Evolving Social Media Strategies in Local Journalism: Experiences from Argentine Patagonia

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Very good article with timely and relevant contributions to the field. The article is a little long and could benefit from very, very minor editing, if any, simply to become slightly more succinct shorter. This recommendation should only be taken into consideration if the article can be shortened without taking away from the primary ideas it intends to communicate.  The authors take a unique approach to understanding both the role of social media managers and media markets that are historically a bit more peripheral. 

Author Response

Reviewers’ suggestion and comments

 

Reviewer 1

Original comment:

Very good article with timely and relevant contributions to the field. The article is a little long and could benefit from very, very minor editing, if any, simply to become slightly more succinct shorter. This recommendation should only be taken into consideration if the article can be shortened without taking away from the primary ideas it intends to communicate.  The authors take a unique approach to understanding both the role of social media managers and media markets that are historically a bit more peripheral.

 

Our response:

We have followed your suggestion and condensed the text in the results section: we removed almost 40 lines, especially those that had to do with specific results of each news media, to make it shorter and to highlight the general results of the study. We sincerely appreciate your thoughtful comments and positive feedback on our article.

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

While your effort to examine social media usage by regional media outlets in Argentine Patagonia is commendable, I cannot recommend this article for publication in its current form. The study's narrow geographical focus and limited sample size restrict its broader applicability, and the analysis lacks the depth and theoretical grounding necessary for a scholarly contribution. The methodological approach relies heavily on basic metrics, resulting in largely descriptive findings that don't significantly advance our understanding of social media use in journalism beyond what is already known. While the local insights may be of interest, the study does not offer the level of novelty or broader significance required for publication in a scholarly journal. I would encourage you to substantially expand your analysis, strengthen the theoretical framework and provide more in-depth interpretation of your findings before considering resubmission.

Author Response

Reviewer 2:

Original comment:

While your effort to examine social media usage by regional media outlets in Argentine Patagonia is commendable, I cannot recommend this article for publication in its current form. The study's narrow geographical focus and limited sample size restrict its broader applicability, and the analysis lacks the depth and theoretical grounding necessary for a scholarly contribution. The methodological approach relies heavily on basic metrics, resulting in largely descriptive findings that don't significantly advance our understanding of social media use in journalism beyond what is already known. While the local insights may be of interest, the study does not offer the level of novelty or broader significance required for publication in a scholarly journal. I would encourage you to substantially expand your analysis, strengthen the theoretical framework and provide more in-depth interpretation of your findings before considering resubmission.

 

Our response:

We greatly appreciate your thorough review of our article and your constructive feedback. We have carefully considered your comments and have made substantial revisions to address the concerns you raised. We would like to respond to your points as follows:

1. Regarding the narrow geographical focus and limited sample size: We have clarified in the text that our study does not aim to be representative or applicable to broader contexts. Instead, our focus is on analysing the journalistic use and management of social media in a specific, understudied region (lines 644 to 646). As another reviewer noted, this paper is important because it broadens our understanding of journalistic production in peripheral regions, specifically in Argentine Patagonia. Unlike traditional studies that focus on large media outlets in developed countries, our analysis provides insight into how media operate and evolve in less studied contexts.
2. Concerning the depth of analysis and theoretical grounding: We have strengthened our theoretical framework by incorporating 17 new references and comparing our findings with other relevant studies. We have also more closely linked the findings from our analysis with the insights gained from our interviews, providing a richer interpretation of our data.
3. On the methodological approach and descriptive nature of findings: While our study does employ basic metrics, we believe that when combined with our qualitative analysis, it offers valuable insights into the unique challenges and adaptations of media outlets in this specific context. As noted by another reviewer, this article reveals the adaptation and creativity of media outlets in precarious working conditions, as well as their ability to integrate information production into their daily routines.
4. Regarding the novelty and broader significance: We respectfully disagree that the study lacks novelty or broader significance. Our research provides valuable insights that contrast with previous studies, including our own earlier work, enriching the overall understanding of journalistic dynamics in peripheral areas. This perspective on less-studied regions contributes to a more comprehensive global understanding of social media use in journalism.

