A PYMNTS Company

Paraguay: President’s family grab for media companies raises legislator’s concerns

By  |  August 31, 2015

The purchase of three of Paraguay’s leading media outlets by a sister of President Horacio Cartes has raised concerns among legislators, worried over an already troubling concentration in the country’s media. The outlets include Diario Popular, Paraguay’s widest read daily, as well as e-news outlet Hoy and online radio station Laser Stream, all of which were previously owned by former president Juan Carlos Wasmosy’s Grupo Multimedia.

    Get the Full Story

    Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required.

    Subscribe to our daily newsletter, PYMNTS Today.

    By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.

    With these purchases, ms. Sarah Cartes now controls 7 major media outlets, all within four months. The president’s sister had previously purchased the La Nación and Crónica newspapers, as well as FM Montecarlo and AM 970 radio stations.

    Legislators have loudly questioned these purchases. ABC color, a local outlet, confirmed that the Chamber of Deputies had sent a request for an investigation into “the monopolistic tendencies in the aforementioned business group” to National Competition Commission (CNC). A coalition of left-wing legislators similarly denounced what they consider “a threatening hoarding of the media” by President Cartes.

    Source: Otra Prensa

    Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.