Indicadores transnacionales de calidad informativa basados en la experiencia de periodistas localesestudios de caso en medios digitales de Alemania, España y Reino Unido

Zusammenfassung

Quality is a priority objective of journalism, linked to the fulfillment of the social function of the press. To make this concept evaluable, it is essential to know the degree of satisfaction of the expectations of journalists and audiences. In a context of online journalism, local news continues to be a key element in the shaping of local communities. Bearing these trends in mind, this research aims to develop a proposal for journalistic quality indicators that come from the profession itself, based on the experience and self-criticism of local journalists. We choose to focus on the local area because of its current explanatory capacity for transnational phenomena. In addition, local publications address the everyday needs of their readership. To achieve this aim, a multiple-case-study research strategy is used, following a hypothetical-deductive approach. First, the variables that are identified with journalistic quality in the literature are reviewed. These are then compared and completed with information obtained in the cases studied (digital newspapers from three countries). To study the perception of journalists regarding journalistic quality, semi-directed interviews are conducted with local media professionals in Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom, representing countries with different journalistic cultures, framed also in different quality schools. However, all three are characterized by a strong tradition of local information. The results reveal the existence of differences in the conception of journalistic quality. The degree of self-awareness about the work carried out is higher among German and British journalists than in the case of Spain. Likewise, codes that refer to the news production process (gatekeeping), such as commitment, transparency, or product quality, are preferred over those related to its reception (newsmaking).