Scimago Media Rankings (SMR) is a database of media outlets from around the world that analyzes the web reputation of each media, which makes it possible to analyze and compare them with each other, or to know the relative situation of the media in each country, or between countries.
The SMR website presents the ranking like this:
SCImago Lab presents the first global media map to discover, evaluate and compare the digital development, position and leadership of journalistic companies from the perspective of their web reputation.
Source: Scimago Media Rankings website
In what follows we present a visual guide through annotated screenshots of the Scimago Media Rankings.
Main navigation
In the main menu we have highlighted the two main options to use the Scimago Media Rankings:
- Rankings – provides access to the main data and filter options
- Viz tool : information visualization tool
In the following screenshots we show examples of both options.
General ranking and filtering options
When accessing the ranking, we have the general results and some filtering options. For each media, as can be seen, we know its position in the global ranking, that is, worldwide, and the specific score obtained by the combination of four indicators.
At the top of the screenshot we have highlighted the filter options:
- Regions : this is all the countries in the world, but organized into large regions, such as Eastern Europe, or Western Europe, Latin America, Nordic countries, etc., but also by criteria such as the BRIICS or the EU-27.
- Countries : by this filter we can select any of the countries from all over the world that make up the database.
- Languages : Allows you to filter by the language or languages of each media.
Ranking of a country
In this case, we can see the information of a certain country. We have highlighted the number of media outlets that make it up, and the two types of links for each media outlet: one to the media’s file in the database (left) and another to the website of the media outlet itself (right). In addition, of course, we have the global indicator of web reputation ( Overall ) and the score that has given it that position. Finally, we can browse the rankings obtained previously, since it is updated four times a year.
Example of region and language intersection
In the preceding screenshot, we can see the case of filtering by language. In the concrete example, we have filtered by region (EU-27) and language (French).
Data from a specific media
When we access the file for each media, we can see the data of its global index and the disaggregated data, as well as its temporal evolution.
When we click on the tab of a specific media, we see the accumulated data, Overall , and the disaggregated data, as well as its evolution in previous rankings.
Information visualization: media on the world map
Information visualization: data by country
How to find a news outlet
The ranking has an internal search engine with which it is possible to find any news outlet directly. The search window also has a system that suggests answers from the first words or letters.
Data source: big data
The ranking is based on the combination of four data sources, which are provided by three of the most important and prestigious web positioning analysis tools in the digital ecosystem, specifically, it handles data provided by the companies Semrush , Ahrefs and Majestic.
They are the companies that produce, in an internationally recognized way, the most important databases on the Internet. Thus, the ranking is largely based on the concept of big data.
Methodology
Regarding the methodology, we recover what the website indicates about:
We start from the premise that, for there to be a recognizable and comparable reputation, it is necessary for that reputation to be identified through metrics. In an environment of digital hypercompetition, we understand that web visibility indicators can serve as valid metrics to evaluate the media by connecting the social reputation associated with the
Source: Scimago Media Rankings
brand idea (the ability of the media to project itself as an influential actor in society, being a prescriber and shape public opinion) with objective and measurable indicators of access and linkage that allow global benchmarking.
On the methodology page there is additional information on the data sources and the indicators used.
Better journalism or better adaptation to the web?
Web reputation cannot directly measure which outlets do better journalism, apart from the fact that it is not easy to determine what exactly is the best journalism, even if everyone has an intuitive view of what it means.
Instead, the Scimago Media Rankings measures which media have the best adaptation to the digital context. As this measurement is made through the analysis of the links it receives (quantity and quality) and other signals such as traffic and social interactions , this adaptation is directly related to web reputation as it is socially perceived.
There is no direct cause-effect relationship, that is, there is probably no causal relationship between good journalism and a good web reputation, but there is certainly a significant correlation, and then, probably, it can be said that the Scimago Media Rankings tells us it helps to know what is the best journalism that, at the same time, is best adapted to the web.
Development and team
Scimago Media Rankings is a development of Scimago Lab , well known for previous prestigious products, of international use, such as Scimago Journals & Country Ranks s . Regarding the team, it is led by Félix de Moya . The point is that this section serves as a declaration of interests , since I feel lucky to be part of it , along with Magda Trillo and Ramón Salaverría , among others. In this link you can see the complete list and a CV of all the members .
Local journalism
The Scimago Media Rankings covers in its first editions international, national or state and regional journalism (in more than one sense of the term), and has as a challenge for the future to incorporate local journalism . This is increasingly important journalism, and although its incorporation presents significant challenges, it is undoubtedly one of the best goals for the future development of this ranking.
Conclusions
For the first time, we have a web media reputation analysis tool from around the world that allows for individual or comparative analysis. It will be a useful tool for professionals and researchers as well as for citizens.
SEO and web positioning professionals will be able to know the positioning of their own media and the media that make up their ecosystem. For their part, researchers in the field of communication also have an analysis tool for their work, and finally, citizens will be able to check the reputation of the media.
