Keywords: Digital media, audience feedback, editorial decisions

This comparative study analyzes ten digital newspapers from Chile and Ecuador to investigate how audience feedback influences editorial decisions. The objective is to answer the following research questions: To what extent does audience feedback influence editorial decisions in the most-read digital newspapers in Chile and Ecuador? And: Do these newspapers exhibit similar behaviors regarding the relationship between editorial decisions and audience feedback?

A qualitative methodology was used, based on semi-structured interviews conducted with editors from the five most-read web portals in each country. The key findings reveal significant similarities between the media in each country, showing a strong influence of audience feedback on editorial decisions, shifts in business models due to digital transformation, and the use of tools for measuring results, gathering insights, and engaging with users. This finding suggests the importance of understanding and responding to audience preferences and opinions for digital media in the region, highlighting the need for editorial strategies that promote audience participation and engagement.