20 minutes

20 Minutos is a Spanish newspaper of general information and free distribution that is published from Monday to Friday. Belonging to 20 Minutos Editora, S.L., which since July 2015 has been owned by Grupo Henneo, which has 120 years of history and more than 1,500 employees after the acquisition. 20minutos is based in Madrid. The previous owner was the Schibsted Group.

History

On February 3, 2000, Madrid y m@s was born, edited by Multiprensa y Más and nicknamed “the first newspaper that does not sell”, with a circulation of 100,000 copies distributed by hand in the busiest places in the city. In November of that same year, the Barcelona edition, Barcelona y m@s, was launched, also with 100,000 copies. Its first director was Arsenio Escolar who in September 2017 was replaced by Encarna Samitier. The founding team included 21 journalists - among them Virginia Pérez Alonso, culture editor, and since 2008 deputy director - 3 distribution people, 2 commercials, 1 systems technician, an editorial secretary, an accountant (Oñate himself) and a company manager, José Antonio Martínez Soler.

In the summer of 2001, 20 Min Holding, a subsidiary of the Norwegian multimedia group Schibsted, bought the majority of the capital of Multiprensa y Más. The newspaper changed its name and was renamed 20minutes, a brand that Schibsted was already using in other countries where it published free newspapers, and now publishes 300,000 copies a day in Madrid and 200,000 in Barcelona, opening new distribution points in Madrid capital and throughout the autonomous community.

In 2003, 20minutos Sevilla and 20minutos Zaragoza were born. In 2004 Valencia and Alicante. It was in 2005 when the newspaper reached its maximum expansion to date, with the incorporation of 8 new editions: Málaga, Granada, Murcia, Córdoba, Bilbao, Valladolid, La Coruña, Vigo and Asturias.

In December of that same year, five years after its birth, 20minutos became the most read newspaper in Spain, according to the General Media Study (EGM). Furthermore, < i>20minutos established the absolute record for readers of a general information newspaper in Spain, with 2,911,000 on average daily.

Currently it is present in four Spanish cities (Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville) through four editions.

Digital edition

In 2005, 20minutos.es, the digital edition of 20minutos, was launched. That same year, the newspaper became the first of all Spanish newspapers to have a Creative Commons license, which allowed the literal copy or creation of works derived from its news.^{[citation required]}

In just five years, the digital edition became among the most followed online media. Data from the Office of Justification of Media Diffusion on the Internet (OJD Interactiva) certify a total of 13,730,204 unique users and 27,837,505 visits in March 2011, which consolidated 20minutos.es as one of the leaders in the digital press market.

In August 2015 20minutos.es SITES was the 2nd most read online newspaper in Spanish in the world with 12.5 million unique users per month from PC and the 3rd most read online newspaper in Spain with 4.1 million unique users. (comScore MMX).

The birth of 20minutos.es marked two milestones in the history of digital journalism. On the one hand, it was the first online newspaper to open all its contents to comments from its readers; On the other hand, it was the first Spanish newspaper (both online and in print) that was published under a Creative Commons license, which allows its texts to be reproduced citing the original source. Likewise, from the beginning it has been committed to user participation and the blog phenomenon, organizing the 20Blogs Awards, a reference competition in the blogosphere, for eight years.

20minutos.es maintains a very active presence on social networks such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

According to GfK figures, in April 2022 20 Minutos was the most read online newspaper in Spain, a position maintained in July of the same year.

Other supports

In 2011, Grupo 20minutos launched the meteorological information portal Tiempoytemperatura.es, as well as its corresponding mobile applications for iOS and Android devices. Tiempoytemperatura.es offers information on more than 200,000 locations with a prediction 14 days in advance. It also offers information about coasts, beaches, ski slopes, weather warnings, etc.

In April 2012, the first issue of El monthly appeared, a free distribution publication with quality content: reports, interviews and lifestyle. It has a circulation of 300,000 copies and is distributed jointly with the newspaper on the last Friday of each month. In August 2012, the fútbol20 application was launched for iPhone and Android.

In December 2012, the digital edition versions of 20minutos were released for Mexico and the United States, which provide readers with information close to their interests and localized services.

In June 2013, MiBolsillo was launched, a monthly publication on economics in salmon paper that is distributed inserted inside the newspaper one Thursday a month. MiBolsillo is focused on three large areas of the economy: consumption, savings and investment. All its contents are also available online at 20m.es/mibolsillo.

Grupo 20minutos also publishes Magacines and personalized guides. Special publications of great interest to the reader, distributed free of charge and provided by the newspaper.

