View source for El País

{{Short description|Spanish newspaper}}
{{Other uses|El País (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}}
{{Infobox newspaper
| name               = {{Lang|es|El País}}
| logo               = El País logo.svg
| image              = El-Pais-16-February-2015.jpg
| motto              = ''El periódico global''<br>("The global newspaper")
| caption            = {{Lang|es|El País}} newspaper (16 February 2015)
| type               = [[Daily newspaper]]
| format             = [[Compact (newspaper)|Compact]]
| owners             = [[PRISA]]
| founder            = {{unbulleted list|[[José Ortega Spottorno]]|[[Jesús de Polanco]]|[[Juan Luis Cebrián]]}}
| publisher          = Ediciones El País, S.L.
| chief_editor       = Jan Martínez Ahrens<ref>{{cite news| url = https://english.elpais.com/economy-and-business/2025-06-06/jan-martinez-ahrens-editor-in-chief-of-el-pais-pluralism-and-independence-are-essential-to-reaching-the-truth.html | title = Jan Martínez Ahrens, editor-in-chief of EL PAÍS: 'Pluralism and independence are essential to reaching the truth' | date= June 6, 2025 | access-date = September 25, 2025 | magazine = El País | author = El País }}</ref>
| associate_editor   = Miguel Jiménez
| managing_editor    = Mónica Ceberio<ref>{{cite magazine | url = http://digiday.com/publishers/el-pais-tackling-fake-news/ | title = How Spanish newspaper El Pais is tackling fake news | date= January 30, 2017 | access-date = January 31, 2017 | magazine = [[Digiday]] | author = Lucinda Southern }}</ref>
| founded            = {{start date and age|1976|5|4|df=y}}
| political_position = [[Center-left]]<ref name="Galluzzi">{{cite book|last1=Galluzzi|first1=Anna|title=Libraries and Public Perception: A Comparative Analysis of the European Press|date=18 August 2014|publisher=Chandos Publishing|isbn=9781843347446|pages=28–29}}</ref><ref name="The Nation">{{cite magazine|last1=Blitzer|first1=Jonathan|title=The Future Is Not What It Used to Be: On 'El País'|url=https://www.thenation.com/article/future-not-what-it-used-be-el-pais/|access-date=28 June 2017|magazine=The Nation|date=31 January 2012|archive-date=26 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170926043636/https://www.thenation.com/article/future-not-what-it-used-be-el-pais/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Guardian">{{cite news|last1=Tremlett|first1=Giles|title=El País saved as debts rise and sales fall|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2010/oct/04/pais-debt-restructuring-berggruen-franklin|access-date=28 June 2017|newspaper=The Guardian|date=4 October 2010|quote=... the country's most powerful media group, which owns the left-leaning El País newspaper ...}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.elconfidencial.com/comunicacion/2016-06-07/el-pais-la-sexta-podemos-iu-fuego-amigo_1212592/ |title='El País' consuma su giro a la derecha y ataca el apoyo mediático de Planeta a Podemos |language=es |trans-title='El País' consummates its turn to the right and attacks Planeta's media support to Podemos |last=Forcada |first=Daniel |newspaper=El Confidencial |date=2016-06-07 |access-date=2018-09-24 }}</ref>
| language           = [[Spanish language|Spanish]]<br />[[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] (online only, discontinued)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://propmark.uol.com.br/midia/46440:el-pais-lanca-edicao-digital-no-brasil |author=Keila Guimarães |date=26 November 2013 |title=El País lança edição digital no Brasil |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150503005910/http://propmark.uol.com.br/midia/46440%3Ael-pais-lanca-edicao-digital-no-brasil |archive-date=3 May 2015 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><br />[[Catalan language|Catalan]] (online only)<br />[[English Language|English]] (online only)
| ceased_publication =
| headquarters       = [[Madrid]], Spain
| circulation        = 52,024 Average print circulation (2024)<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-04-16 |title=La difusión de la prensa en papel no llega al millón de ejemplares diarios - Asociación de la Prensa de Málaga |url=https://aprensamalaga.com/sala-de-prensa/noticias/la-difusion-en-prensa-en-papel-no-llega-al-millon-de-ejemplares-diarios-20240416115692.html |access-date=2025-05-04 |language=es}}</ref><br/>403,840 news suscribers (as of December 2024)<ref>{{Cite web |last=País |first=El |date=2025-01-19 |title=EL PAÍS supera en solo cuatro años y medio los 400.000 suscriptores |url=https://elpais.com/comunicacion/2025-01-19/el-pais-supera-los-400000-suscriptores-en-menos-de-cuatro-anos-y-medio.html |access-date=2025-05-04 |website=El País |language=es}}</ref>
| sister_newspapers  = ''[[Cinco Días]]''<br />''[[Diario AS]]''
| ISSN               = 0213-4608
| website            = {{URL|https://elpais.com}} 
}}
'''{{Lang|es|El País}}''' ({{IPA|es|el paˈis|lang|es_el-pais_001.ogg}}; {{lit|The Country}}) is a Spanish-language [[Newspaper|daily newspaper]] in [[Spain]]. {{Lang|es|El País}} is based in the capital city of [[Madrid]] and it is owned by the Spanish media conglomerate [[PRISA]].<ref name="okdiario.com">{{Cite web | url=https://okdiario.com/economia/empresas/2018/11/13/deuda-del-grupo-prisa-supera-ya-valor-bolsa-3342219/ | title=Empresas: La deuda del Grupo Prisa vuelve a superar ya a su valor en Bolsa| date=2018-11-13}}</ref> It is the first-most circulated daily newspaper in Spain {{As of|2017|December|lc=y}}.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ojd.es/medios-controlados/|title=Medios Controlados|website=OJD|language=en-US|access-date=2018-08-22}}</ref> {{Lang|es|El País}} is the most read newspaper in Spanish online,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Repositorio de noticias de la asignatura COEP » El País lidera la audiencia digital de medios, según el último EGM |url=https://empresaperiodistica.umh.es/2024/05/01/el-pais-lidera-la-audiencia-digital-de-medios-segun-el-ultimo-egm/ |access-date=2025-09-25 |website=Empresa Periodística La Nación}}</ref> and is one of the Madrid dailies considered to be a national [[newspaper of record]] for Spain (along with ''[[El Mundo (Spain)|El Mundo]]'' and ''[[ABC (newspaper)|ABC]])''.<ref name="www.theguardian.com">{{Cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/25/media-revolution-spain-readers-new-voices/ | title=Media revolution in Spain as readers search for new voices| newspaper=The Guardian| date=2014-03-25| last1=Kassam| first1=Ashifa}}</ref> In 2018, its number of daily sales were 138,000.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.infolibre.es/noticias/medios/2019/01/30/ninguno_los_principales_periodicos_espanoles_vende_quiosco_mas_000_ejemplares_mes_91317_1027.html|title=Los 10 principales periódicos españoles bajaron en 2018 sus ventas en el quiosco|date=2019-01-30}}</ref>

