Abstract

SANTOS, Silvia Felizardo dos  and  BORDA, Rut Martínez. Journalistic Quality and Democratic Stability in Times of Crisis: Empirical Reflections from Spanish Newspapers. Comunicação e Sociedade [online]. 2024, vol.45, e024003.  Epub June 30, 2024. ISSN 1645-2089.  https://doi.org/10.17231/comsoc.45(2024).4754.

In today’s social and political landscape, marked by the rise of neopopulist social players and heightened democratic uncertainty, it becomes imperative to understand the quality of journalism in post-democratic frameworks. The infodemic witnessed amidst the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the pitfalls of relying on social media as a primary information source able to facilitate the development of fundamental skills necessary for active citizenship within liberal democracies. Given these circumstances, it is essential to analyse the pivotal role of mainstream journalism in countering disinformation and fostering critical thinking among citizens, thereby elevating public interest concerns onto the societal agenda.

The primary objective of this research is to assess the quality of the content produced by prominent Spanish newspapers and disseminated to the public via social media. Employing both qualitative and quantitative paradigms as a methodology within the epistemological framework that guides them, we analyse the content’s tendencies and political biases concerning rumours about the coronavirus published by leading national and regional newspapers on their Facebook profiles.

The findings of this investigation indicate minimal audience engagement with the posts, prompting further discussions on the kinds of stories that capture public interest while also nurturing critical thinking skills among citizens.

Keywords : journalistic quality; citizenship; democracy; post-democracy Spanish newspapers.

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