El podcast como nueva alternativa mediática en la comunicación digital

Abstract

his research project analyzes the transformation of the communication ecosystem in Ecuador through the consolidation of the podcast as a digital mediation process. Under a media ecology approach, the study examines the narrative, interactive, and linguistic dimensions within the national context, using 4hí Humildemente, Sorbito de Opinión, and Darán Viendo as case studies. The findings demonstrate that the transition from analog audio to on-demand consumption reconfigures power dynamics between senders and receivers, restoring temporal autonomy to users against the rigidity of traditional linear radio. Structural features such as asynchrony and digital persistence function as an "extended time," allowing cultural and entertainment narratives to integrate organically into the fragmented daily routines of the audience. Furthermore, the study highlights the role of social media platforms in content co-creation and the strategic deployment of "viral fragmentation" (short video clips) as algorithmic hooks to expand reach. In discursive terms, the success of the podcast lies in a narrative of intimacy and horizontality, prioritizing natural speech over conventional broadcasting styles. Finally, the economic sustainability of the medium is addressed, determining that it depends on converting community engagement into tangible assets. The study concludes that the podcast operates as a democratizing agent in Ecuador, decentralizing access to the microphone and giving voice to diverse identities