The Importance of Rumors in the Spanish Sports Press: An Analysis of News about Signings Appearing in the Newspapers Marca, As, Mundo Deportivo and Sport

Francisco-Javier Herrero-Gutiérrez and José-David Urchaga-Litago
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Francisco-Javier Herrero-Gutiérrez: Department of Sociology and Communication, University of Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, Spain
José-David Urchaga-Litago: Department of Communication, Pontifical University of Salamanca, 37002 Salamanca, Spain

Publications, 2021, vol. 9, issue 1, 1-15

Abstract: The front pages of newspapers are the main showcase to sell the product. Those first pages are a perfect hook for newspapers to attract readers; thus, it becomes vital to show striking pieces of information, captivating the audience. In the case of the written sport press in Spain, there is a key period in which true information is mingled with half-truths and even rumors: The summer transfer window. This paper shows an analysis of the front-page news appearing in the Spanish sports newspapers Marca, As, Mundo Deportivo, and Sport, over a five-year period (2015–2019), based on a sample of 120 different issues of the newspaper. Many times, the media present information either as something true or as a hypothesis or possibility. After quantitatively analyzing that, it can be noticed that in more than 50% of the cases, the signing or sale of the player referenced on the front page (the main news) does not occur. Similarly, it can be observed that there is a direct link connecting the news referring to Real Madrid with Marca and As, and Fútbol Club Barcelona with Mundo Deportivo and Sport. Finally, almost 100% of this news is showed along with real photographs, using photo montage in just a few cases.

Keywords: sport press; Marca; As; Mundo Deportivo; sport; rumor; signing; transfer; Real Madrid; Barcelona; journalistic rumor (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A2 D83 L82 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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