while always based at the catholic univ. of chile, mattelart underwent a transformation in his thoughts and beliefs. he initiated a collaboration with the centro de estudios de la realidad nacional (ceren) (center for the study of the national reality), founded in 1968 under the auspices of the catholic univ. jacques chonchol was ceren's director (also an important ideolog with mapu—a left offshoot of the christian democrats which was also part of the unidad popular government). ceren's first research conducted by armando mattelart, michèle mattelart, mabel paccini, et al., had to do with a structural left analysis of the liberal press, the "celebrity" publications, the pseudo-amorous magazines. mattelart primarily studied el mercurio, the principal liberal newspaper. this was the starting-point of his lifelong involvement with the history of communications.