Its headquarters and central editorial staff are located in Madrid, although it is present in other Spanish cities like [[Seville]], [[Valencia, Spain|Valencia]], [[Bilbao]], and [[Santiago de Compostela]],[[Barcelona]]. It also has bureaus located in [[Mexico City]], [[Bogotá]], [[Santiago]], and [[Washington, D.C.]], and a reporting team in [[Brussels]]. {{Lang|es|El País}} produces an America edition with subeditions for [[Mexico]], [[Colombia]], [[Chile]], and [[Argentina]]. ''El País English'' is a selection in English of articles from all of its editions. In 2024, El País developed a US edition, ''El País US'', aimed at Hispanic readers, providing news and stories that help them interpret their reality and aspirations.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=EL PAÍS: PRISA launches the new EL PAÍS US Edition – Prisa Media USA |url=https://prisamediausa.com/el-pais-prisa-launches-the-new-el-pais-us-edition/ |access-date=2025-09-25 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=EL PAÍS: PRISA launches the new EL PAÍS US Edition – Prisa Media USA |url=https://elpais.com/us/?ed=us |access-date=2025-09-25 |language=en-US}}</ref> 

==History==
{{Lang|es|El País}} was founded in May 1976 by a team at [[PRISA]] which included [[Jesús de Polanco|Jesus de Polanco]], [[José Ortega Spottorno]], and [[Carlos Mendo]].<ref name="ep">{{cite news|title=Bis'El País' Co-founder Mendo Dead at 77|url=http://www.editorandpublisher.com/Headlines/el-pa%C3%ADs-co-founder-mendo-dead-at-77-62401-.aspx|work=[[Editor & Publisher]]|date=25 August 2010|access-date=16 September 2010}}{{dead link|date=May 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author1=Richard Gunther|author2=Jose Ramon Montero|author3=Jose Ignacio Wert|editor1=Richard Gunther|editor2=Anthony Mughan|title=Democracy and the Media: A Comparative Perspective|date=2000|publisher=Cambridge University Press|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XfCDTe5s9ngC&q=news+magazines+in+spain&pg=PA28|access-date=27 November 2014|chapter=The media and politics in Spain|isbn=9780521777438}}</ref> The paper was designed by Reinhard Gade and Julio Alonso. It was first published on 4 May 1976,<ref>[http://www.elpais.com/especiales/2006/30aniversario/index.html Breve historia de {{Lang|es|El País}}] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130520084349/http://www.elpais.com/especiales/2006/30aniversario/index.html |date=20 May 2013 }}, El País.</ref> six months after the death of dictator [[Francisco Franco]], and at the beginning of the [[Spanish transition to democracy]]. The first [[editor-in-chief]] of the daily was [[Juan Luis Cebrián]].<ref>{{cite journal|date=2003|title=Leadership, an essential requirement for effecting change in media companies: An analysis of the Spanish market|journal=International Journal on Media Management|volume=5|issue=3|pages=199–208|doi=10.1080/14241270309390035|author1=Francisco J. Pérez-Latre|author2-link=Alfonso Sánchez-Tabernero|author2=Alfonso Sánchez-Tabernero|s2cid=168023365|hdl=10171/13820|hdl-access=free}}</ref> {{Lang|es|El País}} was the first pro-democracy newspaper within a context where all the other Spanish newspapers were influenced by Franco's ideology.<ref name="nur2012">{{cite journal|author1=Nuria Almiron|author2=Ana I. Segovia|title=Financialization, Economic Crisis, and Corporate Strategies in Top Media Companies: The Case of Grupo Prisa|year=2012|journal=[[International Journal of Communication]]|volume=6|pages=2894–2917|url=http://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/viewFile/1793/829|access-date=9 July 2013}}</ref> The circulation of the paper was 116,600 copies in its first year.<ref name="kat" /> It rose to 138,000<!-- Specifically 137,562 --> copies in 1977.<ref name="kat" /> In 1978, {{Lang|es|El País}} suffered a [[Far-right terrorism in Spain|far-right]] terrorist attack due to [[political upheaval]]. Four people were injured, two greatly, and one died. The building also suffered structural damage.<ref>{{Cite news|date=1978-10-30|title=Tres empleados de EL PAIS heridos, dos de ellos gravísimamente, al explosionar un paquete-bomba|language=es|work=El País|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1978/10/31/espana/278636416_850215.html|access-date=2020-09-25|issn=1134-6582}}</ref>

