Escape Artist
  • Features
    • Interviews
    • News
    • Field Notes
    • Trending
  • Your Escape Plan
    • Finance
    • Real Estate
    • Second Citizenship
    • Digital Nomadism
  • Destinations
    • Europe
      • Spain
      • Portugal
      • Italy
      • France
      • UK
      • Rest of Europe
    • Central America
      • Panama
      • Costa Rica
      • Nicaragua
      • Honduras
      • Belize
      • El Salvador
      • Guatemala
    • Others
      • North America
      • South America
      • Australia
      • Africa
      • Asia
  • Travel Tips
    • Know Before You Go
    • Packing List
    • Food + Culture
    • Health + Wellness
  • Subscribe
Escape Artist
  • Features
    • Interviews
    • News
    • Field Notes
    • Trending
  • Your Escape Plan
    • Finance
    • Real Estate
    • Second Citizenship
    • Digital Nomadism
  • Destinations
    • Europe
      • Spain
      • Portugal
      • Italy
      • France
      • UK
      • Rest of Europe
    • Central America
      • Panama
      • Costa Rica
      • Nicaragua
      • Honduras
      • Belize
      • El Salvador
      • Guatemala
    • Others
      • North America
      • South America
      • Australia
      • Africa
      • Asia
  • Travel Tips
    • Know Before You Go
    • Packing List
    • Food + Culture
    • Health + Wellness
  • Subscribe
👤

LIFE WITHOUT BOUNDARIES

THE NUMBER ONE SOURCE FOR EXPATS, DIGITAL NOMADS, AND DREAMERS.

  • Your Escape Plan

News and Media in Colombia

  • April 22, 2012
  • BY David Steckenreiter
Total
0
Shares
0
0
0

The news and media in Colombia are important modes of communication. Colombians love the printed word and newspapers of all types are available on almost every busy street corner. In total there are 24 papers published daily in Colombia. El Tiempo, founded in 1911 and El Espectador, founded in 1887 are the two main newspapers with national distribution. In Medellin, El Colombiano dominates the market. El Pais is the largest journal in the Cali/Valle del Cauca area and El Heraldo covers the Caribbean region. Popular magazines are Cambio, Semana, Cromos, Fuchsia, Jet Set and in the business category you will find Portafolio, Dinero and La Republica.

There are approximately 515 radio stations broadcasting in Colombia with 3 major networks, Caracol Radio, RCN Radio and Radiodifusora Nacional de Colombia which is operated by the state.

Television is a popular form of entertainment in Colombia and often the poorest of poor have a tv set. There are 5 major networks with a total of 60 stations. General programming is broadcast by Caracol TV and RCN TV. Señal TV is a cultural and educational broadcaster while Canal Institucional provides institutional programing. City TV is a private local channel in Bogota with roots to City TV in Canada. Many of areas of Colombia also have regional broadcasting. For example in Medellin and Antioquia you will encounter Teleantioquia or in Cali, Telepacifico.

A very important part of the television culture in Colombia is the telenovela or soap opera. A popular soap opera, like a World Cup football match can bring the country to a standstill ! The first successful soap to do this was ” Cafe, con aroma de mujer” or ”Coffee with the Scent of a Woman”.

Probably the most famous and most successful telenovela of all time is ”Yo soy Betty, la fea”. This show was written in Colombia and ran between 1999 and 2001. There have been many other versions of this show produced around the world with the most noticeable production by Salma Hayek in the United States from 2006 to 2010.

Internet usage is high in Colombia. Depending on the source, Colombia has either the 3rd or 4th largest number of internet users in Latin American with 25,000,000 consumers. Colombia is in the top 10 countries in the world for social media usage with approximately 492 minutes per month spent on Facebook. Nearly 50% of all users view their news online. In March 2012, the number seven site in the country was El Tiempo.

The incredible growth of the internet has generated the development of online commerce. According to Caracol Radio, in June 2011, travel sites had over 3 million hits. Approximately 5% of Colombians shop online and this is expected to increase to 20% in the near future.

As of 2011 mobile phone penetration had reached 100% and El Tiempo reported in 2011 that every one out of two cellphones was being replaced with a smart phone. Not only that in 2011, 43 % of the web traffic came from non-computer devices such as tablets. With the increased use of internet in Colombia, it comes as no surprise that in 2011 online ad spending went up 33%.

