Obse a o io (OBS*) Jou nal (2022, Vol 16, nº2), 251-269 1646-5954/ERC123483/2022 251
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Is digi al slow jou nalism alued? An analysis o i s audience in Spain
Mi en Manias-Muñoz*, I saso Manias-Muñoz**, Amaia Al a ez-Be as egi***
*Jou nalism Depa men , Uni e si y o he Basque Coun y (UPV/EHU) (mi [email protected])
**Jou nalism Depa men , Uni e si y o he Basque Coun y (UPV/EHU) (i [email protected])
***His o y o Law Depa men , Public Uni e si y o Na a a (am[email p o ec ed])
Abs ac
Due o he eme gence o apid in o ma ion consump ion habi s, jou nalism has been subme ged in o a
deep c isis o c edibili y. The e is a need o e hink he di ec ion o he sec o and ind ways in which
he ele ance o jou nalism can be enewed. Slow jou nalism ad oca es a slow, hough ul and
sus ainable app oach o he p oduc ion and consump ion o news. This esea ch analyses consume
habi s o Spanish eade s o jou nalism in gene al, and digi al slow jou nalism in pa icula , h ough a
s uc u ed ques ionnai e. Resul s show ha he digi al p ess is he habi ual media o he analysed
popula ion o s ay in o med abou cu en a ai s. Despi e he alue ha slow jou nalism has ob ained,
he e is a lack o knowledge abou he ype o jou nalism ha is being consumed: only 40% claim o
ha e ead o hea d abou i . Those who do ead slow p ess spend a limi ed amoun o ime on i
(be ween 15-30 minu es), so he pa e ns o ‘ as ’ eading ypical o he adi ional media a e epea ed
in slow jou nalism and he audience a ac ion and e aining capaci y o slow jou nalism is s ill limi ed.
Addi ionally, he as majo i y o he analysed popula ion a e no willing o pay o slow jou nalism
(73%), which is an obs acle o es ablishing a business model o his new media end. Howe e , he e
is a s ong willingness o pay among he eade s o slow p ess, whe e 45% would eadily pay o i .
Finally, he e a e signi ican di e ences in e ms o he age and educa ional le el o he eade s
analysed, and ou indings e idence he need o u he audience esea ch in o de o imp o e he
in e ac ion be ween digi al slow jou nalism and i s own audience as well as o de elop inno a i e
p omo ional s a egies.
Keywo ds:Digi al jou nalism, Slow jou nalism, Audience esea ch, Consume a i udes, Spain,
S uc u ed ques ionnai e me hod.
In oduc ion
In he cu en digi al communica i e con ex , eade s ha e aken on a signi ican ole. The adi ional sys em
o sende -message-channel- ecei e has become obsole e and a new pa icipa i e model, wi h hyb idised
channels and gen es, has opened up wi hin digi al jou nalism (Bachmann, 2013). These changes ha e gi en
ise o new ways o s udying and unde s anding jou nalism. Wi hin academic esea ch, one o he cu en s
o he las decade is ha o slow jou nalism. This kind o jou nalism is opposed o he immedia e
consump ion o in o ma ion, ake news and he inc easing c isis o c edibili y ha he media is cu en ly
expe iencing, and is u ning o basic p inciples o quali y (Ba anque o-Ca e e o, 2013; Le Masu ie , 2015;
Ne eu, 2016). Howe e , i is a ela i ely unde de eloped p ac ice and he s udy o i has la gely been limi ed
o an analysis o p in o ma s. Consequen ly, li le is known abou he social unc ion o impac o slow
252 OBS* Jou nal, 2022, 16(2)
jou nalism (Van K ieken and Sande s, 2019). In e ms o eade ship, he e a e s udies ha speci ically
analyse he ole o consume s in he p oduc ion o jou nalis ic con en o he in oduc ion o pa icipa i e
elemen s in digi al jou nalism (Gillmo , 2004; Goode, 2009). Bu consume habi s and he mo i es behind
he consump ion o slow jou nalism a e la gely unknown.
We belie e ha his in o ma ion is aluable no only o be e unde s and he na u e, cha ac e is ics,
in luence and u u e challenges o his new jou nalis ic p ac ice, bu also o gene a e new hypo heses which
u he a deepe explo a ion o his ield o s udy. The e o e, gi en he challenges posed by he cu en
digi al con ex , his esea ch seeks o disco e he consume habi s o digi al slow jou nalism wi hin he
Spanish con ex (Masip, 2016).
Wha do we know abou slow jou nalism and i s eade ship?