{{Lang|es|El País}} filled a gap in the market and became the newspaper of Spanish democracy, for which role {{Lang|es|El País}} was awarded the [[Prince of Asturias Award]] for Communication and the Humanities in 1983, at a time when the transition from Franco's dictatorship to democracy was still developing. The paper's first Director (until 1988) was Juan Luis Cebrián, who came from the daily newspaper ''Informaciones''. Like many other Spanish journalists of the time he had worked for ''Diario Pueblo'' (meaning ''People's Daily'' in English) which was a mouthpiece for the Francoist {{lang|es|[[sindicato vertical]]}}. Its reputation as a bastion of Spanish democracy was established during the attempted [[coup d'etat|coup d'état]] by Lieutenant Colonel [[Antonio Tejero]] of the [[Guardia Civil]] on 23 February 1981. During the uncertain situation of the night of 23 February 1981, when all members of parliament were held hostage in the Congress building and with tanks on the streets of [[Valencia, Spain|Valencia]], and before the state television station could transmit a speech by King [[Juan Carlos I]] condemning the coup, {{Lang|es|El País}} published a special edition of the newspaper called ''{{Lang|es|El País}}, for the Constitution''. It was the first available daily paper during the situation with a pro-democracy position. It called on citizens to demonstrate in favor of democracy, and was widely discussed in the news media so much so that the director of {{Lang|es|El País}}, Juan Luis Cebrián, called the then director of ''[[Diario 16]]'', [[Pedro J. Ramírez]], in order to propose that both newspapers work on a joint pro-democracy publication; Ramírez refused, claiming that he would prefer to wait a few hours to see how the situation developed. ''Diario 16'' was not published until after a television broadcast by the king. Along with its commitment to democracy before the attempted coup of 23 February 1981, the electoral victory of the [[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party]] (PSOE) in 1982 with an absolute majority and its open support for the government of [[Felipe González]],<ref name="frank" /> meant that {{Lang|es|El País}} consolidated its position during the 1980s as the Spanish newspaper with the most sales ahead of the conservative leaning ''[[ABC (newspaper)|ABC]]''. In 1986, {{Lang|es|El País}} was the recipient of the Four Freedoms Award for the Freedom of Speech by the [[Roosevelt Institute]].<ref>[http://www.rooseveltinstitute.org/four-freedoms-awards Four freedoms awards] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150325223647/http://www.rooseveltinstitute.org/four-freedoms-awards |date=25 March 2015 }} ''Roosevelt Institute''. Retrieved 21 April 2015.</ref>

In 1987, {{Lang|es|El País}} received the largest amount of state aid.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Rosario de Mateo |title=The evolution of the newspaper industry in Spain, 1939-87 |journal=European Journal of Communication |date=1989 |volume=4 |url=http://ejc.sagepub.com/content/4/2/211.full.pdf+html |access-date=17 April 2015}}</ref> Both the rigorous journalistic standards and the fact that it was the first Spanish newspaper to establish internal quality control standards have increased the standing of {{Lang|es|El País}}. It was also the first Spanish daily to create the role of "Reader's Advocate", and the first to publish a "Style Guide", that has since become a quality benchmark among journalists.<ref name="ppa">[http://www.fundacionprincipedeasturias.org/esp/04/premiados/trayectorias/trayectoria257.html For which role {{Lang|es|El País}} was awarded the Prince of Asturias Prize for Communication and the Humanities in 1973] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080513044259/http://www.fundacionprincipedeasturias.org/esp/04/premiados/trayectorias/trayectoria257.html |date=13 May 2008 }}</ref> {{Lang|es|El País}} has also established a number of collaborative agreements with other European newspapers with a [[social democratic]] viewpoint. In 1989, {{Lang|es|El País}} participated in the creation of a common network of information resources with {{Lang|it|[[La Repubblica]]}} in Italy and {{Lang|fr|[[Le Monde]]}} in France. At the beginning of the 1990s, {{Lang|es|El País}} had to face a new political and journalistic challenge. The increasing political tensions caused by corruption scandals involving the PSOE government of González polarized both the Spanish political classes and the press of the left and right wings. Since that time, both the [[People's Party (Spain)|People's Party]] (PP) and the media aligned with it have accused {{Lang|es|El País}} and the other companies owned by PRISA,<ref>[http://blogs.periodistadigital.com/periodismo.php/2007/01/24/eva_canas_el_penultimo_fichaje_del_psoe "Eva Cuesta, el penúltimo fichaje del PSOE en PRISA"]. Artículo de ''Periodista Digital'' (24 January 2007).</ref><ref>[http://www.porandalucialibre.es/actualidad/andalucia:_tema_del_dia/prisa_y_psoe_se_apoyan_mutuamente_para_seguir_en_el_poder:_dinero_y_publicidad_a_mantas.html "Prisa y PSOE se apoyan mutuamente para seguir en el poder: dinero y publicidad a mantas] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100331154254/http://www.porandalucialibre.es/actualidad/andalucia%3A_tema_del_dia/prisa_y_psoe_se_apoyan_mutuamente_para_seguir_en_el_poder%3A_dinero_y_publicidad_a_mantas.html |date=31 March 2010 }}". Artículo de ''Por Andalucía Libre'' mencionando declaraciones de ''El Mundo'' 7 February 2007.</ref> along with [[Sogecable]],<ref>"[http://www.todointernet.com/db/deinteres/index.php?id=23857:casa,publicidad Sogecable responde a la llamada del PSOE y pide al Gobierno que Canal+ emita siempre en abierto]", Artículo de ''[[Libertad Digital]]'', ya solo consultable en TodoInternet.com.</ref><ref>"[https://archive.today/20120628220655/http://www.libertaddigital.com:83/php3/noticia.php3?fecha_edi_on=2006-07-01&num_edi_on=1454&cpn=1276282578&seccion=SOC_D CC y PSOE prorrogan a Sogecable el contrato de la Televisión Canaria y el PP anuncia que lo impugnará] ". ''[[Libertad Digital]]'' 9 May 2007</ref> of supporting the interests of the PSOE. Despite this, {{Lang|es|El País}} managed to maintain its position as the best selling [[generalist media|generalist]] daily in Spain, although its lead over ''El Mundo'' was reduced. Both in 1993 and 1994, it was the best selling newspaper in the country with a circulation of 401,258 copies and 408,267 copies, respectively.<ref>{{cite web|title=Facts of Spain |url=http://www2.fiu.edu/~rquin001/factsspain.html |work=Florida International University |access-date=23 February 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130621080435/http://www2.fiu.edu/~rquin001/factsspain.html |archive-date=21 June 2013 |df=dmy }}</ref> In the period of 1995–1996, {{Lang|es|El País}} had a circulation of 420,934 copies, making it again the best-selling paper in the country.<ref>{{cite book|title=Media Policy: Convergence, Concentration & Commerce|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k6HU9WdjwgkC&pg=PA7|access-date=1 December 2014|date=24 September 1998|publisher=SAGE Publications|isbn=978-1-4462-6524-6|page=7}}</ref>

