Business and editorial practices in digital native media in Mexico: an investigation into media routines

Abstract

The current Mexican news market for online news is composed of legacy media companies that migrated to the internet, as well as media outlets that were born on the internet, known as digital native media. This new generation of news sites currently rank among the top read media in the country, exemplifying the evolution of the journalism environment and raising questions about the strategies they applied to become profitable news companies in a highly competitive industry. This research interviewed 10 decision makers from 10 of the 15 most read digital native media in Mexico to document their organizations' business practices and how these ultimately impact the news they produce, under the perspective of the Hierarchy of Influences Model from Shoemaker and Reese. The study focused on the Organizations and Routines levels of influence, contributing to mass media research from the perspectives of media funding, and Mexican digital journalism.