Media and public interest in the era of web analytics: A case study of two Spanish leading newspapers

Abstract

The labels "The most viewed", "The most shared", and "The most commented" are examples of the logic from web analytics tools in an information ecosystem where the audience has acquired an enormous role because it is now possible to quantify more precisely than ever before. In this context, the present investigation focuses on how the digital media agenda is currently being constructed in relation to the increasing importance given to pageview statistics. The implications of this new scenario for our society as a whole will be analyzed. This research takes the form of a case study of two of Spain's leading newspapers, Lavanguardia.com and Elperiodico.com, using content analysis and in-depth interviews with working professionals. The aim of the research is to attempt to answer the following questions: How relevant is public interest news? How much importance is accorded to anecdotal and viral content?