1. Portuguese news organisations and
online audience participation:
Policies and self-perceptions
Marisa Torres da Silva
New University of Lisbon, Portugal (FCSH/UNL)
JSS-ECREA 2014
Thessaloniki, 28 March 2014

2. News organisations and
audience participation
O News organisations are interpreting online
audience participation mainly as an opportunity
for their readers to discuss current events
O Audience participation is seen as “a problem to
manage rather than a benefit for the news
product” (Domingo, 2008), due to the fact that
the integration of user-generated content (USG)
is difficult to combine with the organizational
structure of newsrooms (Rebillard & Touboul,
2010).

3. Readers’ comments in news
O The most widespread and popular genre of
audience participation in online news sites (Ruiz
et al., 2011; Weber, 2013), allowing the public to
express perspectives on current issues (Henrich &
Holmes, 2013; Chung, 2008)
O Journalists recognize their potential to fulfill
deliberative ideals (Reich, 2011), as a desirable
contribution to journalism and to a healthy
democratization of discourse (Olsson & Viscovi,
2013; Singer & Ashman, 2009)

4. Readers’ comments in news
O Challenges to journalists and newsrooms:
quality concerns related to the presence of
inappropriate speech (Reich, 2011; Erjavec &
Kovacic, 2013; Olsson & Viscovi, 2013); the
anonymity of the online users (Singer & Ashman,
2009; Nielsen, 2013); resources and costs
required in the management of contributions
(Nyirõ et al., 2011).

5. Aim and scope of the study
O Practices, perceptions, expectations and policies of
Portuguese newsroom workers on user contributions
management strategies and relationship with the audience
– particular focus on readers’ comments as a form of
participatory journalism
O Work in progress – In-depth face-to-face interviews have
so far been conducted with 8 professionals
(online/multimedia editors, community manager, former
online editor, editors-in-chief and assistant editors-in-chief)
O 2 daily newspapers (Público and Correio da Manhã), 1
weekly newspaper (Expresso), and 1 newsmagazine
(Sábado).

6. News organisations and forms of
participatory journalism
O Examined Portuguese news outlets frame
audience participation primarily as its ability to
engage in a debate on current events – limited to
interpretation and distribution stages (cf.
Domingo et al., 2008) – no options in access,
selection and editing stages

7. Readers’ comments in news: expectations,
perceptions and challenges
O Functions and identified user roles
O User comments as an opportunity to “increase
opinion pluralism” or to “add value in debates
about matters of public concern”
O All the interviewees mentioned the correction of
factual errors or mistakes; 5 referred the possibility
of interaction between journalists and readers or
the ability of providing news tips (but in a sporadic
basis)

8. Readers’ comments in news: expectations,
perceptions and challenges
O Journalists and audiences: a tensional relationship
O Most of the inquired professionals pointed out several
negative attributes to readers’ comments: disjoint
between news workers’ normative visions of the
readers’ comments and the low appreciation of users’
contributions (Wahl-Jorgensen, 2007; Silva, 2009;
Olsson & Viscovi, 2013)
O The greatest challenge posed by users’ comments
stemmed from their low quality – the majority of
comments “do not add value”, are “not interesting”, are
mere “idle talk” or “unproductive”, are “self-interested”
or “lack concrete ideas”

9. Readers’ comments in news: expectations,
perceptions and challenges
O Journalists and audiences: a tensional
relationship
O Other problems and concerns: inappropriate
speech or incivility, namely “impulsive”, “unfair”,
or even “horrible” and “shocking” comments –
anonymity of online user given as the main
explanation

10. Readers’ comments in news: expectations,
perceptions and challenges
O Economic value of users contributions
O The notion of participation can function as a
“marketing tool” for any news organisation (Nyrõ, 2011)
O Most of the inquired journalists admitted that the
quantity of users’ comments may increase visits and
traffic figures, making the website attractive to
advertisers; but the quality of readers’ comments and
the work on the “reader community” was also referred
as having an unequivocal effect in the brand and user
loyalty.

11. Policies and management strategies
O The decision on how to moderate readers’
comments is highly problematic to news
organisations (Trygg, 2012) – absence of a
common core strategy.
O Correio da Manhã – pre-moderation; Sábado –
post-moderation; Público and Expresso – crowd-
based moderation

12. Policies and management strategies –
why?
O Post-moderation: priority given to freedom of
expression of users; also spares human resources
and costs for news organizations
O Pre-moderation: priority given to the protection
of the brand from offensive or abusive comments
O Crowd-based moderation and end of anonymity:
the current model of Público after a series of
changes.

13. Final remarks
O The views that journalists hold about themselves
and their audiences are formed by several factors
and their professional identity must be
constructed in the context of a fluid work
environment. Today’s news media are evolving
rapidly and corporate interests, available
technologies, legal limitations and other aspects
vary somewhat within particular national
contexts (Heinonen, 2011)