Analysis of media observatories in Spain. A tool for civil society in media reform processes

Abstract

Introduction: Since the late 20 th century, media observatories, or watch groups, have played an important role among the institutions devoted to the promotion of media reform, since they constitute an essential tool for the monitoring and analysis of the media by citizens. This article presents the results of a pioneering study aiming to map the landscape of media observatories in Spain and to systematise their main features, such as origin, evolution, objectives, promoters and fields of specialisation. Methods: Based on an extensive literature review, the study identifies 28 observatories which are subsequently analysed through an observation protocol and qualitative interviews with the directors of 10 of the observatories. Results and conclusions: The results confirm the existence of a heterogeneous landscape, characterised by a predominance of observatories focused on auditing activities and observatories promoted by universities. Nevertheless, most observatories are characterised by unsustainability and by an irregular research activity.