[[File:Sede de El País en Madrid.jpg|thumb|245px|{{Lang|es|El País}} headquarters in Madrid]]
Since October 2001, an English language supplement of {{Lang|es|El País}} has been included in the Spanish version of the ''[[International Herald Tribune]]''. This content can also be found on El País' internet site.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://elpais.com/elpais/inenglish.html|title=In English|website=EL PAÍS}}</ref> Also in 2001, {{Lang|es|El País}} had a circulation of 433,617 copies,<ref>{{cite book|author1=Jagdeep S. Chhokar|author2=Felix C. Brodbeck|author3=Robert J. House|title=Culture and Leadership Across the World: The GLOBE Book of In-Depth Studies of 25 Societies|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v0txL5LnLcYC&pg=PA644|access-date=31 January 2015|date=17 June 2013|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-135-70380-6|page=644}}</ref> and it was 435,298 copies next year.<ref name="ward">{{cite web|author=David Ward|title=A Mapping Study of Media Concentration and Ownership in Ten European Countries|url=http://77.87.161.246/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/A-Mapping-Study-of-Media-Concentration-and-Ownership-in-Ten-European-Countries.pdf|publisher=Dutch Media Authority|access-date=12 December 2014|year=2004|archive-date=12 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812203318/http://77.87.161.246/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/A-Mapping-Study-of-Media-Concentration-and-Ownership-in-Ten-European-Countries.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> The paper had a circulation of 435,000 copies in 2003.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Roland Schroeder|title=Interactive Info Graphics in Europe-- added value to online mass media: a preliminary survey|journal=Journalism Studies|date=2004|volume=5|issue=4|pages=563–570|doi=10.1080/14616700412331296473|s2cid=144687383}}</ref> On March 11, 2004, Spain suffered Europe's [[2004 Madrid train bombings|first jihadist terror attack]] with a nearly simultaneous, coordinated bombings against the Cercanías commuter train system of Madrid, Spain, on the morning of 11 March 2004 – three days before Spain's general elections. The day of the attacks, then prime minister [[José María Aznar]], from the ruling conservative party called {{Lang|es|El País}} editor in chief [[Jesús Ceberio]] and gave him assurances that the attacks had been planned and executed by the Basque terrorist group ETA. Despite having no other confirmation, Ceberio ran a front page blaming ETA for the attack, having to correct course the following day. Ceberio, who would continue as editor for three more years, published an editorial piece accusing Aznar of manipulating him.

