The activity in Tiktok of the print media in Spain

Abstract

The social media platform TikTok presents itself as a predominantly entertainment-focused communication format, not only for younger generations but also for an increasingly captivated audience enticed by recommendation algorithms. In this context, traditional media outlets are formulating their strategies to establish a presence on TikTok, fully aware that the future audiences to be engaged are now on this platform.

This research aims to primarily examine the activity of the major print media outlets in Spain. The objective is to analyze whether the use of TikTok by print media outlets in Spain is significant or not, whether there is a strategic professionalization of their editorial activity, and finally, whether this activity is tailored to the peculiarities of the platform or if it simply involves recycling content from their main medium. To achieve this, the posts published on the social network by the leading national newspapers—El País, El Mundo, ABC, La Vanguardia, and La Razón—will be reviewed in a specific chronological sequence, establishing a comparative analysis of the main interaction milestones provided by the platform.

The main conclusions establish that there is a greater attempt than expected in the activity that print media outlets engage in on TikTok. However, despite this, the activity is not highly professionalized or well-thought-out, as there is no clear pattern of publication, continuity, or specific production. Instead, TikTok serves more as a container where already produced content is poured into.