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This article reflects on the conceptualisation and practise of journalism in European digital native media. The way news is produced and consumed in the digital era knocks down the boundaries that once divided professionals, citizens, and activists. At the same time, significant changes highlighted in recent studies call for a new theoretical and practical approach that goes beyond the dominant perspective of technological determinism. In relation with previous research, we have selected innovative digital media platforms (<em>De Correspondent</em>,<em> Heidi.news</em>, <em>Eldiario.es</em>, <em>IlPost</em>, <em>Mediapart</em>,<em> </em>and <em>Observador</em>), and we have analysed the types of journalism they set out to produce, as gleaned from their public-facing communications and interviews with the platforms’ founders and editors, comparing their stated goals with the journalism they produce and, lastly, we commented on changes in journalism. Digital native media explore renewed fields for journalism. The present analysis allows identifying the emergence of a series of trends in digital native media, which show a coexistence of traditional and new principles. Beyond the technological impact, the new media respond to the needs of society by incorporating the citizen as a reason for its purpose and as a collaborator in production processes. On the other hand, new players and an updated role of journalists come into play with innovative proposals designed for the current multiplatform and mobile scenario.

ResumenLos gabinetes de comunicación institucionales cada vez adquieren una mayor influencia en la confor mación de la agenda mediática. Este crecimiento continuado fue espectacular en el ámbito de la admi nistración local adaptándose a la realidad con nuevas fórmulas como las mancomunidades o las asesorías externas y ampliando la influencia de su mensaje a través de las herramientas que ofrece internet. Pero, ¿son realmente institucionales los gabinetes de comunicación de los ayuntamientos o responden a inte reses políticos concretos? Algunos indicios en la conformación y dinámica de los departamentos así como en el mensaje transmitido, hacen sospechar que detrás de estos gabinetes no está el fin democrá tico de la información, sino la propaganda de un determinado partido político. La investigación propone una aproximación a la actuación de las salas de prensa institucionales on line. Palabras clave: gabinete on line, comunicación política, información institucional, comunicación orga nizacional, periodismo. Local government on line press offices AbstractThe influence and importance of institutional press office have grown on the media agenda making in creasingly. On local governments this growth is so weighty that net tools or new ways such as commu nities or external consultants are been engaged in order to expand their message. Nevertheless, are local government press offices genuinely institutional or just a replication of specific political party interests? Some traces on the conformation and dynamics of these departments, as well as on the transmitted mes sage, lead us to suspect that the reason of these offices is not the democratic purpose of the information but political propaganda. Present research proposes a insightful approach to the local government on line press office performance. Keywords: on line press office, political communication, institutional information, organizational co munication, journalism. Referencia normalizada

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This article reflects on the conceptualization and the salient features of the ecology of e-democracy. The authors identify four distinct waves marked by technological innovations and studied under the control–participation dichotomy. In the first wave, during the 1990s, political actors begin to establish their online presence but without any other notable changes in communication. The second wave takes place from 2004 to 2008 and features the consolidation of social networks and the increasing commodification of audience engagement. The third wave begins to take shape during Obama’s 2008 election campaign, which featured micro-segmentation and the use of big data. The fourth wave, starting in 2016 with the Brexit campaign and the Cambridge Analytica scandal, has been defined by the front and center use of Artificial Intelligence. Some recent phenomena that challenge or buttress the make-up of critical public opinion are the following: a) digital platforms as political actors; b) the marked use of Artificial Intelligence and big data; c) the use of falsehoods as a political strategy, as well as other fake news and deep fake phenomena; d) the combination of hyperlocal and supranational issues; e) technological determinism; f) the search for audience engagement and co-production processes; and g) trends that threaten democracy, to wit, the polarization of opinions, astroturfing, echo chambers and bubble filters. Finally, the authors identify several challenges in research, pedagogy and politics that could strengthen democratic values, and conclude that democracy needs to be reimagined both under new research and political action frameworks, as well as through the creation of a social imaginary on democracy.