{{Lang|es|El País}} was awarded the World's Best Designed Newspaper for 2006 by the [[Society for News Design]] (SND).<ref>{{cite web|title=World's Best-Designed winners (2006)|url=http://www.snd.org/competitions/print/worlds-best-designed/|work=Society for News Design|access-date=6 October 2013|date=2011-02-23|archive-date=11 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170811101446/http://www.snd.org/competitions/print/worlds-best-designed/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Based on the findings of the European Business Readership Survey the paper had 14,589 readers per issue in 2006.<ref>{{cite book|author=Craig Carroll|title=Corporate Reputation and the News Media: Agenda-setting Within Business News Coverage in Developed, Emerging, and Frontier Markets|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=F2iNAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA176|access-date=31 January 2015|date=1 September 2010|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-135-25244-1|page=177}}</ref> The circulation of the daily was 425,927 copies between June 2006 and July 2007.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Andrea Czepek|author2=Melanie Hellwig|author3=Eva Nowak|title=Press Freedom and Pluralism in Europe: Concepts and Conditions|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nZHATHfMo7gC&pg=PA275|access-date=12 December 2014|year=2009|publisher=Intellect Books|isbn=978-1-84150-243-4|page=279}}</ref> On 24 January 2013, {{Lang|es|El País}} published a wrong report about the health status of then Venezuelan President [[Hugo Chávez]], with photography of an unknown man from a 2008 YouTube video, provided by the news agency Gtres Online and published on the front page of the paper's print edition as a picture of the Venezuelan president.<ref>[http://internacional.elpais.com/internacional/2013/01/24/actualidad/1359002703_817602.html EL PAÍS retira una falsa foto de Hugo Chávez | Internacional|El País<!-- Bot generated title -->] 24 January 2013.</ref> In 2013, ''El País'' started publishing a Brazilian edition in [[Brazilian Portuguese]]. On 14 December 2021, the periodical announced that it would be discontinued, citing a lack of "financial sustainability".<ref name="elpbr-discontinued">{{cite web |title=Aos nossos leitores |url=https://brasil.elpais.com/brasil/2021-12-14/aos-nossos-leitores.html |website=El País Brasil |access-date=18 June 2025 |language=pt-BR |date=14 December 2021 |quote=A edição em português do EL PAÍS despede-se hoje de seus leitores. Esta edição nasceu em 2013 e durante oito anos informou sobre a atualidade brasileira e mundial. Neste tempo, apesar de ter atingido grandes audiências e um número considerável de assinantes digitais, ela não alcançou sua sustentabilidade econômica, o que levou à decisão por sua descontinuidade. |trans-title=To our readers}}</ref> In August 2019, the newspaper's online edition published an obituary of King [[Juan Carlos I]] even though the former monarch was actually recovering from major cardiac surgery. The El País management explained that the article was published due to an "algorithm error."{{citation needed|date=June 2025}} On 23 May 2024, ''El País'' started publishing a US edition in both Spanish and English, aimed at Spanish-speakers residing in the US.<ref name="elpus">{{cite web |title=EL PAÍS US, the voice of Latinos in the United States, is born |url=https://english.elpais.com/usa/2024-05-23/el-pais-us-the-voice-of-latinos-in-the-united-states-is-born.html |website=EL PAÍS English |access-date=18 June 2025 |language=en-us |date=23 May 2024}}</ref><ref name="elpus-prisa">{{cite web |title=EL PAÍS: PRISA launches the new EL PAÍS US Edition – Prisa Media USA |url=https://prisamediausa.com/el-pais-prisa-launches-the-new-el-pais-us-edition/ |access-date=18 June 2025}}</ref><ref name="elpus-nieman">{{cite web |title=El País aims for the U.S. with a new, American Spanish-language edition |url=https://www.niemanlab.org/2024/06/el-pais-aims-for-the-u-s-with-a-new-american-spanish-language-edition/ |website=Nieman Lab |access-date=18 June 2025 |date=27 June 2024}}</ref><ref name="elpus-mediamoves">{{cite web |last1=Villafañe |first1=Veronica |title=Spain's El País launches U.S. Spanish-language edition - Media Moves |url=https://www.mediamoves.com/2024/05/spains-el-pais-launches-u-s-spanish-language-edition.html |website=Media Moves |access-date=18 June 2025 |date=23 May 2024}}</ref>

===Positions===
The paper has criticized figures such as [[Che Guevara]], among others. It impugned Guevara's advocacy of armed struggle.<ref name="che">[http://www.elpais.com/articulo/opinion/Caudillo/Guevara/elpepuopi/20071010elpepiopi_2/Tes Caudillo Guevara], editorial de {{Lang|es|El País}}, 10 October 2007.
{{Blockquote|... Che Guevara [..] belonged to that sinister saga of tragic heroes, still present in the terrorist movements of various types, from the nationalists to the Jihadists, who try to hide the fact they are assassins by claiming to be martyrs, prolonging the old prejudice inherited from Romanticism. The fact that Che Guevara gave his life and sacrificed those of many others does not improve his ideas, that drink from the springs of one of the great totalitarian systems. [..] the only attestable contribution of the insurgent followers of Guevara to Latin American politics was to offer new alibis to the authoritarian tendencies that were germinating on the continent. Thanks to his armed challenge, the right-wing military dictators could present themselves as a lesser evil, if not a inevitable requisite opposing another symmetrical military dictatorship, such as that led by Castro [..] In the four decades that have passed since his death, the Latin American left and, of course, that in Europe, has completely expedited his goals and fanatical methods. To the point where today the only people who commemorate the date of his execution in La Higuera are the governments that subjugate the Cubans or those that invoke Simón Bolívar in their populist harangues.}}</ref> The 16 February 2012 edition of {{Lang|es|El País}} was banned in [[Morocco]] due to the publication of a cartoon which, according to the Moroccan authorities, tarnished [[King Mohammed VI]]'s name.<ref>{{cite news|date=19 February 2012|title=Morocco bans Spanish paper over royal cartoon|work=Doha Center for Media Freedom|url=http://www.dc4mf.org/en/content/morocco-bans-spanish-paper-over-royal-cartoon|url-status=dead|access-date=8 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141015040452/http://www.dc4mf.org/en/content/morocco-bans-spanish-paper-over-royal-cartoon|archive-date=15 October 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref> In January 2018, {{Lang|es|El País}} was sentenced to publish a rectification article after the Catalan TV channel [[TV3 (Catalan TV channel)|TV3]] denounced the newspaper for "harming the TV channel's image" with an article which contained "inaccurate data".<ref>{{Cite news|date=11 January 2018|title=El País, condenado a publicar una rectificación por un artículo crítico con TV3|language=es-ES|work=Ver Tele|url=http://vertele.eldiario.es/noticias/Pais-condenado-publicar-rectificacion-TV3_0_1975302476.html|access-date=21 April 2018}}</ref> A similar case happened between El País and the Catalan businessman [[Jaume Roures]], with El País being sentenced after publishing Roures had 250 million Euros in [[tax havens]].<ref>{{Cite news|date=11 April 2018|title='El País', obligado a publicar otra vez la rectificación sobre las cuentas de Roures que falseó|language=es-ES|work=Público|url=http://www.publico.es/economia/pais-rectificacion-roures.html|access-date=21 April 2018}}</ref> According to a report prepared by the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom]] fake news committee written by the [[nonprofit organization]] [[Transparency Toolkit]] and published in April 2018, {{Lang|es|El País}} had published "numerous examples of misinterpretations of data sources, use of inaccurate information, lack of attention to detail and a poor research methodology" regarding the alleged Russian involvement in the [[2017 Catalan independence referendum]]. It describes their conclusions as "exceptionally deceptive" and concludes "there may be a temptation to use groundless allegations of fake news to support political argument".<ref>{{Cite news|last=Meseguer|first=Marina|date=20 April 2018|title=Un informe para el comité británico sobre 'fake news' tumba la teoría de la "injerencia rusa" en la crisis catalana|language=es-ES|work=La Vanguardia|url=http://www.lavanguardia.com/internacional/20180420/442767671621/informe-comite-britanico-fake-news-tumba-teoria-injerencia-rusa-crisis-catalana.html|access-date=21 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=20 April 2018|title=Un informe encarregat pel parlament britànic trinxa la manipulació d'El País sobre les 'notícies falses' de Catalunya|language=ca|work=VilaWeb|url=https://www.vilaweb.cat/noticies/un-informe-del-parlament-britanic-destrossa-la-manipulacio-del-pais-sobre-les-noticies-falses-de-catalunya-assange-alandete-julian-wikileaks-fake-news-kremlin/|access-date=21 April 2018}}</ref>