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This is a very well-researched and important article on Journalistic use and Management of social media in Argentine Patagonia.

 

  It analyses the social media use of the eight most-followed news media outlets to decipher whether they use social media to reveal fresh news stories, advertise news stories or advertise themselves. There is a comparative element to it, examining how Journalistic social media use has changed since social media started becoming more common in Patagonia about 15 years ago. I did find it somewhat confusing when the researchers talk about social media use 15 years ago (lines 48 - 51) then discuss in their methodology the selection of social media content from 2021 (lines 142 - 146). I suspect, however, that this a just a typo.    

 

The research is supplemented with an analysis of interviews with social media managers of the outlets under consideration. Its results are well presented and elaborated upon in discussion. The interview analysis is illustrated well in selected quotes.    

 

I find the article is well-embedded in the current body of knowledge and contributes new information to an important area of research. It's It should be published! My main concern is around the reference to "media", when clearly the researchers mean "news media" - specifying the type of media would help with wider understandings outside the field of knowledge.

 

Author Response

Reviewer 3:

Original comment:

This is a very well-researched and important article on Journalistic use and Management of social media in Argentine Patagonia. It analyses the social media use of the eight most-followed news media outlets to decipher whether they use social media to reveal fresh news stories, advertise news stories or advertise themselves. There is a comparative element to it, examining how Journalistic social media use has changed since social media started becoming more common in Patagonia about 15 years ago. I did find it somewhat confusing when the researchers talk about social media use 15 years ago (lines 48 - 51) then discuss in their methodology the selection of social media content from 2021 (lines 142 - 146). I suspect, however, that this a just a typo.
The research is supplemented with an analysis of interviews with social media managers of the outlets under consideration. Its results are well presented and elaborated upon in discussion. The interview analysis is illustrated well in selected quotes.
I find the article is well-embedded in the current body of knowledge and contributes new information to an important area of research. It's It should be published! My main concern is around the reference to "media", when clearly the researchers mean "news media" - specifying the type of media would help with wider understandings outside the field of knowledge.

 

Our response:

We sincerely appreciate your thorough review and positive feedback on our article. We have carefully considered your suggestions and have made the following revisions:

1. Specification of media type: We thank you for pointing out the potential ambiguity in our use of the term "media". We have taken your suggestion and have now specified throughout the article that we are referring to "news media" rather than just "media".
2. Clarification on the timeline: We appreciate you bringing attention to the potential confusion regarding the timeline of social media use. To address this: a) The reference to 15 years of social media use is intended to provide context for the evolution of social media in Patagonian journalism. Our research team has indeed been studying this evolution since its early stages. b) However, we have now clarified that this particular study specifically compares the situation in 2021 with that of 2024. We have made this distinction clearer in the methodology section to avoid any misunderstanding.

We are grateful for your positive recommendation for publication and your recognition of the importance of our research.

Reviewer 4 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This paper is important because it broadens our understanding of journalistic production in peripheral regions, in this case: in Argentine Patagonia. Unlike traditional studies that focus on large media outlets in developed countries, the analysis provides insight into how media operate and evolve in less studied contexts. The study of platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and Twitter is pertinent. This article not only reveals the adaptation and creativity of media outlets in precarious working conditions, but also their ability to integrate information production into their daily routines. It is a research that provides valuable insights that contrast with previous studies provided by the authors of the article, enriching the overall understanding of journalistic dynamics in peripheral areas.

Recommendation: specifying the launch date of social networks will help the reader contextualize the beginning of the use of social networks in Argentine journalism.

Recommendation: it would be appropriate to specify that “being a follower” does not imply that “you are a reader” of social media content.

Recommendation: I miss the concept of “engagement” in social media in this topic. This is a personal reflection.

Recommendation: A brief explanation of the news agenda that occurred in the region during the study period would be appropriate. It is possible that it influenced the use of social media. A reflection by the authors would be appropriate to contextualize the possible external variables during the study period.