The concep o slow jou nalism in i sel is no exac ly new, since i is a end ela ed o p e ious slow
mo emen s ha seek o ecupe a e adi ional alues and place a en ion on he quali y o he p oduc and
he ime de o ed o i s consump ion (Hono e, 2004). The slow ou ism o slow ood mo emen s a e some
examples. In opposi ion o he consump ion as an essen ial condi ion o gua an eeing he quali y o he
expe ience. In he case o slow jou nalism, his end seeks o ackle headline jou nalism, immediacy, ake
news, and supe icial o un e i ied in o ma ion. speci ic jou nalis ic cha ac e is ics, is essen ially c i ical o
jou nalism based on now.
I was Megan Le Masu ie who p omo ed a new line o esea ch in o slow jou nalism in 2015. Masu ie
de ends slow jou nalism as a p ac ice ha , beyond possessing a se ies o immediacy, is essen ially c i ical
o he jou nalism based on immediacy (Le Masu ie , 2015; 2016). Le Masu ie , 2015; 2016). Fu he mo e,
his au ho adds ha slow jou nalism has been p ac iced since he dawn o he p o ession, bu ha i s
cu en cha ac e is ic elemen is i s con as o he apid, immedia e and poo jou nalis ic sys em ha we
ha e now.
In he las i e yea s, di e en au ho s ha e ocused hei a en ion on slow jou nalism. Geo ey C aig
(2016) unde lines he social alue o his ype o jou nalism, whils o he au ho s ela e his p ac ice wi h
niche jou nalism; ha is, one which emains ou side o he majo news companies (Benaissa, 2017).
Simila ly, he e a e case s udies abou digi al media which explo e how, why and agains wha is slow
jou nalism p ac iced (Saba e e al., 2018; Goikoe xea-Bilbao and Ramí ez de la Piscina, 2019).
Ano he axis o he esea ch in o slow jou nalism is he ela ionship be ween he de e io a ion in he quali y
o jou nalism, he p in media c isis and he economic c isis o 2008 (Jus el Vázquez, 2012). To be exac ,
some au ho s ha e analysed he slow jou nalism o slow media phenomenon om he pe spec i e o he
economic iabili y o he media company (Dowlin, 2016). Mos o hese s udies coincide in ha , despi e he
con ex o he cu en c isis, he numbe o slow media ou le s has inc eased in he digi al age (Ba anque o-
Ca e e o and Jau ie a Ba iain, 2016). Likewise, o he esea ch s udies especially highligh one cha ac e is ic
o his new jou nalis ic end ha is making in oads in o he digi al wo ld: he ecupe a ion o adi ional
jou nalis ic gen es ha had been abandoned due o in o ma i e immediacy, o which ea u e a icles, epo s
and in-dep h analysis a e jus some examples. Tha said, on some occasions a hyb idisa ion o hese gen es
does occu (Ga cía and Cua e o, 2016).
OBS* Jou nal, 2022, 16(2) Manias-Muñoz, Manias-Muñoz & A. Al a ez-Be as egi 253
Reade ship has adi ionally been he axis o he media company due o i s di ec ela ionship wi h
ad e ising income. Howe e , as men ioned abo e, his model is in c isis. Fo his eason, an inc easing
numbe o media ou le s a e choosing o cul i a e eade ideli y ins ead o me ely paying a en ion o
economic aspec s. The so-called ‘ eade e enue’ s a egy in pa icula , a emp s o p omo e a sus ainable
business model wi hin he media1. Resul s show ha mos o hese ini ia i es con inue o be aimed a me ely
e aining eade ship a he han ecupe a ing i s us . Fo example, esea ch has shown ha some media
en i ies eso o en e ainmen elemen s and echniques o e news (Peña Fe nández, e al., 2016). Wha
is mo e, his endency owa ds “in oen e ainmen ” has been explained by some au ho s as one o he
consequences o he double c isis a ec ing jou nalism: economic decline and educed c edibili y (Ga cía
A ilés, 2007).
Bu wha does he eade ship hink? Nico D ok and Liesbe h He mans (2016) analysed young people’s
a i udes owa ds slow jou nalism in he Ne he lands. Acco ding o his s udy, wha his eade ship sec o
alues mos is ha he in o ma ion is o hand a all imes and is ee o cha ge. Fu he mo e, a conside able
numbe o young people posi i ely highligh ha his jou nalism is in es iga i e, co-ope a i e and
encou ages in eg a ion.
Along simila lines, Mike Ananny (2016) has explo ed he consump ion ime o slow in o ma ion. This au ho
concluded ha i is no ad isable o homogenize he eade ship and sugges s a u he analysis o he
di e en audience sec o s in o de o be e unde s and hei consume habi s.
