Pedro J Ramirez is Europe’s top stool-stirrer. Long ago, he was editor of Diario 16 in Madrid until he fell out with its owner and went off to found El Mundo, whose list of scoops would make any journalist’s eyes water. El Mundo’s owner opted for a quieter life a couple of years ago, but Pedro is back, with El Español, a website that Spain may need to watch.
Because Pedro is Pedro, he already has 10,000 subscribers, at €7 a month, and friends, family and believers have put in €18m. Pedro staked his €5.6m El Mundo payoff and hired 72 journalists to offer at least a scoop a day.
It’s a direct, vibrant launch (from someone I consider an old hero and friend). Will it work? The build-up has been terrific, as has the ability to raise cash and confidence. You might ask if a controversial site can make an initial 80% of revenue from ads while subscriptions build up. You might think that huge staff smacked of old thinking. But once the tough and determined get going, anything’s possible: especially when the pitch is clear, direct and – because it’s Pedro – visceral.
