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Some of the outlets people now read on their phones were founded more than 70 years ago. This guide arranges in a timeline the active outlets in our directory that publish their founding year, based on what each says on its official site. It is not a full history of the Costa Rican press: it only includes outlets that are still active today.
The pioneers: 1946 to 1956
| Year | Outlet | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| 1946 | La Nación | The country’s newspaper of record, now part of Grupo Nación |
| 1950 | Periódico Mensaje | News from Guanacaste and Costa Rica |
| 1952 | Radio Fides | Catholic station of the Archdiocese of San José, on 93.1 FM |
| 1956 | The Tico Times | English-language newspaper |
In one decade, a national daily, a regional paper, a radio station and an English-language paper were born, and all still publish today. Periódico Mensaje is one of the regional outlets with the longest history, and The Tico Times the oldest English-language outlet in the directory.
Regional radio and TV: the 1980s
| Year | Outlet | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Radio Santa Clara | Station of the Diocese of Ciudad Quesada, 550 AM, founded on February 25 |
| 1985 | TVN Canal 14 | Regional TV for the Northern Zone, from Ciudad Quesada |
Other outlets don’t publish an exact year, but do state their track record: Radio Bahía says it has been on the air for “more than four decades” on 107.9 FM, and Guanacaste a la Altura for “more than 28 years”.
The arrival of the internet: 2001 to 2009
| Year | Outlet | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | AM Costa Rica | Daily news in English |
| 2002 | La Voz de Guanacaste | Born as La Voz de Nosara; took its current name in 2013 |
| 2005 | Cartago Actual | Digital newspaper of Cartago |
| 2009 | The Costa Rica News | News, travel and events in English |
TV Sur · Canal 14, from Pérez Zeledón, says it has spent “more than 17 years” reporting on the Southern Zone.
The digital generation: 2012 to 2016
| Year | Outlet | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Q Costa Rica | News and opinion in English |
| 2015 | AM Prensa | News from Cartago and the whole country |
| 2015 | Puntarenas Se Oye | Digital outlet of Puntarenas |
| 2016 | San Carlos Digital | San Carlos’s first digital outlet, founded on May 25 |
What the timeline shows
- Regional media have deep roots. Periódico Mensaje (1950), Radio Santa Clara (1984) and TVN (1985) have served their regions for decades.
- English has a tradition. The Tico Times has published since 1956, and several English-language digital outlets joined from 2001. See the guide to English-language news.
- Digital reached the provinces. Between 2005 and 2016, online newspapers were born in Cartago, Puntarenas and San Carlos. See the digital news sites of Costa Rica.
To see every outlet, with or without a founding date, use the directory of Costa Rican media or the complete media guide. Does your outlet publish its founding year and is missing here? Write to hola@costaricamedios.cr.
Sources
Each outlet’s official site, linked from its profile, consulted between October 16 and 19, 2026; Radio Fides on November 1, 2026.