Ce ainly, he ime needed o p oduce and consume jou nalis ic con en is one o he ounda ions o esea ch
wi hin he ield o slow jou nalism. Howe e , he ime in es ed in he p epa a ion o con en does no always
co ela e wi h he quali y o he deg ee o eade in e es (G oo and Cos e a, 2019). Tha is, he e is no
di ec ela ionship be ween he ime spen on consuming slow jou nalism and he quali y o he in o ma ion;
he ela ionship be ween his kind o jou nalism, i s eade ship and eading ime in ol es mo e complex
ac o s and p ocesses. In addi ion, se e al s udies ha e con i med ha eade s a e inc easingly skep ical
abou he in o ma ion hey ecei e om he p ess, especially in he digi al media (Rome o-Rod iguez e al.,
2021). Ou s udy would like o con ibu e o esea ching his a ea.
Wi h he aim o iden i ying he challenges and oppo uni ies ha he digi al en i onmen o e s o he
de elopmen o slow jou nalism, his esea ch analyses Spanish eade ship, using he ollowing esea ch
ques ions as i s s a ing poin : R1) Wha knowledge do eade s ha e o slow jou nalism? R2) Wha a e hei
mo i es o deciding o consume o ejec his kind o jou nalism? R3) Wha is he eade ’s p o ile? Simila ly,
ou s udy is based on wo main hypo heses: 1) eade s alue quali y in o ma ion and 2) he e will be a place
o slow jou nalism in he u u e ma ke . The analysed esul s om his wo k a e based on he complex
ela ionship be ween ac i e eade ships, new digi al media and slow con en , wi hin a sende message-
channel- ecei e pa adigm ha doesn’ co espond o he adi ional amewo k, and in which he
collabo a ion among di e en pa ies p edomina es (Masip and Suau, 2014; C illey and Gillespie, 2019). This
wo k also seeks o ob ain answe s which may help ind solu ions o he p oblems o inancing and c edibili y
acing jou nalism in gene al, and slow jou nalism in pa icula . In his ega d, ecen esea ch has shown
ha he main elemen o he cu en jou nalis ic business model is di e si ica ion o income sou ces (Palacio,
2018), and we would like o explo e his idea u he .
254 OBS* Jou nal, 2022, 16(2)
Ma e ial and me hod
The echnique used o da a collec ion was he s uc u ed ques ionnai e. Fi s ly, a lis was d awn up o p e-
es ablished ques ions o be posed o he esea ch subjec s ia he In e ne . Secondly, du ing he alida ion
phase, said d a was shaped and comple ed wi h he ad ice o expe ienced p o essionals om CIES S.L., a
Spanish company enowned o i s ajec o y wi hin he ield o ma ke esea ch and opinion polls,
commissioned o implemen he ques ionnai es and compile he esul s. The s uc u ed ques ionnai e is
conside ed o be he mos app op ia e ool o measu ing use opinions, a i udes, judgemen s and
expec a ions o a speci ic elemen . Fu he mo e, i allows esul s o be compa ed and di e en a iables
ob ained o he p oposed ends; h ough adequa e sampling echniques, he esul s could be ex apola ed
o he es o he popula ion (Casas-Angui a e
al.
, 2003). The su ey was ca ied ou in Spanish and
ieldwo k done h oughou he mon h o July 2019 in Spain.
Popula ion, sample and s uc u e o he ques ionnai e
The ques ionnai e was comple ed anonymously by 500 people be ween he ages o 18 and 65, esiden in
Spain ( om all au onomous communi ies) and wi h In e ne access. Acco ding o he da a p o ided by he
Spanish Na ional S a is ics Ins i u e (INE), he popula ion o he selec ed e i o y numbe ed 25,838,051 in
2019. Thus, he e is a 95% con idence in e al, and a 4.4% e o ma gin o he calcula ion o he answe s.
The 500 comple ed ques ionnai es p o ide and an accep able and ep esen a i e numbe o an analysis o
he di e ences be ween bo h he subjec s and s udies in he same ield su ey. Gi en ha i is no possible
o s udy he whole popula ion, he ob ained da a a e suppo ed by a sample in acco dance wi h he a iables
(age, gende , habi a , e c.) o he popula ion hey come om. The e o e, he gene alisa ion o he esul s
o his s udy should be unde s ood as a desc ip i e p ocess ha allows us o compa e di e en a iables
and o mula e new hypo heses (Ro hman e al., 2013; Blanco e al., 2018). Thus, in e ences can be d awn
ha may be gene alized o academic esea ch. The goal o his s udy is o unde s and a phenomenon, as
such, his goal is no enhanced by ep esen a i eness, bu a he depends mo e on compa isons d awn om
a a ie y o con ex s.
