The corporate concentration in the South European mass communication technology:
the Spanish radiotelegraphy
Keywords:
Empresa Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (ENTEL), Spanish radiotelegraphy, corporate concentration, mass communication technologyAbstract
This article addresses the concentration process that took place in Spanish radiotelegraphy during the second half of the 20th century. Specifically, it investigates how the structure of the upstream market affected the implementation of a new technology in Spain. The article also discusses the deployment of a new telecommunication technology at the stage of advanced maturity, using a historiographical approach. In terms of global relevance, this article highlights the appearance of a new mass media technology through a case study that promotes a better comprehension of telecommunications. In methodological terms, this research adopts a multidisciplinary approach with an emphasis on economic and business history and is based on primary sources of a corporate and governmental nature, reports from institutions and newspaper archives. The article follows four main headings: the emergence of a new means of communication – radiotelegraphy; a new company to provide radio-telegraphic services in Spain; the performance of Empresa Nacional de Telecomunicaciones; and its evolution in the computer era.
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