International cooperation in Ecuadorian cyberjournalism The cases of Plan V and Periodismo de Investigación

Abstract

The expansion of Ecuadorian online media had the support of international cooperation, interested in strengthening the democratic system and freedom of speech. Internacional NGOs, with the support of those in Ecuador, invested in training and seed capital. This process started when the relationship between the Rafael Correa government (2007-2017) and the media became strained and journalists migrated
to the web to continue their work.
Plan V and Periodismo de Investigación are two of the projects that received development funding. This form of financing is a variant of the sponsored business model.
This research, which is descriptive in nature, seeks to determine how international cooperation aid to online media is established, for which in-depth interviews were conducted with the spokesperson of local and international NGOs, such as Fundamedios and Foro de Periodismo del Ecuador; an international one, such as Freedom House; and representatives of Plan V and Periodismo de Investigación online media. This work is
part of an investigation financed by Univerisidad Andina Simón Bolívar, Ecuador.