Buenos Aires is a city of newsstands: there must be thousands spread out across the city, and on the corners of busy thoroughfares, it is not uncommon to find one on every corner. These newsstands feature not only the many print news sources of the city, including often papers from the provinces and foreign dailies and weeklies, but also the broad array of general interest and specialized magazines published in the city.

Kioscos, in addition to newspapers and magazines, are likely to carry maps, guides, books, DVDs, music CDS, posters, and trinkets such as lapel pins, stickers, and theme buttons. Their content will vary, certainly, according to the nature of their customers. It is in the more prosperous areas of the city and tourist venues where the kioscos are likely to have more varied merchandise. But all remain faithful to their origins as “puestos de revistas y diarios” (stands for magazines and newspapers).

Historically, the newsstands of Buenos Aires, in addition to being points of neighborhood information, have trafficked in under-the-counter items, such as censored publications, porno films, condoms, alcoholic beverages and cigarettes (boys were some of the best customers for these items). Many of these items are no longer censored and are now openly displayed. Today, there are over 500 such places in the city where controlled substances may be illegally obtained.

The Buenos Aires kiosquero is often a venerable citizen of the neighborhood and as he or she grows older, comes to be addressed with the titles of social respect, “Don X,” “Dona Y.” They enjoy a prominent place in the city’s cultural imaginary, and many object vigorously to the way in which their institution has become associated with drug dealing.

The kioscos in and around major hubs like the urban train network enjoy a particular importance, not only as sources of information for travelers, but also for the wide range of popular culture they deal in. It is not unusual to see passengers on the urban trains and buses readings newspapers, magazines, comic books, girlie magazines and the like they have just purchased at a kiosco just outside or just inside the station.