"Clar n Lies!": Bias, Post-Truth, and Populism in Argentina's Media War

By: Rafael Di Tella and Jose Liberti and Sarah McAra

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Synopsis: In 2012, Argentine media conglomerate Grupo Clar n and President Cristina Fern ndez de Kirchner were embroiled in what some called "the mother of all battles." Grupo Clar n was one of the preeminent media companies in Argentina, with leading newspapers, cable television and Internet services, and broadcast television and radio stations. Some critics contended the company had prospered over several decades by managing relationships with governments of varying political color, such as with N stor Kirchner (2003-2007), the popular president who helped lead the country out of the financial crisis. But its relationship with the government changed in 2008 when a divisive agricultural export tax sparked a conflict between Grupo Clar n and President Cristina Kirchner, N stor Kirchner's wife and successor. Then in 2009, in a call for "democratizing" the media, Cristina Kirchner introduced a media reform law that would significantly limit Grupo Clar n's operations. By 2012, the conglomerate had delayed the law's implementation through the courts, but would likely have to restructure to accommodate the new regulatory environment. The case allows students to consider the assumptions that underlie media regulation and to debate the role of media in society. It may also be used to discuss how to evaluate a business decision in an uncertain regulatory environment.