Other projects

In 2001, 20minutos created the Reader's Club. To register for it, it was enough to send a coupon that was published in the newspaper, and members obtained discounts in some stores and events by showing the card that was sent to them. However, the Club has gradually disappeared, until it is completely forgotten today.

In 2003, El Jueves Campus appeared, a free supplement published by the weekly El Jueves, distributed together with the newspaper 20minutes the seconds. Thursday of each month in university areas. This publication does not currently exist.

In December 2005, the publication of Calle 20 began, a free monthly magazine that covers culture, fashion, trends and leisure content. The magazine was distributed in fashion stores, bars, clothing stores, exhibition halls, restaurants, etc. It published its last issue in March 2013.

Also in 2005, the first edition of the 20blogs Awards was launched, and from then on an annual edition was held.

Opinion and participation

Opinion articles abound, in the form of blogs and in the opinions section, which has been enhanced since 2016 in both the printed and online versions. The columns and blogs deal with any topic: from everyday affairs to economics, including science, technology, ecology, justice or humor.

Managers

Encarna Samitier. Editorial director of 20minutos. Born in Barbastro in 1959, Encarna Samitier has a degree in Information Sciences from the University of Navarra. She began her intense professional career at Heraldo de Aragón in 1981, where she launched the Documentation Service. Subsequently, she has been responsible for the Local and Reports sections and editor-in-chief of the Aragon, Culture and Society areas. In 2000, she was appointed deputy director of Opinion, and in 2016 she took charge of Henneo's Communication and Opinion directorate. She has directed the television program El contrapunto , on ZTV, and the magazine The magic of traveling through Aragón . She is a columnist and collaborator for several media, including Radio Zaragoza / Cadena Ser and Aragón Televisión.

Carmelo Encinas Campa. Opinion director. Born in Madrid in 1954, he has a degree in Information Sciences from the Complutense University of Madrid. He has been editor-in-chief of the Matinal Cadena Ser and editor of the midday news program Madrid Hora 14. Creator of Editorial Madrid, he has directed, at different stages, the programs Madrid seven days, En la calle Madrid and In the heart of Madrid, all on the regional Telemadrid network. A columnist for El País since 1996, he has been broadcast director at Localia TV, where he directed the debate and interview program Unos y otros . He participates in talk shows on TVE, Telecinco, La Sexta, Canal 24 Horas, 13TV and COPE, and on the regional television stations of Madrid and Aragón.

Former executives

Arsenio Escolar. Editorial director of 20minutos. Burgalés, born in 1957, graduated in Journalism and Hispanic Philology, initially worked at Guía del Ocio of Madrid, Tele Radio, El Globo and Change 16. In 1989 he founded Diario 16 in Burgos as director and was later editor-in-chief of the newspaper El Sol, director of the newspaper Claro, deputy director of the economic newspaper Cinco Días and deputy director of the newspaper El País. He has won several journalistic and literary awards. He directs 20minutos since its foundation, in February 2000, until September 2017.

José Antonio Martínez Soler. Retired since 2013, he was founder and CEO of 20 minutes. Doctor in Information Sciences from the Complutense, graduated from Harvard University (United States) and professor of Economics at the University of Almería. Founding director of the newspapers El Sol and La Gaceta de los Negocios, of the weekly Doblón and of the first newspaper Buenos Días i> from TVE; editor-in-chief of El País and Cambio-16. Director of TV news and several programs (Report of the Day, Interviews with Presidential Candidates, Debates, etc.) on TVE. Chief correspondent of TVE in New York and author of several books (Check Polanco, Information Highways, Businessmen facing the crisis, etc.). He is from Almería and has the Medal of Andalusia.

Company

Grupo 20minutos belongs to Grupo Heraldo, which in September 2016 was renamed Grupo Henneo.

Henneo is chaired by Fernando de Yarza López-Madrazo, belonging to the fifth generation of this family of editors. Today it occupies seventh place among publishing groups by turnover volume, and also includes 'Heraldo de Aragón', 'Lainformacion.com', 'Diario del Altoaragón', 'Radio Huesca' and 'Heraldo-Diario de Soria-El Mundo'. In addition, it develops its activity in the audiovisual areas, with the production companies Factoría and Chip; technological, through Hiberus, and industrial, through printing and distribution activities.

Ideology

According to a study carried out by Orange Media in May 2007, 46% of those surveyed do not believe that 20minutos has a political orientation, 32% place it on the left or center-left, compared to 19% who consider it to be right or center-right and 13% who think it is center.

In 2002 Arsenio Escolar, editorial director of 20minutos and 20minutos.es, disseminated an internal document titled The 16 commandments, in which he sets out some of the keys to the type of journalism he intended for the newspaper. Among these keys is a preference for local journalism over national or internationally, for good news versus bad news, for what is interesting versus what is important and for news with proper names versus those that contain mere statistics. He also advocates the involvement of the reader in the newspaper through a community of readers and specific sections in which they can contribute their opinions and personal news.

