The foundations of the press in Mexico

With the arrival of the printing press in 1539 to what is now Mexican territory, the possibility of disseminating various information originated through the circulation of the so-called flyers made in the various printing workshops. This activity over the years became the main source of communication in the New Spain era, which was evolving in its content and periodicity, leading to a more extensive format that we commonly know as newspapers or newspapers.  

It is considered that the first newspaper that circulated in Mexican territory was the one founded by the clergyman and doctor Juan Ignacio Castorena in 1722, called "Gazeta de México" which was published monthly with information of a religious, official, commercial, social, mining nature. and maritime.  

Beginning with the American Alarm Clock, periodicals were the perfect way to spread the ideas and criticisms of the intellectuals of that time. As was the "National Illustrator" of Dr. José María Cos. In its pages, the theologian dedicated himself to publishing the adverse social and economic situations in which the New-Hispanic population struggled for its independence remained.  

At the end of the War of Independence and with the establishment of the Constitution of 1824, a regime of freedom of the press was achieved, which gave rise to the development of periodical publications in Mexican territory, such as newspapers of liberal ideology,  beginning with “El Siglo Diez y Nueve ”, founded by Mariano Otero and Juan Bautista Morales in 1841 and which included sections of literature, geographical and scientific articles, national and foreign news, public entertainment, advertisements, varieties  

By 1863, Maximilian of Habsburg would come to power due to the French intervention in Mexican territory, a period known as the Second Empire, in these troubled years printed publications would have a notable reduction because Maximiliano would impose his own newspaper known as the Second Empire, in these troubled years printed publications would have a notable reduction because Maximiliano would impose his own newspaper known as “El Diario del Imperio”, where the decrees of the Austrian emperor were announced.  

Faced with this situation, the clandestine dye publications returned to take an appearance as was "El Hijo del Ahuizote" founded in 1885 by Daniel Cabrera Rivera and where a critical and satirical editorial line was given against the Díaz regime through the use of cartoons.  

A year earlier, the Flores Magón brothers had already ventured into the print media with the anarchist-style newspaper called “Regeneración”, with which they had begun their criticism of the Díaz government and support for the Mexican working class. Regeneration published 381 issues over 18 years with multiple interruptions.

“El Imparcial” continued in office with an infrastructure that led it to be the first newspaper to incorporate illustrated covers, journalistic organization concepts and the marketing of the newspaper as an advertising product.