Editorial policy in the opinion agenda-setting of a general interest newspaper

The study analyzes the newspapers of general interest editorial stance. On the example of national daily "El Pais" the authors define the role of the editorial column as the main tool of the newspaper editorial policy expression. The analysis has taken into account themes, topics, diversity, geographic wideness, values highlighted in editorials. Sixty editorials were analyzed to determine the homogeneity or heterogeneity of the topics. El Pais editorial policy is reviewed in the framework of the Prisa media group professional policy and social mission as well as the El Pais Editorial code professional values. The results reveal the unbalanced proportions in political, social, cultural an economic themes, inconsistency of the list of countries in the opinion agenda to the positioning of the newspaper as a global issue, the predominance of national events in the editorial agenda.