Methodological proposal for the analysis of user participation mechanisms in online media

This paper presents the results of an analysis of user participation mechanisms, particularly those based in Web 2.0 technologies and applications, based on a sample of fourteen relevant Spanish online media, including the websites of newspapers, radio stations, and television channels. This analysis was conducted in October and November 2010 as part of the research subproject La evolución de los cibermedios en el marco de la convergencia digital. Tecnología y distribución (The evolution of online media in the context of digital convergence. Tecnology and distribution). The study is based on a taxonomy of the different user participation mechanisms, which distinguishes between those that are integrated within the media’s news sections and those that are independent spaces. The analysis also examines the form in which these mechanisms are managed by the media in function of the role they are assigned. Finally, the study aims to compare the different online media and to show examples and trends in the field of user participation.