On 26 September 2007, the paper published the [[Bush–Aznar memo]], a leaked transcript of a closed-door meeting between U.S. president [[George W. Bush]] and Spanish Prime Minister [[José María Aznar]], shortly before the invasion of Iraq.<ref>[http://harpers.org/archive/2007/09/hbc-90001301 "{{Lang|es|El País}} on Bush, Aznar, and Iraq".] ''[[Harper's Magazine]]''. September 2007.</ref> In 2007, the circulation of {{Lang|es|El País}} was about 400,000 copies.<ref name="anbu">{{cite news|author1=Anne Penketh|author2=Philip Oltermann|author3=Stephen Burgen|title=European newspapers search for ways to survive digital revolution|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/jun/12/european-newspapers-digital-revolution|access-date=7 January 2015|work=The Guardian|date=12 June 2014|location=Paris, Berlin, Barcelona}}</ref> During the premiership of the PSOE's [[José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero]], {{Lang|es|El País}} published several articles criticizing the policies of the Zapatero government.<ref>{{cite news|title=El País critica al Gobierno y destaca el "desánimo" en el PSOE con Zapatero|url=http://www.libertaddigital.com/nacional/el-pais-critica-a-zapatero-y-destapa-el-desanimo-del-psoe-con-zapatero-1276370403/|work=[[Libertad Digital]]|date=14 September 2009}}</ref> This provided opportunities for new entrants to represent the dissentient, anti establishment left, such as the appearance of the daily newspaper ''[[Público (Spain)|Público]]''. The 2008 circulation of {{Lang|es|El País}} was 435,000 copies, making it the second most read daily in the country, only after the sport-daily [[Marca (newspaper)|Marca]].<ref name="es.statista.com">{{Cite web | url=https://es.statista.com/estadisticas/476795/periodicos-diarios-mas-leidos-en-espana/ | title=Principales periódicos por lectores diarios España 2018 - Estadística}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Alan Albarran|title=Handbook of Spanish Language Media|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4uOPAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA20|access-date=29 October 2014|date=10 September 2009|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-135-85430-0|page=25}}</ref> It was 267,000 in April 2014.<ref name="anbu" />

In March 2015, {{Lang|es|El País}}, together with six other international newspapers, founded an alliance called the [[Leading European Newspaper Alliance]] (LENA).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.axelspringer.de/en/presse/Leading-European-Newspaper-Alliance-European-newspapers-establish-joint-network_22868587.html| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190905001209/https://www.axelspringer.com/en/press-releases/leading-european-newspaper-alliance-european-newspapers-establish-joint-network | archive-date = 2019-09-05 | title=Leading European Newspaper Alliance: European newspapers establish joint network|work = [[Die Welt]] | publisher=[[Axel Springer SE]]|date= 2015-03-10 | first = Svenja | last = Friedrich }}</ref> In June 2016, ''El País Brasil'' was found in a list of political newspapers that received money from the [[Workers' Party (Brazil)|Workers' Party]] government.<ref>{{cite news|author1=Catarina Alencastro|author2=Paulo Celso Pereira|title=Temer suspende patrocínio de R$ 11 milhões para blogs políticos|url=http://oglobo.globo.com/brasil/temer-suspende-patrocinio-de-11-milhoes-para-blogs-politicos-19533547|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160622024216/http://oglobo.globo.com/brasil/temer-suspende-patrocinio-de-11-milhoes-para-blogs-politicos-19533547|archive-date=22 June 2016|access-date=6 September 2016|work=O Globo|date=18 June 2016}}</ref> Former editor Soledad Gallego Díaz was brought to court after dismissing five employees for what the accusers maintain were political and ideological reasons.<ref>{{cite web|date=2019-01-30|title=El juez aplaza el juicio por los despidos en el País por la incomparecencia de la directora|url=https://www.elconfidencialdigital.com/articulo/medios/juez-aplaza-juicio-despidos-pais-ausencia-directora-desayuno/20190130120445120996.html}}</ref>

