Impact of brand content presence on Spanish digital newspapers and the journalism profession

Abstract

This doctoral thesis investigates the impact of branded content in Spanish mainstream digital press. To do so, a content analysis was carried out between 2019 and 2022, with the aim of obtaining a pre-pandemic and post-pandemic aample, using four digital newspapers as the object of study — two legacy and two native-born (Elpais.com, Elmundo.es, Elconfidencial.com, and Elespañol.com) — analyzing a total of 672 front pages (168 from each outlet). To determine whether and how these contents affect journalistic practices, the fieldwork is supported by a survey of journalists who have worked in digital media over the past 10 years and a series of in-depth interviews with experts, including professionals from the media outlets studied, advertising agencies, and legal experts on advertising regulation. The study reflects a clear commitment from these four media outlets to content featuring brand presence — primarily branded content, native advertising, and affiliate content — generating growing interest as a source of revenue during the period analyzed. It was also found that authorship is assumed in over 75 % of cases by the media themselves and that such content is not always properly identified. Additionally, confusion persists within the profession and among the media outlets themselves regarding the use of these terms. All of this raises a conflict with journalistic ethics, potentially damaging the credibility of the media. As a result, the conclusions aim to respond to the challenges posed by such content through a set of proposals designed to ensure transparency, rigor, and quality in branded content published by digital media outlets.