El Comercio
El Comercio is a daily newspaper published in Gijón and serving Asturias, Spain.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
El Comercio is a Spanish daily newspaper based in Gijón, Asturias. First published on 2 September 1878, it is one of the longstanding newspaper brands in the region and has developed a primarily regional identity centered on Asturias, including local politics, public affairs, business, culture, sport and community news. The paper is published in Gijón and is described as the second-largest newspaper in Asturias by circulation, with a reported daily circulation of approximately 24,000 copies in the reference material. The newspaper became part of Grupo Vocento in 1995. Vocento is a Spanish media group with a portfolio of regional and national publishing assets, and its ownership placed El Comercio within a broader newspaper network while preserving the title's local editorial role. The same year, El Comercio became the first newspaper in Spain to be available on the Internet, an early digital move that preceded the widespread migration of newspaper audiences to online platforms. Its digital presence has since complemented the printed edition and extended access to its reporting and historical newspaper archive. In 1996, El Comercio acquired La Voz de Avilés. The Avilés edition continued to use the La Voz de Avilés name, allowing the group to maintain a distinct local identity in Avilés while linking it to El Comercio's wider regional publishing operation. This expansion strengthened the brand's reach beyond Gijón and supported its position as an Asturias-focused newspaper property. Circulation reported for 2006 was 27,843 copies. The later reference figure of approximately 24,000 copies indicates the scale of the print business described for the title, although the available material does not provide a complete current circulation series or financial information. El Comercio operates as a news publisher rather than as a diversified consumer brand: its principal offerings are the daily print newspaper, its online news service and access to digitized historical editions. Its competitive positioning is based on regional relevance, continuity, local reporting and integration into Vocento's regional-media structure. The brand has also participated in public-interest initiatives. In December 2018, it became the first media outlet to sign Asturias's Social Pact against Violence against Women, an action that associated the newspaper with regional efforts to raise awareness of gender-based violence and support prevention. The available sources do not identify a founder, current editor, executive team, exact corporate subsidiary, or more recent ownership changes. Those details require verification from current corporate and publication records.
History
El Comercio began publication in Gijón on 2 September 1878. The available reference material does not identify its founder or provide a detailed account of its earliest editorial and ownership history, but the newspaper's long publication history established it as a durable Asturian media institution. Its core identity has remained regional: the title reports on the public life, economy, communities and culture of Asturias, with Gijón as its principal publishing base. A major structural change occurred in 1995, when El Comercio became part of Grupo Vocento. The transaction placed the newspaper within one of Spain's significant media groups and connected it to a wider network of publishing operations. That same year, El Comercio was reported to have become the first newspaper in Spain to make its content available on the Internet. The early online presence was an important technological milestone, anticipating the later development of digital newspaper websites, online archives and multimedia regional journalism. In 1996, the newspaper expanded its regional reach by acquiring La Voz de Avilés. Rather than eliminating that identity, El Comercio continued to use La Voz de Avilés for its Avilés edition. This arrangement gave the operation a presence in another important Asturian locality while retaining a recognizable local brand. It also illustrates the regional publishing model associated with Vocento, in which local newspaper names and editorial coverage can operate within a larger corporate group. The paper's reported circulation was 27,843 copies in 2006. The reference material later characterizes it as the second-largest newspaper in Asturias by circulation, with a daily circulation of about 24,000 copies. These figures describe its position in the regional print market at different points in time; the available sources do not establish a current audited circulation figure, digital subscriber count or financial performance. El Comercio has continued as a print and digital news brand. Its website provides an online outlet for current reporting, while its digital hemeroteca makes historical editions available in electronic form. The combination of a long-running newspaper archive and current digital publishing connects the brand's historical role with contemporary news consumption. The newspaper also took part in a regional social initiative in December 2018, when it became the first media outlet to sign the Social Pact against Violence against Women in Asturias. The initiative added a public-interest and civic-participation dimension to the brand's regional role. The supplied sources do not document subsequent milestones, current management, detailed newsroom leadership, or any scandal or legal controversy. Such information should be added only after checking current company, regulatory and reputable news sources.
