Technological dependence and outsourcing for innovation in journalism in Spanish media outlets (2014-2021)

Journalism and technology have always gone hand in hand, but the growth of technological progress and the resulting fascination have led to a lack of critical perspective. This study combines quantitative and qualitative methodologies to shed light on this intersection, with innovation at its core. First, the most prominent news organizations in the Spanish ecosystem in recent years (2014-2021) were identified. Next, all the innovations they implemented during that period were tracked. Lastly, the weight of technology in their innovations was analyzed using three variables: creator, change over time, and the nature of the organizations. The results reveal that approximately twothirds of the innovations implemented are linked to technology, thereby corroborating its importance for progress in journalism. However, the results also confirm the existence of many initiatives independent of technological progress, particularly in the organizational sphere. In terms of the creators, third-party technologies predominate, with a spike in 2020 in response to the health crisis. These findings allow us to delve into the correlation between technological innovation, the social context and the reliance on big tech.