The es ablished c i e ia o he selec ion o pa icipan s in he s udy was based mainly on wo elemen s: (1)
access o he In e ne and (2) an age ange o 18 o 65. Via hese wo a iables, we sough o s eamline
and de ine he a ge g oup o slow digi al jou nalism in Spain. The inal sample was made up o 46% men
and 49% women, and 4% who conside hemsel es non-bina y, wi hin he ollowing age g oups: 18-34
(31%), 35-49 (38%) and 50-65 (31%). On he one hand, o he 500 people su eyed, 6% had comple ed
compulso y educa ion o less; 33% had a Fu he Educa ion quali ica ion and/o oca ional aining; 44%
held a uni e si y deg ee, and 17% had comple ed pos g adua e uni e si y s udies. On he o he hand, 88%
o hose su eyed we e in ac i e employmen , whils 12% we e unemployed. Finally, 49% o he pa icipan s
li ed in an a ea wi h a popula ion below 50,000 inhabi an s; 33% be ween 50,000-500,000 inhabi an s; and
he emaining 18% wi hin a popula ion o o e 500,000.
The ques ionnai e was made up o 40 semi-s uc u ed ques ions, o which 3 we e open, 9 we e mul iple
choice (o which 2 we e il e ques ions), and 28 closed. The aim o he il e ques ions was o selec a
OBS* Jou nal, 2022, 16(2) Manias-Muñoz, Manias-Muñoz & A. Al a ez-Be as egi 255
numbe o he pa icipan s in o de o ask hem mo e speci ic ques ions la e . The ques ionnai e was hus
s uc u ed in o ou blocks:
1) To disco e gene al eading habi s and ou ines in ela ion o he p in and digi al p ess (p io i y media
ou le , eading equency, aims and subsc ip ions).
2) In o de o measu e he knowledge o slow jou nalism in Spain and eading habi s, a de ini ion was
p o ided and named examples o slow media gi en. Pa icipan s we e asked which digi al suppo hey use
o eading; equency; ime spen ; places o access and de ices used; con en ype and subjec s ead;
p e e ed gen es; subsc ip ions; gene al sa is ac ion; and he cha ac e is ics o slow jou nalism. To assess
his block, closed ques ions we e combined wi h mul iple choice ques ions and a Like scale om 0
(minimum sco e) o 5 (maximum sco e).
3) “Ques ions o e e yone” o gain in o ma ion abou he a i udes o hose pa icipan s who ga e posi i e
answe s o had hea d o slow jou nalism, and o hose who answe ed nega i ely. To his end, gene al
ques ions we e included abou in e ac ion wi h he media, he quali y o he in o ma ion, willingness o pay
mo e o slow jou nalism, app ecia ion and adequa e use o mul imedia esou ces, among o he s.
4) To disco e he socio-demog aphic da a o he pa icipan s. I was decided o lea e his o he las pa
o he ques ionnai e -ins ead o he i s - in o de o a oid possible gende bias o s e eo ypes, gi en ha
asking o demog aphic da a a he beginning o he ques ionnai e migh in luence he pa icipan s’ answe s.
Gene ally speaking, he e is a endency o answe in line wi h he gende s e eo ype.
Finally, all he answe s we e anonymised and ans e ed o he SPSS p og amme, in acco dance wi h he
a iables es ablished in he ques ionnai e.
Resul s
Following an analysis o he esul s, i is wo h poin ing ou he signi ican di e ences e lec ed in he h ee
main blocks: 1) eading habi s o p in and digi al p ess, 2) knowledge and consump ion o slow jou nalism
and 3) a i udes and/o opinions abou jou nalism in gene al and slow jou nalism in pa icula .
P in and digi al p ess eading habi s
This block con ains he main esul s appe aining o he habi ual and p io i y media consumed by eade s o
p in and digi al p ess.
Some 85% o he analysed popula ion uses he digi al p ess as hei habi ual me hod o s ay in o med abou
cu en a ai s; wha is mo e, i is he main choice o 42%. Fo i s pa , he p in p ess is he usual news
medium o almos a hi d o he analysed popula ion: 29%. Likewise, only 2% use i as hei main sou ce.
Wi h a sligh ly lowe p opo ion han he digi al p ess, ele ision is wa ched habi ually by 76% o hose
su eyed wi h some 25% using i as hei p incipal sou ce. Social media and adio a e used habi ually by
58% and 47% espec i ely. Howe e , hese las wo a e no p io i y news sou ces, wi h only 20% and 10%
o he popula ion using hem habi ually o s ay in o med.
