Jan Martínez Ahrens is named Editor-in-Chief of EL PAÍS

• Martínez Ahrens is confirmed as Editor-in-Chief of EL PAÍS following a consultative vote by the newsroom, with nearly 70 % in favor.
• The new Editor-in-Chief emphasized his unwavering commitment to the Americas and to defending freedoms, human rights, and democracy. 
• “Pluralism and independence to seek the truth, combat misinformation, and win the battle for audiences and subscriptions.” 
• “We must be leaders,” said the Editor-in-Chief. He promised to achieve this by remaining faithful to the paper’s founding principles: “We are a progressive newspaper that supports equality and diversity of all kinds.” 
• “As Editor-in-Chief, I am committed to respect for readers, for the truth, and for independence,” he concluded in his address to the newsroom, also noting that he will continue to serve as Editor-in-Chief of EL PAÍS América.
• Pilar Gil, CEO of EL PAÍS and PRISA Media said: “Under Jan’s leadership, it’s finally time for us to be truly recognized for the excellence of our teams and the impact of our journalism.”

The Board of Directors of EL PAÍS has approved Jan Martínez Ahrens’s appointment as Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper, effective immediately. In accordance with the paper’s statutes, his designation was submitted yesterday to a consultative vote of newsroom staff and approved by more than two-thirds (nearly 70 %) before being forwarded to the Board for ratification.

Martínez Ahrens has today addressed the newsroom in a speech that summarized his long experience rising through “every level” of EL PAÍS. He began with a heartfelt acknowledgment: “This newspaper is what it is thanks to its newsroom, the rigor of its journalists, and our conviction that pluralism and independence are indispensable if we are to reach the truth.”

He then underscored his commitment to the Americas and to colleagues who “in many cases work in countries and settings extremely hostile to journalism. It is a region where we are needed because we are a bulwark in defending human rights and democracy,” and he reiterated that the commitment “to freedoms where they are under threat is one of our newspaper’s essential characteristics, as is producing quality, in-depth reporting that offers certainty to our audience in uncertain times.”

Martínez Ahrens expressed confidence that the company’s financial stability will allow EL PAÍS to strengthen strategic areas and face both the present and the future — times in which quality journalism is and will remain more vital than ever: “In a world shaken by war, misinformation, and clickbait, our task is to offer context and explanation, and pursue the truth — a truth many try to bury but that still exists, nonetheless. To get to the truth we must remain faithful to the mission of our craft: hold power to account and distrust official or self-interested versions. Verify, pursue the precise data and key testimony, and speak with both sides of every conflict — those are our tools. With them, we will always win the battle for audiences and subscriptions.”

The new Editor-in-Chief also clearly laid out the ambition of his project: “We must be leaders.” He emphasized the newspaper’s core identity throughout its nearly fifty-year history: “We are a progressive newspaper that supports equality and diversity of all kinds. We are also an independent and pluralistic newspaper.”

Encouraging colleagues to honor fifty years of EL PAÍS’s journalistic heritage and its bond with a discerning audience, the new Editor-in-Chief summed up his commitment as “respect for readers, respect for the truth, and respect for independence.” As he concluded, he turned again to his colleagues in the Americas and reminded them that he will remain at the helm of EL PAÍS América as Editor-in-Chief.

Meanwhile, Pilar Gil, CEO of PRISA Media and EL PAÍS, praised the Editor-in-Chief’s address and thanked Pepa Bueno for her work over the past four years and her efforts to put subscribers center stage. Gil stated that Martínez Ahrens’s appointment “strengthens our commitment to EL PAÍS’s values and internal talent, and our unwavering dedication to journalism and independence. Now, under Jan’s leadership, it’s finally time for us to be truly recognized for the excellence of our teams and the impact of our journalism — and for sharing with citizens the stories that deserve to be told and the truths that must be uncovered.”