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{{short description|Argentine broadcast television network}}
{{more citations needed|date=December 2010}}
{{Infobox television channel
| name = El Trece
| logo = 
| logo_size =
| type = [[Free-to-air]] [[television network]]
| country = [[Argentina]]
| headquarters = Lima 1261, [[Buenos Aires]]
| language = Spanish
| picture_format = [[1080i]] [[High-definition television|HDTV]]<br>(downscaled to [[576i]] for the SD feed)
| owner = [[Grupo Clarín]]
| parent = [[Artear]]
| key_people = {{Unbulleted list|Daniel Zanardi {{small|([[CEO]])}}|Eduardo Bayo {{small|([[Chief operating officer|COO]])}}}}
| founded = {{Start date and age|1958}}
| founder = [[Goar Mestre]]
| launch_date = {{Start date and age|1960|10|1}}
| website = {{URL|eltrecetv.com.ar}}
| webcast = {{URL|https://eltrecetv.com.ar/vivo/}}
| embed_header = LS85 TV Canal 13, [[Buenos Aires]], Argentina
| embedded = {{Infobox television station|child=yes
| digital             = 33 ([[ultra high frequency|UHF]])
| analog              = 13 ([[Very high frequency|VHF]])
| owner               = [[Grupo Clarín]]
| licensee            = Arte Radiotelevisivo Argentino S.A.
| licensing_authority = [[Ente Nacional de Comunicaciones|ENACOM]]
}}
}}

'''Channel 13''' (known by its current brand name '''El Trece''', stylized as '''eltrece''')<ref>{{cite web|title=El Trece ahora es eltrece|url=http://television.com.ar/el-trece-ahora-es-eltrece/19728|publisher=television.com.ar|access-date=2 July 2016|ref=24 June 2016|archive-date=27 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160627073445/http://television.com.ar/el-trece-ahora-es-eltrece/19728|url-status=dead}}</ref> is an [[Argentina|Argentine]] [[free-to-air]] [[television network]] and the [[flagship station]] of the network of the same name, located in the capital of [[Argentina]], [[Buenos Aires]]. It is owned by [[Grupo Clarín]] through Artear.

As mentioned by its name, it broadcasts on VHF channel 13 in Buenos Aires, where the main station is located.

== History ==
{{Unreferenced section|date=November 2019}}

=== Foundation ===

Canal 13 was founded in 1960, and started broadcasting on 1 October 1960, at 8:30&nbsp;p.m. The channel was tendered to the company Rio de la Plata S.A. TV, founded by Cuban businessman [[Goar Mestre]] and the US network [[CBS]]. In the mid-1960s, [[Editorial Atlántida]] and Mestre's wife bought the shares of the channel. Since then, Channel 13 began to compete strongly with the other two open private channels of the city of [[Buenos Aires]], [[Canal 9 (Argentina)|Channel 9]] and [[Telefe|Channel 11]], which had gone through a similar process.{{clarify|what process does this refer to?|date=November 2019}}

In those years there were great successes in the Argentine television industry,{{according to whom|date=November 2019}} with Channel 13 broadcasting ''Viendo a Biondi'' (''"Seeing Biondi"''), a comedy show centered on characters by Pepe Biondi; ''The Falcón Family'' starring Pedro Quartucci, and sketch comedy shows such as ''Telecataplum'', featuring an innovative group of Uruguayan comedians including [[Ricardo Espalter]], [[Enrique Almada]] and [[Gabriela Acher]], among others.{{clarify|what does it mean that these shows were "great successes"?|date=November 2019}}

On 2 June 1971, at 2:30 in the morning, after the closure of the usual broadcasts, Canal 13 broadcast a program in color (experimental manner), still images of paintings and landscapes, a polychromatic studio and a motionless person, sitting in an armchair.<ref>Perdón Magazine (1976-11-02)</ref>

=== Nationalisation ===

In 1974, the government of [[Isabel Perón]] nationalised the station along with two other [[terrestrial television|terrestrial]] private TV channels of Buenos Aires ([[Canal 9 (Argentina)|Channel 9]] and [[Telefe|Channel 11]]), in order to bring a [[media policy]] based on the European (and possibly [[RTVE]]'s) way, where television was largely managed by the federal government.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Sticotti |first=Joaquín |date=2020-02-24 |title=La televisión nacional, comienzo contingente de una experiencia perdurable: el proceso de estatización de los canales de Buenos Aires (1973-1974) |url=https://journals.openedition.org/nuevomundo/79661 |journal=Nuevo Mundo Mundos Nuevos. Nouveaux mondes mondes nouveaux - Novo Mundo Mundos Novos - New world New worlds |language=es |doi=10.4000/nuevomundo.79661 |issn=1626-0252|hdl=11336/144810 |hdl-access=free }}</ref>

During the self-styled '''[[National Reorganisation Process]]''', the last military dictatorship that ruled the country from 1976 to 1983, the channel's administration was handed over to the [[Argentine Navy]], a condition maintained until 1983, when democratic rule was restored. However, the network continued under public administration, as it had been since the Perón years. The Navy helped the station in its transition to color broadcasts on Labor Day, 1 May 1980, just over a year after Channel 7's switch.

On 2 July 1980, the Channel 13 broadcast studios burned only partly, with no casualties among its workers.

=== Privatisation ===
After 15 years as a government-owned station, in December 1989, [[Artear|Arte Radiotelevisivo Argentino (Artear) S.A]] (English: ''Argentine Radio and Television Arts''), a company with majority ownership by Artes Gráfico Editorial Argentino S.A (AGEA, English: ''Argentine Publishing Graphics and Arts''), publisher of the [[Clarín (Argentine newspaper)|Clarín]] newspaper and part of its multimedia conglomerate, officially took over the station management.