Public reception, recognitions and awards

According to a study carried out by Orange Media, 39% of free newspaper readers preferred to read 20 minutes, thus placing it as the preferred free newspaper for the general public, ahead of other similar media such as Qué! (26%) or the missing ADN (12%) and Metro (12%).

On the other hand, some of the most notable awards that 20minutos has received are:

• Victor de la Serna Award of the APM to the most outstanding journalist of the year to Arsenio Escolar, editorial director 20 minutes and 20 minutes.February 2007.
• Lametazo Popular Award of El Refugio for the work of the newspaper denouncing animal abuse.
• José Manuel Becauset Award for Digital JournalismBack to Arsenio Escolar.
• Federation of Progressive Women Award by the editorial's decision to withdraw the announcements about contacts and pornography from the newspaper.
• National Commission for the Rationalization of Timetable Award for its extensive coverage, editorial dedication and involvement with the topics of conciliation and rationalization of schedules. November 2011
• Joan Pallarès Award of the Association Visual Disability Catalonia: B1+B2+B3 for information support given to the actions and demands of the group of persons with disabilities. November 2011
• Ecovidrio Award the report “Let’s recycle more and better” by the collaborator Marta Ortiz Ginestral in the magician Tierra Viva published by the Group 20minutos, November 2011
• Best innovative project by FICOD, the International Digital Content Forum, the Eco of 20minutos.es, awarded as second, November 2011.
• iRedes Award 2012 granted to Virginia Pérez Alonso, vice director of the 20-minute Group, for representing a new generation of media managers who have understood the cultural transformation required in media outlets.
• Online News Association (ONA) 2012 Awards. '20minutos.es' is double finalist and only half Spanish.
• NH9 Award in the category Infographic and use of multimedia. In addition, 20minutos.es was awarded with silver in the Innovation category, because of its pioneering commitment to a web accessible for people with motor and sensitive disabilities.
• AEEPP Award Best publication of the year. The Group of 20 minutes was awarded in the 7th edition of these awards. October 2012.
• Madrina Foundation Award to 20 minutes for their defense of children and women. November 2012.
• Triangle Communication Award granted by COGAM (Collective of Lesbians, Gays, Transsexuals and Bisexuals of Madrid) to the newspaper 20 minutes by the objectivity and professionalism with which this type of information deals.
• Talent Community Award journalism granted by the Complutense University of Madrid to Arsenio Escolar. 22 November 2012
• 2013 Cerdito Rebelde Award granted by ADICAE on 4/06/2013 to the merit in defense of the financial users.
• Award for the Media of Friendly Communication a 20Minutos for dealing “the issues that concern the people, granted by the FaPaC (Federation of Associations of Mothers and Parents of Students of Catalonia) 13/06/2013.
• EU Health Prize 2013 for Journalists. The report "Perros guardians de vida para personas con diabetes y autismo" by Melisa Tuya winner in Spain and European finalist.
• 2013 Cerdito Rebelde Award granted by the Association of Bank Users, Banks and Insurances, granted to 20 minutes to address the great problems facing consumers, addressed in a simple and understandable way.
• Schibsted Journalism Award in the Best Exclusive category, for its special informative “Religious and homosexual”, published on February 1, 2012. 20 minutes thus became the first non- Scandinavian medium to win a Schibsted prize.
• Huella Gold Prize of the National Association of Animal Friends 2013.
• Infographic and Design Awards NH10. Group 20 minutes received 3 awards: by MiBolsillo in the print media category, El Retrovisor (Virtual Museum of Old Photos) in the online media and in the Infographic category by one of Formula 1.
• Infographic and Design Awards NH11 for three online infographic reports on the 50th anniversary of Kennedy's murder, the State's General Budgets and the centenary of the First War
• Award for Internationalization of the Spanish Association of Journal Publishers (AEEPP) for the online editions of the Group 20minutos for the United States (20minutos.com) and for Mexico (20minutos.com.mx).
• XV Accenture Journalism Awards on Digital Economy, Innovation and Journalism a Juan Castromil winner in the category of Technology. 12 June 2014
• Award of the Spanish Association of Periodical Publishers. (AEEPP) to 15 years of 20Minutos in September 2014.
• Pilar Blanco Award a la Comunicación Sociolaboral 2014 al periodista Ángel Calleja.
• V Edition European Advertising Festival, award for the best creativity in graphic piece for mobile to the application Time and Group Temperature 20Minutos in March 2015.