The e a e signi ican di e ences in e ms o gende , age and educa ional le el. The digi al p ess is he
habi ual news media o 88% o men and 82% o women. Howe e , 49% o women and 34% o men use
i as hei main sou ce. Fu he mo e, while 53% o he male popula ion habi ually lis ens o he adio o s ay
256 OBS* Jou nal, 2022, 16(2)
in o med, he pe cen age o women who do his is 40%. The e is a simila di e ence in he use o social
media, i being he habi ual sou ce o news o 67% o women, bu only 50% o men. Finally, he use o
ele ision as he main sou ce o in o ma ion s ands ou : o some 32% o male use s i is hei main medium,
bu only o 19% o emale use s.
In e ms o age, he g oup be ween 18 and 34 s ays in o med habi ually ia he digi al p ess (85%) and
social media (76%). Tele ision also s ands ou as a habi ual sou ce o in o ma ion wi hin his same age
ange (69%), bu no as he main sou ce (21%). Among he popula ion aged be ween 51 and 65, social
media is signi ican ly less p ominen : some 42% o pa icipan s use i as hei habi ual media. Wi hin he
same age g oup, he adio is mo e popula as a habi ual news medium: 55% use i as such. Finally, whils
ele ision is consumed habi ually by 69% o he younge popula ion (18-34), i is he habi ual medium o
85% o he oldes age g oup analysed (50-65). On he o he hand, he p in p ess is consumed habi ually
by 39% o his las g oup, bu only by 21% o he younges age g oup.
As a as he ela ionship be ween educa ional le el and habi ual news medium is conce ned, he impo ance
o he digi al p ess dec eases among pa icipan s wi h lowe educa ion. This means ha while 92% o people
wi h pos g adua e s udies use i on a egula basis, o hose only wi h compulso y educa ion his igu e is
educed o 69%. Some hing simila is ue o he p io i y media a iable: o 59% o he popula ion wi h a
highe educa ional le el he digi al p ess is hei main media sou ce, whils his is ue o only 38% o hose
wi h jus a compulso y educa ion. Fo i s pa , ele ision s ands ou as he p io i y medium o 31% o people
wi h compulso y educa ion, whils he pa icipan s wi h pos g adua e s udies consume i less: 11%. Finally,
a signi ican di e ence can be obse ed in ela ion o he use o social media: Wi hin he popula ion wi h
he lowes educa ional le el (compulso y), a me e 17% use i on a egula basis; whils ha pe cen age
ises o 60% and 70% among hose wi h a uni e si y deg ee and a pos g adua e quali ica ion espec i ely.
Why do some media o ma s ake p io i y o e o he s when i comes o s aying in o med? Among he people
whose main news sou ce is he digi al p ess, he majo i y choose i o i s quick, easy and com o able
access (65%). Those who p e e he p in p ess as hei main sou ce o in o ma ion, do so la gely ou o
habi (11%). Simila ly, habi lies behind he consump ion o adio as he main news sou ce (38%), in addi ion
o i allowing people o do o he hings a he same ime (24%), oge he wi h he eliabili y o a media
ou le wi h u h ul in o ma ion (16%). In e ms o ele ision as a p io i y medium, he majo i y said ha
hey use i ou o habi (42%). Fu he mo e, 28% choose i as hei main sou ce o i s quick, easy and
com o able access. Cu iously, only 5% p io i ise ele ision o i s eliabili y o u h ulness. Finally, he
pa icipan s who gi e p io i y o social media o s ay in o med abou cu en a ai s also do so la gely due
o i s quick, easy and com o able access (45%). In second place, al hough o a lesse ex en , is habi
(21%). Fu he mo e, one o he impo an easons why people p io i ise he use o social media is he
immediacy o he news (17%).
How o en does he analysed popula ion ead he digi al and/o p in p ess? And wha do hey eally look
o in each media ou le ? The equency o eading in pape o ma is qui e di e se. Some 27% o hose
su eyed claimed o do so on a daily o almos daily basis, while 18% ead using his sou ce once o wice
a week. Thus, he pe cen age o pa icipan s ha ne e o almos ne e eads he p in p ess is qui e high
a 17%. Finally, 15% consume i 1 o 3 days a mon h; 12% eads i less han once a mon h, and 11% spend
3 o 5 days a week on i . We can see di e ences in he Reading o he p in p ess in e ms o he gende o
he pa icipan s. While his o ma is consumed daily o almos daily by 31% o men, he p opo ion
OBS* Jou nal, 2022, 16(2) Manias-Muñoz, Manias-Muñoz & A. Al a ez-Be as egi 257
dec eases among he emale popula ion: 23%. Wha is mo e, he e a e mo e women (16%) who ead he
p in p ess less han once a mon h, in compa ison o men (8%). In e ms o age, he highes equency o
p in p ess eading can be ound in he oldes age ange (50-65): while some 19% eads i 3 o 5 days a
week, his is ue o only 8% and 6% o hose in he age anges 18-34 and 35-49 espec i ely. As a as he
digi al p ess is conce ned, consump ion equency in gene al is much highe . Some 64% o hose su eyed
ead he p ess in his o ma daily o almos daily, and a me e 15% do so 3 o 5 imes a week. Simila ly,
daily o almos daily eading o he digi al p ess is highe amongs men, wi h 72%, agains 55% o women.
