Demócrata: Spain's Data-Powered News Outlet Keeps the Government and its Policies in Check
In Spain, a data-powered news outlet called Demócrata has emerged with a mission to hold politicians accountable and provide data-based journalism that sheds light on government activities and public policies. By leveraging extensive data extraction and analysis, Demócrata aims to bring transparency to the legislative process in Parliament and fill the gap in Spain's media landscape, which has traditionally focused more on politics than on detailed coverage of public policies.
Demócrata stands as Spain's sole news outlet dedicated to daily coverage of Parliament and public policy from an accountability perspective. By delving into parliamentary websites, documents, and public records, the outlet has uncovered notable discrepancies in gender representation within the Spanish political sphere. For instance, Demócrata's analysis revealed that men delivered nearly two-thirds of the speeches during general parliamentary sessions, highlighting a significant gender disparity which could inform the passage of laws, such as the recently passed gender-quota law. After the outlet exposed the underrepresentation of women on congressional committees related to crucial state matters, such as defense and economic affairs, the law was passed to ensure that women were able to assume leadership roles both on these committees and across the country.
Demócrata addresses a critical void in Spanish media, offering in-depth coverage of public policies and parliamentary debates that goes beyond the scope of mainstream publications. While newspapers primarily focus on politics, Demócrata takes a more nuanced and granular approach to reporting, offering detailed insights into policy discussions. It also makes its data acquisition process extremely transparent, detailing exactly how they obtained the data necessary to bring attention to its subjects. “It brings a lot of transparency to the legislative process,” said Pilar Velasco, who is an investigative journalist and Demócrata’s editorial director. “When the noise of politics occupies the entire news cycle, it generates a space for opacity that isn’t reported on.” The outlet's data team has developed specialized software to extract and analyze public but disorganized data, providing comprehensive insights into the legislative footprint of political parties. By examining legislative progress, Demócrata revealed that the far-right party, Vox, had not passed any laws during the current parliamentary session, despite its rhetoric, and despite calling for a vote of no confidence on the incumbent leaders of the Socialist Party.
Demócrata, with its dedicated team of seven, is initially funded by its board of directors and advertising revenue. The outlet plans to expand its revenue streams through sponsorships, paid events, and subscriptions. The platform's various sections aim to appeal to both politicians and the general public. The sections are: Agenda (an archive of the weekly newsletter that summarizes what’s happening in Parliament in the coming week), Actualidad (updates and play-by-play of laws and amendments), Políticas (news on proposed and ongoing policies), Quieren Influir (economy stories), and an analysis and opinion section.
“The mission is permanent scrutiny of institutions,” Velasco said. “Through continuous supervision of the work of politicians and legislators, information transparency, we believe, can strengthen institutional credibility. [The news] that comes to us from Parliament is often the political discussion, statements, politicians fighting with each other, and press conferences. But the legislative branch is a pillar of the State where many things happen that regulate life in society. It is what orders us and regulates us. And all of that wasn’t being covered in Spain with the specialization it deserves.”
“We sort of feel like a hub for people who already had innovative ideas about parliamentary information,” she added. “We get a lot of pitches for [collaborations]. When that you’re a small outlet, to grow you have to put springboards in places to get to the next level, and you can’t get there on your own.”
