Télam
| Company type | State-owned enterprise (formerly) |
|---|---|
| Industry | News agency |
| Founded | April 14, 1945, Argentina |
| Founder | Juan Perón |
| Defunct | July 2024 |
| Fate | Dissolved and reconstituted as Agencia de Publicidad del Estado S.A. |
| Headquarters | Argentina |
Area served | Argentina, international media |
Key people | Gerónimo Jutronich (first director) |
Number of employees | 750 (2024) |
Télam—an abbreviation for "Telenoticiosa Americana"—was Argentina's state-operated national news agency, established in 1945 by then Secretary of Labor Juan Perón during the presidency of Edelmiro Julián Farrell.
In March 2024, the administration of President Javier Milei suspended Télam, which provided services to roughly 300 clients including governmental institutions and both domestic and international media outlets, functioning as a state enterprise. Milei denounced the agency as a "Kirchnerism propaganda outlet" and highlighted losses nearing AR$20 billion (approximately US$23 million). At the time of suspension, Télam had a workforce of 750 employees.
By July 2024, the agency was formally disbanded and reconstituted as "Agencia de Publicidad del Estado S.A."
History
Télam was founded on April 14, 1945, under the name "Telenoticiosa Americana" by Vice President Juan Domingo Perón, aiming to rival American news agencies such as United Press International and the Associated Press. Initially operating as a public-private partnership, Gerónimo Jutronich was appointed its inaugural director. The agency commenced news distribution in October 1945 and secured nationwide coverage by 1948 through agreements with regional journalists serving as correspondents.
Its expansion was interrupted by the 1955 military coup, which caused financial difficulties and delayed salary payments. In 1959, Bernabé Villegas along with associates restructured Télam into a corporation (S.A.) following a presidential decree issued by Arturo Frondizi. Throughout the 1960s, Télam broadened its client base to include Buenos Aires television networks and leading newspapers like Clarín, employing telex technology to accelerate news delivery.
The agency was shuttered in 1963 by the government of José María Guido on accusations of disseminating false information. In 1968, under General Juan Carlos Onganía, Télam became fully state-owned, with government advertising centralized through it, generating substantial internal revenue.
During the National Reorganization Process dictatorship (1976–1983), Télam endured censorship and suffered the loss of journalistic archives. In 1984, private news organizations advocated for its closure. President Carlos Menem ordered its liquidation in 1992 but reversed this decision in 1996, abolishing Télam’s monopoly on government advertising and significantly reducing its revenue.
Despite these obstacles, Télam persisted as an advertising entity. In 2000, President Fernando de la Rúa announced intentions to shut down its advertising division and sell its headquarters; however, these plans were never realized. In 2001, Télam briefly merged with public television and radio under the Servicio Nacional de Medios Públicos, regaining independence in 2002.
By 2005, Télam functioned as a government-owned organization within the Secretaría de Comunicación Pública, financed through federal funding and advertising income. It employed about 450 personnel, half dedicated to news production. The agency issued publications in English and Mandarin and hosted the third News Agencies World Congress in 2010.
On March 1, 2024, President Javier Milei declared intentions to terminate Télam’s operations, citing its role as a "Kirchnerist propaganda agency" amid a fiscal deficit of 20 billion pesos during an economic crisis. The agency ceased activities on March 3, though its future remained uncertain. By May 2024, following a judicial ruling endorsing government action, all subsidiaries of Télam were ordered closed.
In June 2024, plans emerged to revive Télam with a downsized workforce of approximately 100 employees. Subsequently, in July 2024, Decree n° 548 officially dissolved Télam and established the "Agencia de Publicidad del Estado Sociedad Anónima Unipersonal," a state-run advertising entity overseen by the Chief of the Cabinet of Ministers.