The main eason behind he consump ion o he media is he eliabili y o quali y o ce ain media ou le s
(59%), bu a signi ican pe cen age o he analysed popula ion also chooses hem o hings ha do no
appea in o he ou le s (34%). Likewise, 19% seek ou a speci ic media ou le , whils 17% look o an
edi o ial line. On he o he hand, eeling pa o a communi y (6%) and admi a ion o pa icula jou nalis s
(8%) a e he leas alued easons. Di e ences can be seen in e ms o he gende and age o hose
su eyed. Fo example, whils 22% o men seek ou a speci ic edi o ial line, his is ue o only 11% o
women. Fu he mo e, he impo ance o speci ic subjec s ha do no appea in o he media is alued by
42% o he 18-24 age g oup, bu only by 29% o hose aged be ween 35-49.
Does he analysed popula ion ha e, o has i e e had, a subsc ip ion o a p in o digi al media ou le ?
Some 80% nei he has no has e e had a subsc ip ion o a p in media. This pe cen age ises o 88% in
he case o a digi al media ou le . Among he pa icipan s who ei he ha e o ha e e e had a subsc ip ion,
he p opo ion is highe among hose wi h a subsc ip ion o a p in media ou le (20%) han o a digi al one
(12%). Fu he mo e, he e a e mo e men han women wi h some kind o subsc ip ion o hese media. To
be exac , whils 15% o men ha e o ha e had a subsc ip ion o a digi al media, he same is ue o only
8% o women. In e ms o age, indeed he e is a signi ican ly lowe p opo ion o subsc ip ions o p in
media in he 18-34 age g oup: 13%.
Figu e 1: Knowledge o slow jou nalism.
Sou ce: Own elabo a ion
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
18_34
35_49
50_65
Compulso y educa ion
Fu he educa ion
Uni es i y s udies
Pos g adua es
Hea d o 'slow jou nalism' Read (a e gi ing examples)
258 OBS* Jou nal, 2022, 16(2)
Finally, i is wo h men ioning he small numbe o pa icipan s who ha e hea d o he e ms “na a i e
jou nalism”, “ es ul jou nalism” o slow jou nalism. A me e 16% know o slow jou nalism, and 24% con ess
o ha ing ead i a e hea ing he de ini ion and being gi en some examples. The e a e no signi ican
di e ences in e ms o gende , bu knowledge o slow jou nalism is mo e widesp ead among pos g adua es
(36%) wi hin he 18-34 age g oup (31%) -see Figu e 1-.
Consump ion o slow jou nalism
Among he people who ead slow jou nalism, he mos e e enced media names ou o hose sugges ed
we e: Jo Down (44%), La Ma ea (33%), Ga opa do (20%), Yo okobu (18%) and Panenka (14%). On he
o he hand, An ibia (1%), Co o o (2%), Pue coespín (3%) and F on e a D (3%) we e he leas men ioned.
The e a e signi ican di e ences in e ms o he gende o hose su eyed. Jo Down is known o 54% o
he male popula ion, whils among he emale popula ion i is app eciably lowe : 38%. Panenka was
men ioned by 24% o men who ead slow p ess; howe e , only 5% o women we e amilia wi h i .
Fu he mo e, La Silla Vacia was signi ican ly mo e popula among women (16%) an men (5%). The e a e
no g ea di e ences in he age ac o ega ding he consump ion o pa icula media b ands, bu i is wo h
highligh ing ha Yo okobu was men ioned, among he mos popula media ou le s, by 23% o he popula ion
be ween 35-49 yea s old, bu only by 8% o hose in he 50-65 age g oup. Simila ly, E ique a Neg a is
known o 16% o he younges popula ion ha eads slow p ess (18-34 yea s o age), whils among he
middle age g oup (35-49) nobody had hea d o i .