=== Editors-in-chief ===
{{Lang|es|El País}} has had five editors-in-chief since it was founded in 1976. In February 2014 it was announced that Antonio Caño would be proposed as new editor-in-chief, appointment that was ratified by the Board of Directors and became effective on 3 May 2014. In June 2018, [[Soledad Gallego-Díaz]] became the first-ever female editor of ''El País''.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/08/spain-el-pais-newspaper-appoints-first-female-editor | title=Spain's el País newspaper appoints first female editor| newspaper=The Guardian| date=2018-06-08| last1=Jones| first1=Sam}}</ref> Gallego-Díaz was replaced by Javier Moreno in June 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://elmon.cat/comunicacio/pais-relleva-soledad-gallego-diaz-directora-reincorpora-javier-moreno-165402/|website=El Món|title='El País' relleva Soledad Gallego-Díaz com a directora i reincorpora Javier Moreno|date=15 June 2020}}</ref> In 2021, [[Pepa Bueno]] was appointed as the new editor.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.elmundo.es/television/medios/2021/07/27/60ffc6a5fdddff55a08b4652.html|website=[[El Mundo (Spain)|El Mundo]]|title=Pepa Bueno, nueva directora de El País, culmina el giro de Prisa|date=27 July 2021}}</ref> Since June 2025, the editor-in-chief has been Jan Martínez Ahrens.
{| class="wikitable"
!Years
!Editor-in-chief
|-
|1976–1988
|[[Juan Luis Cebrián]]
|-
|1988–1993
|{{ill|Joaquín Estefanía|es}}
|-
|1993–2006
|[[Jesús Ceberio]]
|-
|2006–2014
|{{ill|Javier Moreno Barber|es}}
|-
|2014–2018
|[[Antonio Caño]]
|-
|2018–2020
|[[Soledad Gallego-Díaz]]
|-
|2020–2021
|Javier Moreno Barber
|-
|2021–2025
|[[Pepa Bueno]]
|-
|2025-
|{{ill|Jan Martínez Ahrens|es}}
|}

==Appearance==
The appearance of {{Lang|es|El País}} is characterized by its sobriety, in both its treatment of information and its aesthetics. Most pages contain five columns arranged in a neat, clear manner with distinct journalistic sub-categories. Photographs and graphics play a secondary, supporting role to the written word. The newspaper had had the same design from its foundation until the end of 2007, with little change (it previously used only black-and-white (monochrome) photographs, although the current format includes [[Color photography|color photographs]] and more imaginative design, mainly in the varied supplements), and the same [[Times Roman]] font.<ref>"[http://www.elpais.com/articulo/reportajes/buenos/tipos/elpepusocdmg/20071014elpdmgrep_7/Tes Unos buenos tipos]". {{Lang|es|El País}} 14 October 2007.</ref>

Opinion polls cited in {{Lang|es|El País}} are all carried out by a separate company called ''Instituto OPINA''. The newspaper's format was revamped on 21 October 2007 with changes to its printed form, its digital presence on the [[Internet]] and the replacement of its historical motto "Independent morning daily" with "Global Spanish language newspaper".<ref>"[http://www.elpais.com/articulo/sociedad/PAIS/sera/periodico/global/espanol/elpepusoc/20071009elpepisoc_4/Tes {{Lang|es|El País}} será el periódico global en español]", {{Lang|es|El País}} (9 October 2007)</ref> The paper began to be published in [[Tabloid (newspaper format)|tabloid format]].<ref>{{cite journal|author1=Jesús del-Olmo-Barbero|author2=Sonia Parratt-Fernández|title=Typography and colour: A comparative analysis of the free and paid-for newspapers in Spain|journal=Revista Latina de Comunicacion Social|date=2011|issue=66|url=http://www.revistalatinacs.org/11/art/938_Complutense/17_DelolmoEN.html|access-date=23 February 2015|archive-date=8 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190708131949/http://www.revistalatinacs.org/11/art/938_Complutense/17_DelolmoEN.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Other notable changes are the inclusion of the acute accent in its title header and the substitution of Times Roman by "Majerit", a specially-commissioned plain serif font.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.felicianotypefoundry.com/cms/custom-fonts/majerit | title=Majerit - Feliciano Type Foundry | access-date=17 June 2018 | archive-date=17 June 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180617165643/https://www.felicianotypefoundry.com/cms/custom-fonts/majerit | url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Electronic edition==
In the mid-1990s, {{Lang|es|El País}} was the second Spanish newspaper to publish an internet edition, ''El País digital'' (the first was the Catalan newspaper ''[[Avui]]''). On 18 November 2002, it became the first Spanish newspaper to introduce a payment system for access to the contents of its electronic version, which drastically reduced the number of visits to the website, to the extent that ''El Mundo'', which maintained open access to the majority of its contents, became the leading Spanish digital newspaper. After taking this decision ''El País digital'' was suspended in 2002 by the Oficina de Justificación de la Difusión for four months because of two serious breaches of OJD regulations.<ref>"[http://www.abc.es/hemeroteca/historico-24-07-2002/Internet/la-ojd-sanciona-con-cuatro-meses-de-expulsion-a-el-pais-digital-por-faltas-graves_116585.html La OJD sanciona con cuatro meses de expulsión a ''El País Digital'' por faltas graves]". ABC. 24 July 2002.</ref>

The ''El País digital'' website opened again on 3 June 2005 with free access to the majority of the contents. Subscription was required to gain access to multimedia content and to the newspaper's [[archive]]. On 26 November 2013, {{Lang|es|El País}} launched a digital edition in [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]. In October 2014, {{Lang|es|El País}} launched a digital edition in Catalan.<ref>[http://elpais.com/elpais/2014/10/06/inenglish/1412589987_899503.html EL PAÍS launches digital edition published in Catalan language], {{Lang|es|El País}}, 6 October 2014</ref> In February 2021, it ceased distribution of printed versions in European countries outside of Spain.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.elconfidencialdigital.com/articulo/medios/pais-deja-publicar-edicion-impresa-europa/20210215183414214670.html |title=El País deja de publicar la edición impresa para Europa |author=Verónica Jiménez |publisher=www.elconfidencialdigital.com |date=2021-02-16 |access-date=2021-02-17}}</ref> ''El País'' also translates to English a selection of articles from all of its editions. In May 2024, ''El País'' launched a US edition, ''El País US''. All its information is produced by a newsroom on the ground, with coverage spanning from New York and Chicago to Los Angeles and Houston.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> 

