Podcasting y servicio público: la función cultural de las radios autonómicas españolas en la era digital

Toni Sellas; Asier Leoz-Aizpuru; Paloma López-Villafranca; Teresa Piñeiro-Otero

doi:10.26441/RC25.1-2026-4319

Authors

Toni Sellas Universitat de Vic - Universitat Central de Catalunya (España) https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2653-0547
Asier Leoz-Aizpuru Universidad de Deusto (España) https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2949-6009
Paloma L´ópez-Villafranca Universidad de Málaga (España) https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4193-1365
Teresa Piñeiro-Otero Universidade da Coruña (España) https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6414-2700

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26441/RC25.1-2026-4319

Keywords:

podcast, podcasting, audio, public radio, public service, regional media, platformization, digital ecosystem

Abstract

Purpose. Two decades after emerging as a technological innovation, podcasting is progressively consolidation itself as a medium with its own identity within the audio ecosystem. In Spain, regional media contribute to this evolution with their own offerings. The main objective of this study is to analyse the production of native podcasts by the main Spanish regional public broadcasters, to understand their role in the digital transformation of radio and in the renewal of public service functions. Methodology. A content analysis was carried out on the offerings of five regional broadcasters (3Cat, À Punt Mèdia, EITB, CRTVG, and Canal Sur) during the year 2024. The sample includes a total of 121 original podcasts, considering variables such as production, genres, topics, language, distribution, and commercialization. Results and conclusions. The findings show significant differences among operators in production volume, genre diversity, and launch strategies. The conversational macro-genre predominates, with a strong presence of cultural, educational, and social topics, as well as a relevant use of co-official languages in content creation. Distribution is characterized by open access on aggregators, although initiatives for proprietary platforms are also emerging. The study concludes that podcasting is consolidating itself as a strategic tool to strengthen the public service mission, broaden the diversity of voices, and reinforce territorial and cultural ties with audiences. Original contribution. This study represents the first systematic approach to podcasting in Spain’s regional public broadcasters, highlighting its role as a cultural and identity-based expression within the new digital audio ecosystem.

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Author Biographies

Toni Sellas, Universitat de Vic - Universitat Central de Catalunya (España)

Professor and researcher in the Department of Communication Sciences at the Faculty of Business and Communication of the University of Vic — Central University of Catalonia. PhD in Communication Sciences, he is the author of some pioneering works on podcasting in Spain. He is a member of the research team of the R&D&I project ESCUCHAD.es – Comprehensive Study of the Cultural Audio Industry in Spain. His research interests also include radio and audio journalism.
Asier Leoz-Aizpuru, Universidad de Deusto (España)

Asier Leoz Aizpuru is a professor and researcher at the University of Deusto in San Sebastián, affiliated with the Department of Communication in the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences. He teaches radio communication, a medium in which he has worked as a program producer and announcer since 1993. As a researcher in radio and podcasting, he is a member of the research team of the R&D&I project ESCUCHAD.es – Comprehensive Study of the Cultural Audio Industry in Spain.
Paloma L´ópez-Villafranca, Universidad de Málaga (España)

PhD in Communication and Associate Professor and researcher in the Department of Audiovisual Communication and Advertising at the University of Málaga. Member of the research team of the R&D&I project ESCUCHAD.es – Comprehensive Study of the Cultural Audio Industry in Spain (PID2023-149124OB-100). Her main lines of research are sound narrative, audio fiction, radio, podcasting, and gender studies, areas in which she has published several impact-indexed works.
Teresa Piñeiro-Otero, Universidade da Coruña (España)

PhD in Communication from the University of Vigo, she is a professor at the University of A Coruña. Her research focuses on radio and sound communication, its history, new expressions, and meta-research. She has published in academic journals, contributed to reference manuals, and is the author of Sonidos que cuentan (UOC, 2019). She coordinated the Radio Sénior project and is a member of the research team of the R&D&I project ESCUCHAD.es – Comprehensive Study of the Cultural Audio Industry in Spain.

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