The growth of high tech in Colombia has been astounding. Even when a new Smart phone or Blackberry was beyond the reach of the average Colombian’s pocket book, students and workers earning very moderate salaries were seen sporting them, as much for their status, as for their use. Even more surprising in a country where privacy is still a relatively important factor, Facebook has had an incredible penetration.

More and more companies are moving to mobile phone apps and the marketplace in Colombia is young, savvy and ready to embrace technology.

Total
0
Shares
Share 0
Tweet 0
Pin it 0
Related Topics
  • media
  • television
Previous Article
  • Your Escape Plan

Pirates of the Pacific – Expats in Ecuador

  • January 24, 2012
  • BY EA Editors
View Post
Next Article
  • Your Escape Plan

Freedom Is Yours! Will You Take It?

  • January 24, 2013
  • BY mhollen
View Post
You May Also Like
The first glimpse of possibility—abandoned, broken, waiting.
View Post
  • Field Notes
How an Abandoned House in Spain Changed Everything
  • BY Isha Sesay
  • July 7, 2025
best place to retire
View Post
  • Plan B
Retiring Abroad: Where Can You Actually Afford to Live?
  • BY EA Editorial Staff
  • June 18, 2025
Healthcare systems
View Post
  • Health
What You Need to Know About Healthcare and Insurance Abroad
  • BY Isha Sesay
  • June 11, 2025
Tourist visas remain the simplest path to setting foot abroad.
View Post
  • Plan B
Living on a Tourist Visa – How Long Can You Stay?
  • BY EA Editorial Staff
  • June 4, 2025
Moving abroad can be a fresh start—but only if you do it with your eyes wide open.
View Post
  • Plan B
Moving Abroad to Reinvent Yourself
  • BY EA Editorial Staff
  • May 28, 2025
Residency programs worldwide are undergoing rapid transformation.
View Post
  • Second Citizenship
Beyond the Golden Visa – The Future of Residency
  • BY EA Editorial Staff
  • May 7, 2025
Not all retirements are created equal—especially when taxes are involved.
View Post
  • Plan B
How to Retire Tax-Free Abroad
  • BY EA Editorial Staff
  • April 23, 2025
Choosing the right country can shape your investment strategy.
View Post
  • Plan B
How to Secure a Second Home Overseas
  • BY EA Editorial Staff
  • April 18, 2025
Trending Posts
  • The True Cost of Leaving America 1
    • Interviews
    The True Cost of Leaving America
    • June 25, 2025
  • 20 Reasons Not to Move to Dubai (In No Particular Order) 2
    • Field Notes
    20 Reasons Not to Move to Dubai
    • June 27, 2025
  • Nordic chapter of adventure 3
    • Rest of Europe
    The Nordic Blueprint for Happiness
    • June 30, 2025
  • Long days, wild spaces, and the calm of the North. 4
    • Rest of Europe
    Scandinavian Summers Are the New Escape
    • July 3, 2025
  • Dating Abroad: Love Across Borders 5
    • Spain
    Love, Loss, and Language Barriers
    • June 27, 2025
Subscribe
Know Before You Go
  • The True Cost of Leaving America 1
    • Interviews
    The True Cost of Leaving America
    • June 25, 2025
  • 2
    • Africa
    The New Africa Travel List for 2025
    • June 20, 2025
  • Rolling emerald fields and soft skies in County Kerry. 3
    • Ireland
    Top 10 Things to Know If You’re Moving to Ireland
    • June 13, 2025
  • A new generation claims space through movement. 4
    • Africa
    How Ethiopia’s Girls Are Rewriting the Rules on Wheels
    • May 30, 2025
  • Residency programs worldwide are undergoing rapid transformation. 5
    • Second Citizenship
    Beyond the Golden Visa – The Future of Residency
    • May 7, 2025
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Subscribe
Why Subscribe

The newly imagined Escape Artist brings you fresh content with a global focus, and sharp, up-to-the-minute coverage of the joys, challenges, and opportunities of life abroad.

For a limited time, we’re offering a special discount on all subscription deals, so be sure to lock-in these incredible savings and start receiving top-notch travel and expat content today!

Sign up for the EA Newsletter

Get important news delivered directly to your inbox and stay connected!

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Escape Artist
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Disclaimer

Input your search keywords and press Enter.

Newsletter Subscription

Our Spring Sale Has Started

You can see how this popup was set up in our step-by-step guide: https://wppopupmaker.com/guides/auto-opening-announcement-popups/