The e a e, howe e , di e ences ela ing o he educa ional le el o hose su eyed. As much as 60% o
hose who consume Jo Down hold pos g adua e deg ees, bu only 27% o pa icipan s wi h Fu he
Educa ion quali ica ions and 0% o hose wi h only compulso y educa ion men ioned i . Howe e , he
opposi e is ue o La Ma ea; whils i is known by 50% o he pa icipan s wi h compulso y educa ion who
ead slow p ess, i was men ioned by only 30% o he popula ion wi h Pos g adua e quali ica ions. Fo i s
pa , Ga opa do is also mo e popula among he popula ion wi h he lowes le el o educa ion: 75% among
hose wi h compulso y educa ion agains 30% o pos g adua es.
Mos o he people su eyed who ead slow p ess do so a leas 1 o 3 days pe mon h (30%). These a e
ollowed by hose who ead i 1 o 2 days a week (23%), whils in hi d place a e hose who ead i once a
mon h (19%). Only 7% claimed o ead i on a daily o almos daily basis. The mos signi ican di e ences
can be ound in ela ion o age, since only 4% o he 18-34 age g oup and 6% o he 35-49 age g oup ead
slow p ess e e y day o nea ly e e y day; howe e , his pe cen age ises o 15% in he 50-65 age g oup -
see Figu e 2-.
OBS* Jou nal, 2022, 16(2) Manias-Muñoz, Manias-Muñoz & A. Al a ez-Be as egi 259
Figu e 2: Slow p ess eading equency
Sou ce: Own elabo a ion
In e ms o eading ime, he majo i y o hose su eyed (46%) spends be ween 15 and 30 minu es on he
slow p ess each ime; 34% spend be ween hal an hou and an hou ; whils 16% s a ed hey spend less
han 15 minu es. Only 4% admi ed o spending be ween one and wo hou s eading slow p ess each ime.
The lowe eading ime spen (be ween 15- 30 minu es) is mo e p ominen among he popula ion be ween
35-49 yea s old (26%); whils on he o he hand his lowe eading ime is a less popula among he 50-
65 age g oup (8%). Likewise, a me e 4% o he younges eade s (18-34) spend be ween one and wo
hou s eading slow p ess, whils o e 12% o hose in he 50-65 age b acke spend his amoun o ime.
I we look a he educa ional le el o he analysed popula ion, mo e di e ences can be obse ed. Fo
example, o e 24% o hose wi h uni e si y educa ion claim o spend less han 15 minu es each ime on
slow p ess, bu his pe cen age d ops o 0% among he popula ion wi h compulso y educa ion. On he o he
hand, 46% o he pa icipan s wi h a uni e si y quali ica ion spend be ween 15-30 minu es eading i each
ime, whils only 25% o he popula ion wi h compulso y educa ion does so. Likewise, as much as 75% o
he people wi h compulso y educa ion spend be ween 31 minu es and an hou eading each ime, his
pe cen age alls o 26% among hose wi h uni e si y quali ica ions -see Figu e 3-.
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
(Almos )E e y
day
3-5 dayss/week 1-2 days/week 1-3 days/week Less han once a
mon h
(Almos )Ne e
18_34 35-49 50_65
266 OBS* Jou nal, 2022, 16(2)
jou nalism should no edi ec i sel owa ds slow p ess on he In e ne , he la ges g oup eplied ha he e
should be wo ypes o jou nalism o a ie ies o s yle: 28% o he popula ion. Secondly, he e is a 13%
who hink ha news should be dissemina ed immedia ely and be ead quickly. Thi dly, 11% hink ha slow
jou nalism is bo ing o edious. Finally, he e we e o he eplies ela ed o he idea ha jou nalism is ine
jus as i is (8%), and 8% ha e a p e e ence o adi ional media. Those pa icipan s who did no ha e a
clea opinion also p o ide us wi h some clues, since 17% do no know wha digi al slow jou nalism eally is
and s ill 10% need immedia e, b ie news due o a lack o ime o eading p ess. Mo eo e , 7% hink ha
his kind o jou nalism is no a ac i e o a la ge eade ship.
Conclusion
The esul s o his esea ch e eal impo an in o ma ion conce ning he consume habi s o Spanish eade s
in ela ion o digi al slow jou nalism. In ela ion o ou objec i es and esea ch ques ions, we ha e come o
he ollowing conclusions:
R1 - I should be poin ed ou ha digi al p ess is he habi ual media o he analysed popula ion o s ay
in o med abou cu en a ai s. Howe e , o e hal o he consume s o jou nalism in gene al do no know
wha slow jou nalism is. To be mo e exac , 60% o he people su eyed. Only 40% claimed o ha e ead o
hea d abou his kind o jou nalism. The e o e, slow jou nalism has no es ablished i sel ye as a clea
concep wi hin i s eade ship, which makes i s p omo ion and posi ioning mo e di icul . Thus, we belie e
he e is a need o a clea and widely accep ed de ini ion; as much o he academic communi y as o media
p o essional.