==Supplements==
{{Lang|es|El País}} produces a number of supplements:
* Fridays:
** ''Ocio'', ({{langx|en|Leisure}}) supplement on cultural activities.
* Saturdays:
** ''Babelia'', cultural supplement
** ''Icon'', monthly supplement for men.
** SModa, Women's magazine aimed at real, modern, urban, and sophisticated women.
** ''El Viajero'' ({{langx|en|The Traveler}}), on travel.
* Sundays:
** the magazine ''El País Semanal'' ({{langx|en|El País Weekly}}) previously called ''EP[S]'' on fashion, reports and opinion,
** ''Negocios'' ({{langx|en|Business}}), financial supplement.
** ''Ideas'', The big current affairs stories of the week are discussed at length every Sunday, with rigor and passion.

A number of publications issued in installments have also been produced throughout its history.

==Ideological stance==
The paper is characterized by the amount of space it gives to the reporting of international news, culture, and information regarding the economy as well as Spanish news. It has specific columnists and contributors from different social backgrounds contributing to the democratic and pro-European editorial line of the newspaper. The paper's ideology has been defined by a leaning towards [[Europeanism]], [[progressivism]], and [[social liberalism]].<ref>{{cite book |first=Arta |last=Antonovica |title=Comunicación e imagen de los países bálticos en España a través de la técnica del discurso periodístico |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7v5rCAAAQBAJ&pg=PA111 |publisher=Librería-Editorial Dykinson |date=14 July 2012 |page=111 |isbn=9788490315453}}</ref> Politically, it was situated in the [[centre-left]] during most of [[Spain's transition to democracy]].<ref name=kat>{{cite book|author=Katrin Voltmer|title=Mass Media and Political Communication in New Democracies|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Snx9MYO1T7UC&pg=PA19|access-date=28 November 2014|year=2006|publisher=Psychology Press|isbn=978-0-415-33779-3|page=19}}</ref> It regularly criticized the [[conservative]] government of [[Mariano Rajoy]] (2011–2018) over corruption scandals, economic performance, and a "do-nothing" approach to the [[2017–2018 Spanish constitutional crisis|Catalan crisis]].<ref name="elpais">{{cite news|url=http://politica.elpais.com/politica/2014/11/16/actualidad/1416125397_614042.html|title=Rajoy sobre Cataluña: "Tendré que explicar mejor mis razones" - España - EL PAÍS|publisher=politica.elpais.com|access-date=20 November 2015|newspaper=El País|date=2014-11-16|last1=Cué|first1=Carlos E.}}</ref> In the late 1970s and 1980s, {{Lang|es|El País}} had close connections with the [[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party]] (PSOE).<ref name="frank">{{cite web|author1=Frank R. Baumgartner|author2=Laura Chaqués Bonafont|title=All News is Bad News: Newspaper Coverage of Political Parties in Spain|url=http://www.unc.edu/~fbaum/articles/PolComBadNews-2014.pdf|work=Political Communication|access-date=4 December 2014|year=2014}}</ref>  The paper has repeatedly supported King [[Juan Carlos I]] for his contribution to the consolidation of democracy, especially for his decisive intervention in aborting the [[1981 Spanish coup attempt|coup of 23 February 1981]].<ref>"[http://www.elpais.com/articulo/opinion/Injurias/Corona/elpporopi/20070728elpepiopi_1/Tes Injurias a la Corona]". Editorial de {{Lang|es|El País}} (28 July 2007).</ref> 

==Notable contributors==<!-- New links in alphabetical order please -->
* [[Ariel Dorfman]]
* [[Juan Carlos Gumucio]]
* [[Fernando Krahn]]<ref name="EldibujantechilenoFernandoKrahnmuereenBarcelona">{{Citation|title=El dibujante chileno Fernando Krahn muere en Barcelona|newspaper=[[El Periódico de Catalunya|El Periódico]]|date=18 February 2010|language=es|url=http://www.elperiodico.com/default.asp?idpublicacio_PK=46&idioma=CAS&idnoticia_PK=688555&idseccio_PK=1013}}</ref>
* [[Elvira Lindo]]
* [[Mario Vargas Llosa]]
* [[Javier Marías]]
* [[Julio Llamazares]]
* [[Eduardo Mendoza Garriga|Eduardo Mendoza]]
* [[Juan José Millás]]
* [[Empar Moliner]]
* [[Diego Garcia Sayan]]
* [[Rosa Montero]]
* [[Javier Pradera]]
* [[Manuel Rivas]]
* [[Ignacio Sánchez-Cuenca]]
* [[Eduardo Haro Tecglen]]
* [[Manuel Valls (composer)|Manuel Valls]]
* [[Leontxo García]]

==See also==
{{Portal|Journalism}}
* [[Ortega y Gasset Awards]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|35em}}

==Further reading==
* Merrill, John C. and Harold A. Fisher. ''The world's great dailies: profiles of fifty newspapers'' (1980) pp 238–41

==External links==
* {{official website|http://www.elpais.com/}} {{in lang|es}}

{{Spain newspapers}}
{{Prince of Asturias Award for Communication and Humanities}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pais}}
[[Category:El País| ]]
[[Category:Daily newspapers published in Spain]]
[[Category:Newspapers published in Madrid]]
[[Category:PRISA]]
[[Category:Spanish-language newspapers]]
[[Category:Spanish-language websites]]
[[Category:Newspapers established in 1976]]
[[Category:1976 establishments in Spain]]
[[Category:Recipients of Princess of Asturias Awards]]
[[Category:Spanish transition to democracy]]
[[Category:Spanish news websites]]