I wrote in last Sunday’s column the idea that in Folha’s coverage of the killings of street people in downtown So Paulo the newspaper did not know how to take advantage of the occasion to open and deepen discussion about people who live in the streets.
There are more than 10,000 people with no perspective on their lives. Not all of them are beggars. Many work gathering paper and cans. It is a very serious problem, as was shown in the series of massacres which began Aug. 19. Last Thursday, one more person was killed, and there are now seven deaths.
The newspaper began its coverage on the topic badly. But with the passage of days, it has begun to follow the police investigations and ended up reporting, in sparse stories, a little bit about the lives of these abandoned people. It was good to show their opinions and demand action through three editorials. And there were shining moments with the profiles of Angeli, Glauco and Jean, published in the opinion section (page A2).
Forum for debates
It failed, however, in not making space available for debate. Newspapers inform, provide services and traditionally are forums for discussion and comparison of ideas and policies. They don’t always do well at this. Sometimes they let things slip away or treat them superficially.
That is not a problem only at Folha. I find it improbable that any reader has managed to firm up an opinion about controversial topics, like the quota system in universities, for example, or the risks of genetically modified organisms just from reading newspapers.
It is a challenge to make space for new topics, run away from shallow discussions, seek to contribute in fact to understanding of problems and to look for solutions. But this is a role suited to newspapers more than any other news medium.
In the case of Folha, I find its position strange from the start. The newspaper, which is not used to missing out on major topics, completely ignored the drama of the street people. The op-ed section, a space devoted to discussion, has not published, 15 days after the tragedies, even one opinion piece on the topic.
On Saturdays, the section has a different format. It asks a question which needs a yes or no response. On Saturday, Aug. 28, when the issue about the killings was still hot and could have inspired a good question for response by experts, the newspaper preferred a topic about the Olympics which ended: “Are big-money sports overvalued in Brazil?” Yesterday, it opted to discuss the matter of public-private partnerships.
But you can’t say that discussion does not exist. On Friday, two weeks after the first massacre, the daily news section published a summary of the principal responses of candidates for mayor in So Paulo and brief commentaries by experts. Nothing more.
Uncomfortable
Concerning the absence of opinion pieces, I spoke with Fbio Chiossi, an editor at the section, who said: “I don’t believe that the topic is appropriate for the Saturday question, which seeks a yes or no answer. I agree that the issue should be among the op-ed topics on normal days, and I am trying to find space to publish pieces about it. Besides this, we invited Father Jlio Lancelloti (who ministers to street people in the Archdiocese of So Paulo) to participate in a debate about violence in the city.”
I came to the conclusion that the topic is more uncomfortable than I imagined and does not have the glamor of the great controversies. It is easier to discuss distant national problems or the insanity of international terrorism.
The lower number of messages from readers over the past week (15 of them through Friday) revealed, in a certain way, that the topic is not very attractive. Maybe it is difficult to face.
But it is there, like it or not, and still has no solution. We are on the eve of an election for the leader in charge of taking care of the city and its people. There is no way to run away from the problem.
Debates with readers
For those who like debates, Folha this week will hold two events which count on the participation of its readers. These are rare opportunities to discuss problems in the city, such as street people and violence, and to get closer to the news and journalistic work.
On Wednesday, Sept. 8, the series of “Exchanging ideas – eye on the city,” organized by Folhateen, Folha’s section for youth, and Unicef, will end. The theme will be violence in So Paulo. Participating in the discussions will be Col. Laudina de Oliveira, director of municipal and community topics for the So Paulo State Police; Father Jlio Lancelloti, director of the non-government organization Life House; and adolescents Jos Ranto, of the Association of Mothers of Adolescents at Risk; and Isis Mozetic. Journalist Gilberto Dimenstein will be the moderator.
On Friday, Sept. 10, the series “Candidates at Folha” will begin. It is a series of discussions with the principal candidates for mayor of So Paulo. They will be interviewed by journalists and will respond to questions from the audience.
The order of discussions is: Sept. 10, Luiza Erundina of the Brazilian Socialist Party; Sept. 13, Paulo Maluf of the Progressive Party; Sept. 14, Jos Serra of the Brazilian Social Democracy Party; and Sept. 15, incumbent Mayor Marta Suplicy of the Workers Party. They will be interviewed by Clvis Rossi, Gilberto Dimenstein, Renata Lo Prete, Nilson Camargo and Contardo Calligaris.
I hope that the format Folha conceived for the two events will allow the participation of a large number of readers and that they have enough time to question those being interviewed.
——————————————————————————–
For those who wish to participate:
“Exchanging ideas – eye on the city” – Mube Auditorium (218 Europa Ave., Jardins, So Paulo, starting at 2 p.m. Admission is free and those interested in attending should make reservations by calling 3224-3473 from Monday to Friday between 2 and 6 p.m.
“Candidates at Folha” – Folha Theater, at the Ptio Higienpolis Shopping Center, 618 Higienpolis Ave., second floor, So Paulo at 3 p.m. Admission is free and open to subscribers of the newspaper. Those interested in participating should register by calling 3224-3473 from Monday to Friday between 10 and 7 p.m. or by email to candidatosnafolha@folha.com.br.
Translation by John Wright