R2 - I is wo h paying a en ion o he easons why hose su eyed do no alue online slow jou nalism.
The majo i y belie e ha bo h kinds o jou nalism o a ie ies o s yle should exis . No ably, he e a e hose
who hink ha news should be dissemina ed immedia ely and lend i sel o being consumed apidly, which
is combined wi h he iew ha slow jou nalism is bo ing o edious. The undecided popula ion can also
p o ide us wi h clues, gi en ha as much as 17% do no know wha digi al slow jou nalism is.
The eade communi y, o i s pa , mainly seeks c i ical opinion and a disce ning a i ude in his ype o
jou nalism. They also highligh he quali y/cla i y o he in o ma ion and he analy ical capaci y slow
jou nalism has. In e ms o gen es, he eade s o slow jou nalism p e e epo age, analysis and s o ies.
In e iew and opinion, on he o he hand, a e he leas men ioned. And he as majo i y o he analysed
popula ion a e no willing o pay o slow jou nalism (73%). This esul clea ly shows he need o look o
al e na i e inancing me hods o slow media. A he same ime, he e a e signi ican di e ences in e ms o
he age and educa ional le el o he eade s analysed. Among o he s, he e a e mo e people p epa ed o
pay o he quali y o slow jou nalism who ha e pos g adua e quali ica ions compa ed wi h hose who only
ha e a compulso y educa ion o less. In addi ion, i is wo h unde lining ha willingness o pay is mos
p ominen among he olde popula ion. Finally, he e is a s ong willingness o pay among he eade s o
slow p ess, whe e 45% would eadily pay o i . This in o ma ion can undoub edly p o ide some clues o
he u u e de elopmen o hese news companies.
R3 - Those who do ead slow p ess spend a limi ed amoun o ime on i : be ween 15-30 minu es. A me e
4% admi s o spending be ween one and wo hou s each ime. Fu he mo e, wi hin he same popula ion,
he majo i y only ead i 1 o 3 days a mon h. Jus 7% claim o ead i e e y day o almos e e y day. These
OBS* Jou nal, 2022, 16(2) Manias-Muñoz, Manias-Muñoz & A. Al a ez-Be as egi 267
igu es show ha he audience a ac ion and e aining capaci y o slow jou nalism is qui e limi ed a leas
wi hin he analysed popula ion. The e is also a second ac behind his esul : eading ime appea s o be
independen o con en quali y. In ha sense, he pa e ns o ‘ as ’ eading ypical o he adi ional media
a e epea ed in slow jou nalism. This si ua ion could change i he needs o digi al slow jou nalism eade s
we e mo e deeply analysed, since i is impo an o adap con en and p oduc ion models o he ype o
eade .
Simila ly, i is signi ican ha he highe he educa ional le el o academic aining, he g ea e he us o
eade s o he p ess in gene al, and hus hei endency o sha e con en socially and/o in e ac wi h he
media. Also, he lowe he educa ional o aining le el, he mo e pa icipa ion dec eases. This phenomenon
may in luence he consump ion o digi al slow jou nalism, since social pa icipa ion and in e ac ion will be
undamen al o i s p omo ion wi hin his complex communica i e spec um. In his sense, mo eo e , he
same popula ion unde lines ha he audio isual esou ces used in slow con en help o imp o e
unde s anding o he in o ma ion, bu hey do belie e he e is oom o imp o emen . Howe e , he e we e
no sugges ions as o whe e o how his could be done.
In iew o all his, u he esea ch is necessa y in o de o ind inno a i e s a egies ha p omo e digi al
slow jou nalism and i s consump ion, no o men ion he social pa icipa ion o in e ac ion wi h his media.
This esea ch wo k in pa icula sugges s ocussing on he each and dissemina ion o digi al slow media in
o de o answe he ollowing u he ques ions: (1) The e is a lack o knowledge on behal o he eade ship
conce ning wha kind o jou nalism hey a e consuming: sha can be done abou his si ua ion? Wha
echnology should be p io i ised, and in wha o ma ? (2) Wha business models should be chosen? (3) Wha
kind o ools can be used o ob ain mo e in o ma ion abou he eading communi y?
Acknowledgemen s/Funding in o ma ion
This wo k has been suppo ed by Minis e io de Economía y Compe i i idad o Gobie no de España unde
g an : CSO 2016-76020-R (AEI/Fede , UE).
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