La influencia de la publicidad de las instituciones públicas en los contenidos informativos de los medios de comunicación en Cuenca

Abstract

This research aimed to examine the relationship between advertising practices of state agencies and news reports disseminated by regional media outlets in the city of Cuenca, focusing on identifying similarities in topics and narratives. The investigation employed a mixed-methods approach, integrating numerical and narrative procedures within an interpretive framework and a descriptive-critical study design. The methodological process consisted solely of examining press materials published by Radio La Voz del Tomebamba, the newspaper El Mercurio, and the online news portal Crónica Cuenca, as well as quantifying levels of citizen participation in online environments. The findings reveal that news reports frequently contain press releases and statements from officials, particularly those concerning infrastructure projects, social services, and government activities. Furthermore, a correlation was found between the topics covered and the language used by public entities and the content published by the media outlets reviewed. Engagement data indicates that these topics elicit a high level of user response in the area, demonstrating their social importance, although this does not establish causal links or direct financial subordination. The report concludes by stating that, in the Cuenca region, the discourse of authorities carries significant weight in the news agenda, generating moral dilemmas about how to separate the work of the press from state communication. However, the information evaluated does not provide definitive proof of systemic monetary dependence or coercion of editorial freedom; therefore, the conclusions remain at the level of mere description and data analysis.