EL PAÍS launches a digital subscription system

In the coming weeks, EL PAÍS will face one of the most important changes in its nearly 44-year history. As a result of the industry’s evolution toward a predominantly online model, the news organization will introduce a digital subscription system that aims to ensure the future sustainability of high-quality, professional journalism with a global reach.

The year 2019 marked the first time that EL PAÍS earned more from digital advertising than from print advertising. But unlike print copies, which readers purchase at newsstands or subscribe to, the website has remained free of charge even though it offers all the content created by the journalists at EL PAÍS.

Founded in 1976, EL PAÍS is the top-selling general news daily in Spain

In order to ensure that the project can keep growing in scope and depth, covering a broad variety of topics and specialized issues and employing many of the best Spanish-speaking reporters in the world, the news organization is moving toward a digital subscription model while simultaneously maintaining its print edition.

In doing so, EL PAÍS is following in the footsteps of the world’s most prestigious media outlets. The New York Times, The Washington Post, Financial Times, Le Monde, The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal and Corriere della Sera have all gone down this road, and they have been notably successful in a majority of cases. Thanks to this new source of income, many of these news organizations have expanded their staff; reinforced their network of correspondents; invested in research, video and innovation; and above all, stayed afloat while the crisis was hurting newspapers that were unable to reinvent themselves under pressure from the digital revolution.

This newspaper has always counted on a strong and diverse community of committed readers who have an interest in the world, and together we will build the future. Our readers represent the largest community of followers of Spanish-language media, and they add value by commenting and sharing our stories. They are also our first and most loyal critics.

EL PAÍS is following in the footsteps of the world’s most prestigious media outlets

Through its website, apps, newsletters and social media accounts, EL PAÍS is everywhere in the world where there’s an internet connection, every second of every day. It has a presence in Mexico, where 23 journalists make up the central newsroom for the Americas, a project that is undergoing expansion. In Brazil, 15 professionals headquartered in São Paulo put out the Portuguese edition.

A small team based in Spain also produces the EL PAÍS English Edition, which will for the immediate future remain fully accessible to readers without requiring a digital subscription to read.

In all, nearly 380 journalists based in Spain are working for EL PAÍS platforms, whether at the main newsroom on Miguel Yuste street in Madrid, or in other parts of the country. There are also many other professionals working in product development, technology, marketing, business and administration.

Founded in 1976, EL PAÍS is the top-selling general news daily in Spain, and the world’s leading Spanish-language news website, as well as the most influential and referenced one, according to numerous opinion surveys.

Under the new system, readers will be able to subscribe to the digital edition for €10 a month. The first month will have a promotional price of €1, with no commitment to stay on. Readers will be granted 10 free articles a month, after which they will be asked to subscribe to keep reading. Some articles will continue to require registration, which is free. Current subscribers to the print edition will have free access to the digital edition.

This change marks the beginning of an exciting new journey that is necessary to preserve quality journalism and keep serving society.