The "Globo" Communications Group Prince of Asturias Award for Communication and Humanities 1986

The Globo Communications Group of Brazil, an important international media chain, is basically formed of the daily paper "O Globo", founded in 1925, Brazil´s main television network, which is currently the world´s fourth most important independent television channel, a medium wave and FM radio channel covering the whole country and magazine, book and pop record publishers. The company took a major step forward with the inauguration of TV Globo in 1964, via which it became the leading media company in Latin America, and expanded its activities to achieve and consolidate a monopoly in Brazil and set up business abroad.

Thus, the organizations included in the group constitute the largest communications empire in Brazil and Latin America. This position as leader is the result of the work begun in 1925 by Roberto Marinho, when, upon the death of his father, Irineu Marinho, he found himself faced with the challenge of keeping the "O Globo" daily newspaper running perfectly, and managed, years later, to make it into the largest newspaper in the country.

The work done in the daily newspaper has been extended and diversified as the communications requirements of the modern world have become more sophisticated and demanding.

The following firms form part of the Globo Organization: the O Globo daily newspaper; the Globo Radio System, comprising 35 stations which cover the whole of Brazil; the Río Gráfico publishers; Sigla-Globo System Audiovisual Productions; Globotec, Commercial Videocassette Production and Technology; Video-Globo System Video-communications; and Globo Network Television, which began broadcasting in 1969. It has, by far, the largest audience share in Brazil.

The Roberto Marinho Foundation also form part of the Globo Organizations, coordinating and developing no end of activities related to the communications media, which he founded and directs. In its short existence, the undertakings of the Roberto Marinho Foundation in different parts of Brazil have acquired great importance. The newspaper Diario de Minas, said the following words of the foundation on the occasion of the presentation of the II "Antero de Alencar" Trophy: "The Campaign of Preservation of the National Heritage", launched by he Roberto Marinho Foundation, has constituted the greatest effort yet made to raise awareness and educate the people and the authorities of the need to preserve and restore our rich artistic and cultural heritage."

The Foundation is present in all kinds of areas, with initiatives which include those of its cultural programme, publications, studies and research, special projects in music, art or town planning, the training of human resources, introductory projects in sport aimed at the youth of economically underprivileged communities, etc.