Since then, the channel is positioned as second placer in [[Audience measurement|TV ratings]] in [[Buenos Aires]], competing against [[Telefe]] (excluding the 2010-2011 period when it became the ratings leader). In the 1990s, El Trece achieved great ratings, thanks to political comedy programs [[Tato Bores]], programs of cultural and ''La aventura del hombre'', TV series [[La Banda del Golden Rocket]], ''Montaña Rusa'', ''Gasoleros'' and the series ''Campeones de la vida'' and ''Poliladron''.

Since 1996, the channel operated with [[Pol-ka Producciones]], owned by actor and producer [[Adrian Suar]], who in 2001 became program manager of the channel.

The channel began broadcasting in HD with its broadcasts of [[2000 Today]] on New Year's Eve 1999, fitted with local opt-outs aired live from various Argentine tourist sites.

=== 2000s ===
In 2000, its brand name was changed to '''Canal Trece''' (literally ''Channel Thirteen'').

In 2002, the network started a new trend, which consisted on renewing its aesthetic graphical package every year.

During the 2000s, Channel 13 remained in second place on TV ratings.

In December 2005, Artear bought 30% of shares from Ideas del Sur.

In January 2009, the channel rebranded itself with another graphical package, but kept its logo. In April of that year, after several failed attempts, Channel 13 launched its own international channel ([[El Trece Internacional]]), which is broadcast in over 20 countries via subscription television. Between 24 and 26 March and 5 May 2009, Artear's satellite feeds (which included Channel 13's satellite feed, ''El Trece Satelital'') suffered unusual interferences. Although the opposition lawmakers blamed the Cristina Fernandez left-wing administration, the anomalies were finally determined to be caused by a Mexican broadcasting company.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}}

=== 2010s===
In 2010 and 2011, El Trece managed to defeat Telefe (and, in the process, rank first) in the general audience average, a situation that had not happened in 20 years, driven largely by the high audience of the reality show ''Showmatch'', added to the outstanding performance of Telenoche, the daily shows ''Malparida'', ''Los únicos'' y ''Herederos de una venganza'', entertainment programs ''Sábado show'', ''La cocina del show'' and ''A todo o nada'' and the fourth season of ''Este es el show''. In 2012 the station returned to second place (behind Telefe, but still far ahead of [[El Nueve]] and [[América TV]]), remaining in that position as of 2021.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}}

From 2010 to 2014, the channel's highlighted programs were telenovelas ''Malparida'', ''Herederos de una venganza'', ''Los Únicos'', ''Sos mi hombre'', ''Solamente vos'', ''Farsantes'' and ''Guapas'', TV shows ''Para vestir santos'', ''El puntero'' and ''Tiempos compulsivos'', entertainment programs and newscasts like ''Showmatch'', ''Este es el show'', ''Sábado show'', ''El diario de Mariana'', ''Periodismo para todos'', ''A todo o nada'' and ''Los 8 escalones'' and its reality shows ''Soñando por bailar'', ''Soñando por cantar'' y ''Cuestión de peso''. With this programming, the channel scored second place in 2012,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Clarín |first=Redacción |date=2013-01-03 |title=Todo el 2012 fue para Telefe |url=https://www.clarin.com/tv/telefe_0_SJyZjEnowQx.html?srsltid=AfmBOorGG6X9w9b6v-j8W1Urar_e0Y1Qj9GE6mt4AjxW0I1kCAGxTodf |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=Clarín |language=es}}</ref> 2013<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wolman |first=Por Ariel |date=2017-10-12 |title=Ratings de 2013: la TV abierta perdió casi 4 puntos en un año |url=https://www.infobae.com/2013/12/31/1534196-ratings-2013-la-tv-abierta-perdio-casi-4-puntos-un-ano/ |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=infobae |language=es-ES}}</ref> and 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rating 2014: Telefé venció a Canal 13 por tercer año consecutivo |url=https://www.ambito.com/edicion-impresa/rating-2014-telefe-vencio-canal-13-tercer-ano-consecutivo-n3873315 |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=www.ambito.com}}</ref>

Tinelli remained as the main figure of the channel during this decade. He was absent from ''Showmatch'' in 2013 when he decided to take a sabbatical year after finishing his contract with Channel 13. In that year he was about to move to Telefe, in the middle of an operation led by the Kirchner left-wing government through businessman Cristóbal López, to harm Grupo Clarín. The businessman that mostly controlled Canal 13 during this decade was Guido Kaczka ({{IPA|es|ˈkatʃka|pron}}), who led programs such as ''A todo o nada'', ''Los 8 escalones'', ''Dar la nota'', ''La mejor elección'', ''Hacelo feliz'', ''Las puertas'' and ''La tribuna de Guido''.

In March 2014, after 34 years, [[Mirtha Legrand]] returned to EL Trece starring in ''Almorzando con Mirtha Legrand'' (which airs on Sundays at 1:30&nbsp;p.m.) and ''La noche de Mirtha'' (Saturdays at 10:00&nbsp;p.m.).

== Logos ==
<gallery>
File:Canal13 logo.png|2000-2008
File:Logo Canal 13 200 8.png|2008-2016
</gallery>

== References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{official website}}

{{Grupo Clarín}}
{{Television in Argentina}}
{{El Trece}}
{{European Broadcasting Union Members}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Trece, El}}
[[Category:El Trece| ]]
[[Category:1960 establishments in Argentina]]
[[Category:Television networks in Argentina]]
[[Category:Television stations in Argentina]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1960]]
[[Category:Clarín Group]]
[[Category:Spanish-language television stations]]
[[Category:Mass media in Buenos Aires]]