Examining the Impact of Transparency Portals on Media Coverage

Abstract

This study examined the use of data from a transparency portal in media coverage of a high-profile case of alleged public procurement irregularities in Spain. Access to Twitter API was used to identify relevant URLs related to this issue. It was found that direct links to a portal were of low relevance, and most of the linked documents did not even mention the availability of data from a portal. Qualitative analysis revealed that the most frequent topics were the use of portal data as an authoritative argument to endorse information, the statement that the portal did not contain sufficient information for journalistic purposes, and the absence of data on third parties involved in public procurement. It is recommended that governments promote the existence of Portals and make media outlets aware that providing links to original data is beneficial for their reporting. In addition, linked open data should be used to ensure accuracy and transparency.