The Medium’s Agenda or the Audience’s Clicks? Tensions Between Editorial Lines and Audience Interests According to the Editors of Digital Media in Chile

Abstract

This study examines the tension between audience interests and editorial lines in the major national and regional digital media outlets in Chile. It analyzes how editors incorporate metrics and user feedback into content selection and prioritization processes. The sample included the five websites with the largest national reach according to the 2024 ComScore ranking (El Mercurio Online, BioBioChile, La Tercera, Megamedia and Chilevisión), along with digital media outlets from the country’s five most populous cities without counting the capital (La Serena, Rancagua, Antofagasta, Valparaíso, and Temuco). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with directors or editors to assess whether the use of metrics influences journalistic judgment and editorial autonomy. Data were analyzed through a thematic analysis, combining categories drawn from the literature with emergent codes. The findings indicate that audience feedback affects editorial decision-making, although to varying degrees depending on the type of outlet. In national newspapers, a fiduciary vision is more firmly sustained due to greater financial capacity, albeit with internal tensions. In contrast, regional media outlets face greater challenges in maintaining their editorial line in the face of metrics, as lower economic stability and dependence on digital traffic tend to favor dynamics closer to a market-driven model. Although the findings are based on professional discourse and do not include direct observation of production routines, the comparison between national and regional media offers a cross-cutting perspective on editorial autonomy within the Chilean digital media ecosystem, an area that remains underexplored in the country. Overall, the study shows that metrics place pressure on both editorial policy and journalistic practices by requiring a continuous balancing of professional judgment and real-time audience behavior.