Artear

Artear is a broadcasting company under Grupo Clarín, the largest media group in Argentina. Founded in 1989, it operates several television channels including El Trece, and is one of the leaders in the Argentine TV market.

Artear was created in 1989 as Argentina opened a bidding process for television channels that had previously formed part of the state-controlled media system. The company was organized to compete for the Buenos Aires Channel 13 license and, on December 22 of that year, obtained the license for LS 85 TV Canal 13. The transaction also made Artear responsible for assets and employees previously associated with Proartel S.A., the former operator of Canal 13 founded by Goar Mestre and associates. Proartel had been placed under state control in 1973 and was liquidated during the 1989 privatization process. Among the assets inherited from the earlier operation was a production and broadcasting complex on Cochabamba Street in the Constitución district of Buenos Aires. The site became Artear's headquarters and the principal studio location for its channels. Disputes later arose over the legal and financial status of the property. Accounts published by Tiempo Argentino described a state lease and a prolonged unresolved purchase option, while Artear disputed that characterization and maintained that the property and the purchase option were covered by the decree granting the channel license. The property question remained a matter of public controversy rather than a clearly documented change in ownership. During the 1990s and 2000s, Artear developed from a Buenos Aires broadcaster into a multi-channel media group. In December 1998 it agreed with Radio Televisión Río Negro to create a transitional operating company for Canal 10 in General Roca and its relay stations. Artear held 85% of that structure, while the provincial state retained the license. Operations began in March 1999. The Río Negro government later decided not to renew the arrangement, and management returned to the province in March 2009, although Artear maintained national commercial management of the service. Artear also expanded through acquisitions. In 2000 it acquired 50.185% of Telecor S.A., owner of Canal 12 in Córdoba, and subsequently obtained an additional 35% interest from other shareholders. It also acquired Teledifusora Bahiense, associated with Canal 7 in Bahía Blanca. These transactions were eventually approved by ENACOM in 2016. In 2007, Artear acquired Bariloche TV, operator of Canal 6 and Radio Seis in San Carlos de Bariloche. Related radio assets were later transferred within the wider Grupo Clarín structure. In 2021, Grupo Clarín sold 99% of Bariloche TV and its media assets to Televisión Litoral and the remaining 1% to Margarita Scaglione, reducing Artear's regional holdings in Patagonia. The company's portfolio has included the flagship free-to-air network El Trece, the news service Todo Noticias, and cable or pay-television channels including Volver, Magazine and Quiero música en mi idioma. Its activities have also extended to content production. Artear holds a majority interest in Pol-Ka Producciones, a producer associated with Argentine fiction and entertainment programming, and a minority interest in Patagonik Film Group, a film-production company. Artear's broadcasting infrastructure experienced notable disruptions in 2009, when satellite interference affected several signals, including El Trece, Todo Noticias and Radio Mitre. The interference was attributed to an unintentional malfunction in equipment operated by another Intelsat customer outside Argentina. A more serious operational incident occurred on January 31, 2016, when a fire at the Constitución facilities forced the evacuation of the building and interrupted El Trece, Todo Noticias and other channels. El Trece returned using a broadcast from Mar del Plata, while Todo Noticias initially operated from an emergency location. No injuries were reported in the available account. In 2017, Artear inaugurated a new content-production center described as the largest and most technologically advanced in Argentina at the time. The facility reinforced the company's transition from a conventional broadcaster toward an integrated producer, channel operator and content distributor. In 2020, Artear joined Agencia Informativa Latinoamericana, adding a regional news-cooperation dimension to its activities. Artear remains part of Grupo Clarín. Its corporate identity is closely tied to El Trece, while its broader business encompasses free-to-air television, pay television, news, production, film interests, advertising-supported programming and content distribution. The company has changed its regional portfolio through both acquisitions and disposals, but continues to operate as one of Argentina's prominent private television groups.

1. 2021Bariloche TV divestment

   Grupo Clarín sells the Bariloche TV business and related media assets.

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2. 2020Membership in Agencia Informativa Latinoamericana

   Artear joins the Latin American news-information exchange organization.

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3. 2017New content-production center opens

   Artear inaugurates a large, technologically advanced production center in Argentina.

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4. 2016Constitución studio fire

   A fire interrupts several broadcasts and prompts an emergency relocation of some programming.

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5. 2007Bariloche TV acquisition

   Artear acquires Bariloche TV, including Canal 6 and Radio Seis.

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6. 2000Expansion into Córdoba and Bahía Blanca

   Artear acquires controlling interests in Telecor and Teledifusora Bahiense, extending its regional television presence.

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7. 1999Operations begin at Canal 10 in General Roca

   A transitional operating company controlled by Artear begins managing Canal 10 in Río Negro and its relay stations.

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8. 1989Artear is founded and receives the Canal 13 license

   The company is established during the privatization of television licenses and receives the LS 85 TV Canal 13 license on December 22.

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A vertically integrated Argentine broadcasting and audiovisual-content group centered on El Trece, combining free-to-air television, cable channels, news, entertainment, production and regional media interests.

• El TreceFree-to-air television network1989

  El Trece is Artear's flagship Buenos Aires television service and the successor identity of LS 85 TV Canal 13. It carries a broad schedule of news, entertainment, fiction, talk, reality and live programming for Argentina's mass television audience. The network is the central public-facing asset around which Artear's production, advertising and distribution activities are organized.

