Analysis of the income model in alternative digital native media of Spain

Abstract

Professional roles, the type of content and the routines of production of the media have been transformed into cyberspace. The emergence of alternative digital native media, beyond the consolidated cybermedia created by and for the Network, has also raised a series of challenges that especially affect the profitability of these journalistic projects. Based on this, the research analyzes different income models of Spanish cybermedia based on a comparative analysis of eight case studies, interviews with its founders and a focus group with users. In this way, the research concludes, among other aspects, that a commitment to income models centred on horizontality, participation and user engagement is predominant through content that exploits the hypertematization through diversity and specialization. The study warns of the need to diversify funding sources and identifies subscriptions and crowdfunding as the main alternatives.