
Oughourlian turns to 'Zapateristas' to replace the team designed by Miguel Barroso
Prisa's President promotes Jan Martínez to the management of El País and could appoint Ana Pastor to 'Hoy por hoy'
Former Prisa President and ex-Sánchez supporter Joseph Oughourlian wants to build his own team after breaking with President Pedro Sánchez. The businessman isn't completely neglecting relations with La Moncloa. However, he's redesigning the group's leadership so that it's closer to him than to PSOE.
His intention is to replace several stars who were appointed by the late Miguel Barroso, who did so in collusion with La Moncloa.
Changes
El País announced yesterday the replacement of Pepa Bueno as Director by Jan Martínez Ahrens, who had been the newspaper's Director in America. The journalist is considered close to former President José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero.
The new Content Director of SER, Fran Llorente, is also close to him, having directed the "Telediarios" between 2004 and 2012. Industry sources indicate that the journalist is considering hiring Ana Pastor as Director of "Hoy por hoy." The TV presenter has accumulated countless audience failures on television and generates strong antipathy in broad sectors of the left.

Another person who could be affected by the changes is Guillermo Rodríguez. The News Director of SER was very close to the previous Content Director, Montserrat Domínguez.
Prisa and Politics
Prisa remains one of the government's favorite media vehicles to influence the public agenda. However, the poor relations between Oughourlian and President Pedro Sánchez worry PSOE, which is seeking an investor willing to pay 700 million euros to control SER and El País 100%.
The marriage of convenience between PSOE and the multimedia group, which is highly dependent on institutional advertising, could blow up. It was very striking that last week not a single socialist minister participated in a forum of Prisa's economic newspaper, Cinco Días.

This absence highlighted the existing tensions between the party and the multimedia group. It should be recalled that PSOE also refused to send anyone to the Expansión forum, the sister newspaper that revealed José Luis Ábalos's WhatsApp messages. However, they did allow the Secretary of State for Housing, David Lucas, to participate this week in another of those economic forums that bring money and influence to the organizers. In this case, in the one organized by El Economista.
There Will Be a Vote at El País
The Board of Directors of El País has begun the process to appoint a new Director of the newspaper. The President, Joseph Oughourlian, has proposed Jan Martínez Ahrens as a replacement for Pepa Bueno. The Extremaduran had led the newspaper since July 2021.
In accordance with the provisions of the Editorial Statute, this change has been communicated to the Editorial Committee. It will be submitted to a consultative vote by the newspaper's team. After learning the results of this consultation, the Board of Directors will formalize the appointment.
Jan Martínez Ahrens joined the newspaper in 1992, in the Valencian Community bureau. Throughout his career, he has worked in different sections. The journalist has held positions of responsibility both in Spain and abroad. Since 2020, he has been the Director of El País in America.
Reactions
The Board of Directors of El País has praised the outgoing Director. "Pepa is leaving El País with more than 400,000 subscribers and six editions in America. Her tenure has been key to consolidating the newspaper's strategic shift."
The President of Prisa, Joseph Oughourlian, has praised the new Director. "Jan is someone from within the company, a great reporter and a committed practitioner of the best in journalism. Rigor, independence, plurality, and on-the-ground work. In addition, his experience in America, first as Chief Correspondent in the United States and then as Director of El País in America, is essential. To regain our newspaper's relevance in these times when the global geostrategic context sets the agenda there and in Europe."
The new CEO of Prisa Media, Pilar Gil, has also shared her opinion. "We're moving forward with our plan to be the global reference for information and entertainment in Spanish for all generations, from freedom and independence. Jan's drive, his self-demand, his courage, and his commitment to the reader and to the societal project we defend will allow us to accelerate the transformation of our news offering. Improve our reach to new audiences, regain relevance, and the need for well-done journalism in these uncertain times."
"I'm sure that Jan's leadership, with his experience and his capacity for innovation, will keep the best of our history. He'll consolidate our purpose and face geopolitical instability and technological advances with the best information for our subscribers and our readers. For those new audiences who deserve a news brand that matches the complexity of this new world, whatever the format in which they choose to receive us," she adds.
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