• Todo NoticiasNews television channel

  Todo Noticias is Artear's dedicated news and current-affairs channel. It provides rolling coverage, interviews, analysis and live reporting, and extends the group's news presence beyond the schedule of El Trece. The service is part of Artear's cable and television-channel portfolio.

• VolverEntertainment and archival television channel

  Volver is an entertainment service associated with Artear's television portfolio. Its programming identity is linked to Argentine television history and audiovisual archives, allowing the group to reuse and distribute established local content alongside other entertainment programming.

• MagazineGeneral-interest television channel

  Magazine is a general-interest channel in Artear's pay-television portfolio. It has carried lifestyle, entertainment, talk and other non-fiction programming, complementing the group's news, music and archival channels.

• Quiero música en mi idiomaMusic television channel

  Quiero música en mi idioma is a music-focused television service centered on Spanish-language music and related entertainment. It represents Artear's participation in thematic pay television alongside its general-interest and news offerings.

• Pol-Ka ProduccionesTelevision production company

  Pol-Ka Producciones is a television-content producer specializing in fiction and entertainment. Artear holds a 55% interest. The production company gives Artear an internal or affiliated source of scripted programming and supports the broader integration of production with broadcast distribution.

• Patagonik Film GroupFilm production company

  Patagonik Film Group is a film-production company in which Artear holds a 33% interest. The investment extends the group's audiovisual activities from television into feature-film production and related rights.

• 2021Divest Bariloche TV assetsM&A

  Grupo Clarín restructured its regional media portfolio after more than a decade of ownership of Bariloche TV.

  What changed. Grupo Clarín sold 99% of Bariloche TV and related assets to Televisión Litoral and the remaining 1% to Margarita Scaglione.

  Aftermath. Canal 6, Radio Seis and associated news portals left the Clarín-Artear group.

  Reported transaction value. US$600,000 (2021)

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• 2007Acquire Bariloche TVM&A

  Artear continued building a geographically diversified television and radio portfolio.

  What changed. Artear acquired Bariloche TV, including Canal 6 and Radio Seis, and later transferred a small share to another Grupo Clarín subsidiary.

  Aftermath. The assets remained within the wider group until their sale in 2021.

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• 2000Acquire regional television interestsM&A

  Artear sought to extend its television footprint outside Buenos Aires through ownership stakes in regional broadcasters.

  What changed. The company acquired a controlling interest in Telecor, owner of Córdoba's Canal 12, and acquired interests connected with Teledifusora Bahiense and Canal 7 in Bahía Blanca.

  Aftermath. The transactions broadened Artear's regional network and were later approved by ENACOM in 2016.

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• 1998Operate Canal 10 through a transitional companyStrategy

  Canal 10 in General Roca and its relay network remained licensed by the Río Negro state, while the province sought an operating arrangement.

  What changed. Artear and Radio Televisión Río Negro created a transitional operating company controlled 85% by Artear, with operations beginning in March 1999.

  Aftermath. The Río Negro government ended the management agreement in 2009 and resumed control of the station, while Artear retained national commercial management.

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• 1989Enter Argentina's privatized television marketStrategy

  Argentina's privatization of television licenses created an opportunity for private operators to assume control of stations formerly associated with the state broadcasting system.

  What changed. Artear was formed to bid for the Buenos Aires Channel 13 license and acquired the LS 85 TV Canal 13 license together with related assets and personnel.

  Aftermath. Canal 13 became the company's flagship operation and was subsequently branded El Trece.

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• 2021Grupo Clarín sells Bariloche TV assets

  Grupo Clarín sold 99% of Bariloche TV and its associated media assets to Televisión Litoral, with the remaining 1% transferred to Margarita Scaglione.

  M&A
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• 2020Artear joins Agencia Informativa Latinoamericana

  Artear joined the regional news-exchange organization Agencia Informativa Latinoamericana.

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• 2016Fire interrupts broadcasting from Artear's Constitución facilities

  A fire in a utility area at the company's Buenos Aires studios led to an evacuation and temporary interruption of several channels. Broadcasting resumed later through a mixture of restored and emergency facilities, with no reported injuries.

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• 2009Artear's Río Negro management agreement ends

  The Río Negro government resumed control of Canal 10 after deciding not to renew Artear's operating agreement. Artear retained national commercial management of the station's signal.

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• 2009Satellite interference affects Artear signals

  Interference temporarily affected El Trece's satellite feed, Todo Noticias, Radio Mitre and other services. The reported cause was an unintentional malfunction involving a high-power amplifier operated by another satellite customer.

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• 2007Artear acquires Bariloche TV

  The company acquired Bariloche TV, bringing Canal 6 and Radio Seis in San Carlos de Bariloche into its regional-media portfolio.

  M&A
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• 2000Artear expands into Córdoba and Bahía Blanca television

  Artear acquired a controlling shareholding in Telecor, the operator of Canal 12 in Córdoba, and acquired interests connected with Teledifusora Bahiense, the operator of Canal 7 in Bahía Blanca.

  M&A
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• 1999Artear begins operating Canal 10 in Río Negro through a transitional company

  A transitional operating structure controlled by Artear began managing Canal 10 in General Roca and its relay network under an agreement with the Río Negro state broadcaster.

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• 1989Artear receives the Canal 13 license during Argentina's television privatization

  The company was established and received the LS 85 TV Canal 13 license on December 22, together with assets and personnel associated with the former Proartel operation.

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1. Artear
2. Artear official website