Between decline and a new online business model: The case of the Spanish newspaper Industry

Abstract

Journalism is immersed in a context of significant changes. Technological innovations, the Internet and digitisation combined with a double-industry structure and a contextual crisis are the basis of this complex situation that has generated a strong decrease in revenues. This paper analyses one basic element of the redefinition of the journalism sector: the emergence of new business models in a digital convergence scenario. A case study methodology is used to analyse the strategy developed by the key Spanish newspaper editorial groups Prisa, Unidad Editorial SA (Unedisa) and Vocento. By utilising this approach, we are able to analyse the position of these editorial groups as they attempt to define the current sector and to face changes in the digital era.