few radio stations which 
reject tobacco and alcohol advertising.  Radio Caritas, founded by 
the Franciscan Order, was one of the few independent outlets that 
survived the restrictions/closures of the Stroessner era.  Caritas 
is where many now famous media personalities and journalists such 
as Humberto Rubin started their careers. Some of the leading 
journalists are: Carlos Martini, Jose Maria Costa, Ramon Casco, and 
Susana Oviedo. 
 
 
 
¶22. (U) Radio Estacion 40 (FM 91.1) is a popular FM station with 
younger listeners which belongs to the A.J. Vierci Group. 
 
 
 
¶23. (U) Radio Nacional del Paraguay 920AM/95.1 FM is a bare-bones 
government-owned radio station with a modest listenership, although 
it is available nationwide and reaches deep into the countryside. 
During the Stroessner years Radio Nacional was an important 
propaganda tool.  When Stroessner was deposed in 1989, Radio 
Nacional ceased to be an official government-owned station but 
survived as the official propaganda organ of the Colorado party. 
Since 2008, with the defeat of the Colorados, a process of 
restructuring and refunding has been undertaken by the GOP.  Now 
the focus of the radio station is cultural programming, music, and 
promotion of government social and health initiatives, with some 
programming in the local indigenous language Guarani.  The current 
director of Radio Nacional is Judith Vera.  Vera, in her 50s, is an 
independent, professional, radio journalist.  She has told us she 
sees U.S National Public Radio as a good model for Radio Nacional. 
HOLLOWAY