The best free digital newspapers in Spanish

In recent years, the written press has undergone a profound transformation. Sales of traditional paper newspapers have been falling dramatically to make way for the digital format. There are many reasons for this change, but the reality is that free digital newspapers They have more and more readers. We are going to talk about them here.

Almost all paper information media now have their digital version. Moreover, the evolution of the sector indicates that in the medium term the printed format will end up disappearing, leaving only the online version active. On the other hand, there is also the figure of the online newspaper or digital newspaper, which is a medium born in the Internet era without a previous printed version.

See also: Free magazines on the Internet: where to download the best variety

In reality, digital newspapers were born at the beginning of the XNUMXst century by the hand of the digital journalism, a new form of journalism that uses the Internet as a base of operations, a way of working closely linked to information and communication technologies (ICTs). This is how digital readers were also born, we all already are, who benefit from being able to obtain fast information in real time.

Some of the main differences between both formats are these:

• Actualización. Digital content is constantly updated, while in traditional newspapers this is done after each printing.
• Support. Paper is fragile and deteriorates over time. Digital support allows us to access the newspaper from different devices.
• Interactivity. Communication between the medium and the reader in the traditional press is unidirectional; instead, digital media allow the reader to interact by commenting on the news.
• . In digital newspapers, previous publications can be accessed through searches or through links.
• media resources. Digital media can include audio and video content.

Having said all this, what are the best free digital newspapers in Spanish? It is difficult to establish what are the basic criteria to determine if one medium is more important than another. It is about assessing a set of aspects such as the number of visits they receive, the quality of its contents, the functionality of your smartphone versions or your impact and reach of social networks or awards received. Taking all this into account, this is the list that we have prepared for you:

BBC Mundo

Curious as it may seem, the most widely read digital news portal in Spanish in the world is not based in Spain or in any other Spanish-speaking country, but in the United Kingdom. BBC Mundo is the BBC news portal in Spanish. It has newsrooms in Miami, Mexico and Buenos Aires, as well as reporters and collaborators in Spain and in almost all the capitals of Latin America.

BBC Mundo not only publishes news, but also offers its readers reports, analysis, opinions and testimonials following the old school of independent style so characteristic of the BBC. A free digital medium with a high quality standard.

Link: BBC Mundo

The Country (Spain)

If we talk about digital newspapers strictly speaking, excluding news portals, within the Spanish-speaking world El País is the most read digital newspaper in the world, with nearly 19 million unique readers.

This newspaper, founded in Madrid in 1976, opened its electronic version twenty years later, being the second Spanish newspaper to make the digital leap (the first was the Avui from Barcelona). Much of its content is free, although access to some articles requires a subscription.

Link: El País

Brand (Spain)

Trademarks is the first digital newspaper sports information in Spanish. In fact, it outnumbers many general media, some of which appear on this same list.

Its website was launched on March 3, 1997. Since then it has remained the most visited sports website in Spain and in many Spanish-speaking countries. Most of its contents cover all sports, with special attention to the most popular of them, soccer.

Link: Trademarks

Clarin (Argentina)

Number one newspaper in Argentina, although also visited by readers from many other parts of the world. The digital version of Clarín It has almost 7 million unique users, which is not a negligible figure. It calls itself "the great Argentine newspaper", although it has a marked international vocation, which is why its contents are also interesting for readers from other countries. Its online version saw the light for the first time in 1996.

Link: Clarín

20 minutes (Spain)

Although the print version of the newspaper Minutes 20 It only goes on sale from Monday to Friday, the digital edition is always available and updated daily. It is undoubtedly one of the great free digital newspapers in Spanish.

This medium appeared in 2005 as the first informative newspaper with a license Creative Commons. This meant that anyone could reproduce or create derivative works from news of it. In addition to having a large number of readers, 20 Minutes maintains a very active presence on social networks.

Link: Minutes 20

The Economist (Spain)

In 2006 appeared The Economist, a digital newspaper specializing in economic and financial issues that over time has established itself as one of the reference portals within its segment. It is also the first economic newspaper in Spain in terms of visitors, always in a close fight with other large specialized newspapers such as Expansion o Five days.

Link: The Economist

The World (Spain)

Behind of El País, the Spanish newspaper El Mundo In its online version, it is the second most consulted digital in Spanish in the world, with more than 9 million unique users.

Its electronic edition appeared in 1995. Since then it has been perfecting its service with new and more varied content, versions for mobile phones and other devices, as well as the subscription option to its online kiosk, called Orbyt. Like other large newspapers, most of its content is free, although it contains articles only accessible by subscription.

Link: El Mundo

The Latest News (Chile)

Últimas Noticias became the first Chilean newspaper launched in a completely digital format, no less than in 1994. Its online edition is a replica of the printed version for free, so it can be classified in a category halfway between both formats. In any case, it is one of the most widely read in Chile and has many readers outside this country.

Link: Últimas Noticias

AS (Spain)

The number of unique readers of As places it in the Top 7 of digital newspapers in Spain, ahead of recognized general media such as ABC o The Newspaper of Catalonia. And the truth is that this is not bad at all if we take into account that it is a medium dedicated exclusively to sports information.

Link: AS

Infobae (Argentina)

This digital project born in Buenos Aires in 2002 has a marked political bias. Actually, all the media have it, to one side or the other, since objectivity in these times is conspicuous by its absence, although in this case there are not too many efforts to hide.

In any case, infobae is a one hundred percent digital newspaper that spreads news from all over America, with special sections on entertainment, technology, sports or movies, for example. It has followers throughout the Spanish-speaking world.

Link: Infobae

The Spanish (Spain)

The Spanish is another successful example of a purely digital newspaper. It was founded in 2015 by journalist Pedro J. Ramírez, who was director of El Mundo for many years. It should be noted that it was born from a campaign of through crowdfunding which involved more than 5.000 people. It defines itself as an "indomitable" means of communication, hence its symbol is a lion.

Los Angeles Times (United States)

Given that the Spanish-speaking community in the United States is enormous and is constantly growing, it is not surprising that this country is home to one of the most widely read digital media by this community. The truth is that this is the Spanish version of Los Angeles Times (also known as the LA Times), so its contents are quite focused on American news, especially that of this city and that of the state of California.