Folha de S.Paulo history

In July 1925, "Folha da Manhã" - the morning edition of "Folha da Noite" - was established. "Folha da Tarde" was founded 24 years later.

However, in 1929, Olival Costa, by then sole proprietor of the Folhas, mended his fences with the São Paulo Republicans, and broke his links to opposition groups connected to Getúlio Vargas and his Aliança Liberal.

Alves de Lima's initial goal, when he took over the newspapers in 1931, was defending the "agricultural interests", meaning rural landowners.

The dictatorial administration put political pressure onto news organs, and in São Paulo it took as its main target the daily O Estado de S. Paulo, a major supporter for the 1932 revolution.

In 1949, Ramos started a third newspaper, Folha da Tarde, and sponsored dozens of civic campaigns against corruption and organized crime, for the defense of water sources, infrastructure improvements, city works, and plenty more.

1960 On January 1st, the three company titles ("Folha da Manhã", "Folha da Tarde" and "Folha da Noite") merged, giving rise to Folha de S.Paulo newspaper.

1962 Octavio Frias de Oliveira and Carlos Caldeira Filho acquired the share control in the Folha da Manhã company.

In 1964, Folha de S.Paulo supported the coup that overthrew President João Goulart, and his replacement by a military junta; the military role would be only temporary—or so at least it was thought.

1967 The newspaper was a pioneer in offset color printing, employed in large scale pressrun for the first time ever in Brazil.

In 1968, Folha became the first Latin-American newspaper to adopt the offset printing system.

However, Caldeira didn't like the TV business and the partners sold their TV companies in 1969.

In 1971, Folha abandoned the lead composition and became the first newspaper to use the electronic photocomposition system.

The bad blood between the newspaper and the left wing groups deepened and reached a climax with the editorial "Political Prisoners?", published in 1972, in which the newspaper challenged the notion that there were people jailed for their political ideas in Brazil.

Later that same year, Cláudio Abramo lost his position as newsroom head, and Folha would only claim back a more avowedly political stance, instead of the uncritical "neutrality" adopted when editorials were suspended, late in 1973.

1976 The section "Tendências/Debates" ("Trends and Debates") was created, governed by the principle of pluralism.

1981 In June, an internal document was released in a first attempt to systematize an editorial project.

1983 With the installation of computer terminals, Folha became the first fully computerized Newsroom in South America.

1984 With Otavio Frias Filho as the editor, Folha publishes its first editorial project, which defends critical, modern, nonpartisan, and pluralist journalism.

Em 1986, a Folha tornou-se o jornal de maior circulação em todo o país, liderança que mantém desde então.

1989 Folha is the first publication in Brazil to create the role of an Ombudsman, a journalist who hears and investigates reader complaints to analyze the quality of the newspaper.

1992 Businessman Octavio Frias de Oliveira eventually bought the remaining interest in the company.

1994 With the launch of "Atlas Folha/The New York Times", which came as installments, Folha hit a record in pressrun and sales in the history of newspaper and magazine in Brazil on the launch day (1,117,802 copies) and in subsequent weeks.

1995 The Folha's Technological Graphic Center started up, in Tamboré. The newspaper began having most pages in color.

1996 Luiz Frias launches internet portal UOL (Universe Online), Brazil's first large online service.

1997 The newspaper released the most recent version of its editorial project, which included a throrough screening of facts to be dealt with journalistically, a deep, critical and pluralist approach, and a plain and interesting text.

1999 Folha Group launches Agora, a daily newspaper aimed at the masses in the city of São Paulo.

2000 In partnership with Group Globo, Folha launches the Valor Econômico newspaper.

2012 Folha is the first media outlet to adopt a new business model in digital journalism --a porous paywall-- in which access to news is free until a certain number of articles.

In 2016 Grupo Globo assumes full control of the periodical.

2017 The newspaper publishes its most recent version of its editorial project.

2018 The fifth edition of the Editorial Manual is launched.