EL PAÍS and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation launch Planeta Futuro

Planeta Futuro is a new section in EL PAÍS dedicated to sustainable development and based on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as set out by the UN member states in 1990. It also address other aspects of human development and the effects of globalization, the major challenges in food, health, employment and education, innovation as an engine for development, and climate change. The contents will be generated by dozens of EL PAÍS journalists scattered around the world, as well as experts from many organizations that will provide analysis to enrich the public debate on issues that we consider crucial for citizenship.

What does the deal with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation involve?

Planeta Futuro is being launched with partial funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, although it will also draw on other revenue streams and agreements with other public or private entities. The project is aimed at increasing the range of relevant and rigorous information and content on topics such as the fight against poverty, infant and maternal mortality, and diseases such as AIDS and malaria; and to foster public debate on these and other issues related to development, social justice and the sustainability of the planet.

The funds raised through this agreement will go towards financing the production of content and other projects promoted by Planeta Futuro. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will not be involved, directly or indirectly, in setting the news agenda for Planeta Futuro, nor exercise any prior or subsequent supervision over such content. The only commitment between the two partners is to promote the common goal of fostering awareness and public debate on these issues.

Is this the first such agreement?

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation already has similar agreements with other international media such as The Guardian in the U.K. and the U.S. network NBC. EL PAÍS has also been collaborating for a number of years with a range of foundations to ensure the sustainability of its sections and of any special coverage that are seen as priorities, while all the time maintaining strict editorial independence.