What are the three main differences between the old El Pais and the 21 October 2007 edition?

Although the order does not indicate priority, the first great innovation is the use of the color in all the pages, accompanied by refined attention to infographics, photographs and illustrations. The second difference is the new arrangement of news in three great blocks, first with news of International, National and Economics (the latter was traditionally located at the back of the paper), the second block includes Opinion, enriched with more profiles and articles that tie in to current news and debates; the third block includes Life&Arts, and topics of society, culture, sports and "screens", as much TV as Internet, it will always be headed by a major in-depth investigation and won’t include "soft news": this will be a major daily challenge for the newspaper. This new arrangement will allow greater flexibility and further adaptations. The third innovation is cross-sectional design. The design is transformed to provide greater agility, readability, attractiveness, especially on the front page, and the adjustment of the length of texts to however appropriate: news that is already known through television or Internet should have a shorter development, because time is gold for the reader, whereas those of greater importance and the exclusive ones span the length they require as readers do have time for real interesting stories.

And what are the main similarities?

The main similarity is that El Pais continues being El Pais. It does not try to be something different from what it has been for 31 years, the newspaper of global reference in Spanish, with rigorous reliable quality information, which is what our readers value more: we do not want to become something else, but must deliver it in renewed forms, more adapted to the new necessities of the readers, with emphasis on the global reach of the newspaper. El Pais changes because readers, their habits and the society and life itself are changing. People have less time: it is necessary to further hierarchize the information, but never to banalize it. Many readers are already informed by other means before reading the newspaper: we must offer an added value to them. The citizens’ interests, especially those of the youth, aren’t centered only in "the important" subjects determined by official agendas anymore, they are also focused on "interesting" subjects, that have to do with social changes that are sometimes hardly visible, with personal life and the multiplicity of perspectives, different from the dominant ones.

Is the new formula of El Pais only in print or also online?

We also changed the digital edition, with new sections and new approaches. From now on we also give a free access to the totality of the archives, but mainly we increased interactivity, as much in the print newspaper as in the digital one. Both are like a coin. They are the two sides of that coin.

Simon Kelner, editor of The Independent, defined the XXIst century newspaper as a “viewspaper”, more graphic but also with more opinions and analysis. Is it the case of the new El Pais?

I would rather agree with Kelner. And in addition, he knows what he’s talking about as his newspaper has opened important guidelines in the journalistic use of images. But moreover in no case are we are going to draw back on their newsworthiness. And the more exclusive they are, which every day becomes more difficult, the better.

How will photos be used in the new formula?

We are going to give a more careful and expert treatment to pictures. That means, first of all, to give them more attention even before sending out a photographer and to think of them as being as informative and important as texts. Pictures are iconic texts. They must be as significant as literary texts. We must fight the syndrome of the automatism and the bureaucratic tendency to the mere "illustration".

And infographics?

It’s the same evolution. Some realities are better synthesized with a graph. And we set out to increase the "practical usability" of infographics.

To lure young readers, Die Welt created Welt Kompakt in Germany. Why is the strategy different for El Pais?

Although the compact edition of Die Welt is very interesting, and we have studied it thoroughly, the context and the exigencies of our market are very different. El Pais is a very strong paper, leader and referential in its market, but relatively young, and already very modern in its previous design and its complicity with readers. We needed a change, in the sense of "adaptation", not in the sense of "revolution".

Is it possible to gather all kinds of readers with a unique print product?

We believe so. Unlike the digital edition, the paper has physical limitations, and therefore must continue being faithful to its universal and intergenerational vocation. But the paper can surpass those limitations through the digital edition thanks to its capacity for infinite developments. In any case, the reader is free to read some stories and to avoid others, or to dedicate more attention to some sections than to the others. And he exerts that freedom. We have to work for all readers, and provide them all with a minimum of common tools to read or decode reality. Furthermore: a common perspective that they feel comfortable with and that makes them feel close to other readers.

Is the El Pais newsroom integrated? How is the new formula linked to further developments online?

Between the “pure" models of total fusion or radical separation between print and online teams, there is a series of intermediary approaches. Our own formula is mixed and progressive. We have established among journalists the culture that the online edition is a new platform at their disposal, as well as for readers. We have integrated in the writing of the print paper a good number of members of the digital edition. We have established a practical code of synergy between both platforms. And we have established new mechanisms of interactivity with the readers, particularly that of "citizen journalism". We’ll progressively adapt this model according to the needs that will come up.

El Pais wants to expand in Latin America without setting up a Latin American newsroom. Don't you think there is to contradiction?

Our newspaper, I say it with pride and without arrogance, is already a daily of reference for Latin America; and a Latin American key voice for the rest of the world. We have an ample team of correspondents and collaborators. We dedicate much space and effort to the subcontinent. Not only journalistically, but also commercially and industrially. So it doesn’t matter that the coordination desk is in Buenos Aires or in Madrid. But we are thinking of new ideas to reinforce this commitment, which is essential for the newspaper. It’s not in vain that we have added the motto "the global newspaper in Spanish" close to our masthead.

Why have you taken the reference of the International Herald Tribune when this newspaper is closer every day to The New York Times, its owner?

Both titles have great prestige, we collaborate very closely with each of them, with mutually beneficial effects. I do not see the contradiction. We value each single collaboration.

Is Publico a competitor to El Pais? Is the new to newspaper creating its own readership or does it "steal" the traditional Pais readers?

Out of conviction, tradition and experience, we are in favor of competition, because it ends up beneficial for readers and pluralism. So we welcome all competition, although in some cases its origin can come more from a political stance than from a strictly business or professional perspective. We never despise competitors, whether paid-for or free. In the case of the newspaper mentioned, its effects on El Pais have been null. Perhaps its real "target" is very different from what has been said: some commentators thought it was meant "to replace" El Pais; others now consider that its offer is closer to that of free papers, I prefer not to enter the controversy. In any case, during the first month of its existence, we have increased our own diffusion, without any specific action, informative or commercial.

Source: Javier Moreno, editor El Pais