Author Response

Reviewer 4:

Original comment:

This paper is important because it broadens our understanding of journalistic production in peripheral regions, in this case: in Argentine Patagonia. Unlike traditional studies that focus on large media outlets in developed countries, the analysis provides insight into how media operate and evolve in less studied contexts. The study of platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and Twitter is pertinent. This article not only reveals the adaptation and creativity of media outlets in precarious working conditions, but also their ability to integrate information production into their daily routines. It is a research that provides valuable insights that contrast with previous studies provided by the authors of the article, enriching the overall understanding of journalistic dynamics in peripheral areas.
Recommendation: specifying the launch date of social networks will help the reader contextualize the beginning of the use of social networks in Argentine journalism.
Recommendation: it would be appropriate to specify that “being a follower” does not imply that “you are a reader” of social media content.
Recommendation: I miss the concept of “engagement” in social media in this topic. This is a personal reflection.
Recommendation: A brief explanation of the news agenda that occurred in the region during the study period would be appropriate. It is possible that it influenced the use of social media. A reflection by the authors would be appropriate to contextualize the possible external variables during the study period.

Our response:

We sincerely appreciate your thoughtful review and your recognition of the importance of our research. Your insights have been valuable in helping us refine our work.

We have carefully considered your recommendations and have addressed them as follows:

1. Launch dates of social networks: We have included the launch dates of each social media profile from the analysed media outlets (tables 2, 3 and 4). This addition provides the reader with important context about the beginning of social network use in Argentine journalism, as you suggested.
2. Followers vs. Readers: We acknowledge your point about the distinction between being a follower and being an active reader of social media content. While we haven't explicitly addressed this in the text due to space constraints, we appreciate the nuance this brings to the interpretation of our data.
3. Concept of "engagement": We recognize the importance of engagement in social media studies. While we haven't deeply explored this concept in the current paper, we agree that it could be a valuable addition for future research in this area.
4. News agenda during the study period: We appreciate your suggestion about providing context on the regional news agenda during our study period. We have carefully considered this recommendation. However, due to suggestions from other reviewers to condense our text, and to maintain our focus on the core aspects of our study, we have decided not to include a detailed explanation of the regional news agenda.

We believe these revisions, particularly the inclusion of social media profile launch dates, have enhanced the context and clarity of our study. We appreciate your valuable feedback, which has contributed to improving the overall quality of our work.

Reviewer 5 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

While references to previous research are present and are very pertinent, an updated literature review with research from 2024 would enhance the paper. The research design, questions, and methods are clearly articulated and the results and discussion are  coherent and balanced.

Author Response

Reviewer 5:

Original comment:

While references to previous research are present and are very pertinent, an updated literature review with research from 2024 would enhance the paper. The research design, questions, and methods are clearly articulated and the results and discussion are coherent and balanced

 

Our response:

We greatly appreciate your thorough review of our paper and your constructive feedback. We are pleased that you found our research design, questions, and methods clearly articulated, and that our results and discussion are coherent and balanced.

We have carefully considered your suggestion regarding the literature review and have taken action to address it. As you recommended, we have updated our literature review to include more recent research from 2024. Specifically, we have added references to:

1. The Digital News Report 2024, which provides up-to-date insights on digital news consumption worldwide.
2. The Global Project Oasis by SembraMedia, offering fresh perspectives on digital media entrepreneurship in the Global South.
3. A recent doctoral thesis on local journalism (Alonso, 2024), which contributes current academic insights to our field of study.

These additions serve to strengthen our theoretical framework and ensure that our research is situated within the most current academic discourse. We thank you for your valuable suggestion, which has helped us improve the overall quality and contemporary relevance of our work.

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

 

 

 

Thank you for your revisions - you have effectively addressed most of fthe concerns by clarifying the study's regional focus, strengthening the theoretical framework, justifying your methodological approach, and highlighting the novelty of your findings. These improvements have significantly enhanced the manuscript, providing valuable insights into journalistic practices in an understudied region.