- 2018
Signed Asturias social pact
[1]In December, El Comercio became the first media outlet to sign the Social Pact against Violence against Women in Asturias.
- 2006
Reported circulation
[1]The newspaper was reported to have a circulation of 27,843 copies.
- 1996
Acquisition of La Voz de Avilés
[1]El Comercio acquired La Voz de Avilés and retained that name for its Avilés edition.
- 1995
Joined Grupo Vocento
[1]El Comercio became part of Grupo Vocento, integrating the regional newspaper into a larger Spanish media group.
- 1995
Early Internet availability
[1]The newspaper became the first newspaper in Spain reported to be available on the Internet.
- 1878
First publication
[1]El Comercio published its first issue in Gijón on 2 September 1878.
Products and positioning
A long-established regional newspaper serving Asturias, combining local journalism in print and digital formats with the infrastructure of Grupo Vocento.
Daily newspaper · 1878
El Comercio
The core product is a daily newspaper published in Gijón and focused on Asturias. Its regional editorial scope covers local and regional public affairs, communities, business, culture, sport and other subjects relevant to readers in the principality. The title's longevity and reported position as Asturias's second-largest newspaper by circulation support its role as an established regional news source.
Online news publication · 1995
El Comercio digital edition
The digital edition extends El Comercio's reporting beyond the printed newspaper through an online news service. The title was reported to have become the first newspaper in Spain available on the Internet in 1995, giving it an early digital presence. The supplied material does not specify the current subscription model, audience size or full range of digital features.
Regional newspaper edition
La Voz de Avilés
La Voz de Avilés is the local newspaper identity retained for El Comercio's Avilés edition after the 1996 acquisition. It provides a distinct local-facing brand within the wider El Comercio publishing operation and helps address the information needs of Avilés and its surrounding area.
Digital newspaper archive
El Comercio digital hemeroteca
The digital hemeroteca provides access to historical newspaper material associated with El Comercio. It represents the archival dimension of the brand, allowing the publication's long history to remain available in digital form alongside its current news output.
Marketing campaigns
- 2018Social Pact against Violence against Women in Asturias
Asturias, Spain
In December 2018, El Comercio signed Asturias's Social Pact against Violence against Women. The newspaper was identified as the first media outlet to sign the pact, linking its regional publishing role with public awareness and prevention efforts concerning gender-based violence.
Outcome. The signing positioned El Comercio as a participating media organization in the regional initiative. The available material does not provide subsequent impact metrics or a detailed account of the newspaper's later activities under the pact.
Brand decisions
1996
Acquisition of La Voz de AvilésM&ABackground
El Comercio sought to extend its presence within Asturias while retaining local editorial identities.
Action taken
It acquired La Voz de Avilés and continued using that name for the Avilés edition.
Aftermath
The acquisition expanded the operation's regional footprint and preserved a separate Avilés-facing newspaper identity. Transaction terms are not provided.
1995
Integration into Grupo VocentoM&ABackground
El Comercio was incorporated into Grupo Vocento as part of the Spanish media group's regional newspaper portfolio.
Action taken
The newspaper continued operating as an Asturias-focused title within the Vocento group.
Aftermath
The move gave El Comercio a corporate connection to a larger publishing network. The supplied sources do not provide transaction terms or detailed operational changes.
1995
Launch of Internet availabilityStrategyBackground
As newspaper publishing began to adopt networked distribution, El Comercio pursued an early online presence.
Action taken
The newspaper made its content available on the Internet and was described as the first newspaper in Spain to do so.
Aftermath
The move established an early digital foundation for the brand, later complemented by online news publishing and a digital archive. No audience or revenue results are supplied.
Sources2 sources
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