Contenidos informativos y legitimidad pública de Radio Ciudad de Riobamba

Abstract

Public radio in Latin America is currently facing a period of questioning, where public distrust and political influence cast doubt on the legitimacy of these media outlets. In Ecuador, national public media have historically been perceived as government instruments, but little is known about the situation of municipal stations. In this context, Radio Ciudad, the official public broadcaster of the Decentralized Autonomous Municipal Government of Riobamba, represents a relevant case study for understanding how citizens perceive and value a local public media outlet. The objective of this research was to analyze the public legitimacy of Radio Ciudad based on the perceptions of the Riobamba population regarding its news content. The research adopted a mixed-methods approach with a descriptive scope and a non-experimental case study design. Structured Likert-scale surveys were administered to 384 citizens over 18 years of age residing in Riobamba, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with three social communication experts with more than 20 years of experience in the field. The results showed that overall trust and content quality were the dimensions most highly valued. In comparison, citizen participation received the lowest rating, as did informational accuracy. It is concluded that Radio Ciudad has a solid foundation of public trust based on the professionalism of its journalists and the relevance of its local coverage. However, its institutional ties to the municipality and the lack of platforms for citizen voices remain the points that most challenge its legitimacy—aspects the station will have to address if it wants to solidify its place in the Riobamba community.