Public Opinion and Media Research in Ibero-America: A Systematic Analysis of Academic Trends

What is this article about?

This article explains the current trends, methods, and topics in Ibero-American research related to public opinion and communication studies. Through a systematic review of 537 Scopus-indexed articles (2017–2019), Lotero-Echeverri, Romero-Rodríguez, and Pérez-Rodríguez map thematic focuses, methodological preferences, and country participation, emphasizing the centrality of digital communication and social media, particularly Twitter.

Why is it important?

This study identifies the most investigated topics, emerging themes like algorithmic communication and post-truth, and the dominance of quantitative research methods. It highlights structural issues such as the scarce inclusion of Latin American research in top-tier journals and the overrepresentation of Spanish institutions in publication outputs.

Key Findings

1. Most common topics

• Public opinion and media coverage (29.6%)

• Digital social networks (11.1%), especially Twitter

• Immigration (9.2%), political discourse, and journalism

2. Preferred methodologies

• Content analysis (33.5%) and surveys (26.4%) dominate

• Only 1.8% use qualitative interviews; mixed methods are rare (0.9%)

3. Geographical focus

• Most studies are single-country focused (66.4%)

• Spain leads with 27.8% of studies; Latin American presence is dispersed

• Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia are most represented

4. Studied populations

• General citizenship (21.4%), Twitter (19.6%), and press (18.7%)

• Minor focus on Facebook, students, journalists, and professors

Methodology

• Data source: Scopus

• Tools: NVivo 11, Excel, JabRef, Mendeley

• Sample: 108 filtered studies from an initial pool of 537

• Criteria: Ibero-American affiliation, relevance to public opinion and media

FAQs

Q: What are the dominant research methods in Ibero-American media studies?
A: Quantitative methods like content analysis and surveys are predominant.

Q: Which country leads in output?
A: Spain, with 27.8% of analyzed articles.

Q: Are emerging digital issues being studied?
A: Yes. Topics like algorithmic communication, post-truth, and disinformation are gaining ground.

Q: Why is this analysis relevant?
A: It offers a panoramic view of where academic attention is focused, the limits of methodological diversity, and the visibility of Latin American voices in communication research.