Sob as lentes da esperança: as potencialidades do jornalismo de soluções para a narrativa da fome no telejornalismo brasileiro

Abstract

This doctoral thesis in Communication investigates how Solutions Journalism can contribute to expanding traditional narratives about hunger in television news and promoting a deeper understanding of the problem. The central focus of the research is on how the TV programs Jornal Nacional and Fantástico, broadcast by Rede Globo, have addressed the theme over the past 20 years. The main hypothesis suggests that, although the reports on hunger in these programs significantly portray the reality experienced by millions of Brazilians, they still do not offer a deep understanding of the issue. Furthermore, the reports present opportunities in terms of pointing to possible solutions for the violation of the right to food or initiatives that suggest viable and proactive paths to combat hunger. The research considers the coverage of people's hunger in television news as an important field of study in the field of Communication, since journalism, by reporting on urgent social issues, contributes to the construction of knowledge in society. In this sense, Solutions Journalism emerges as a possibility to fill the gaps present in traditional narratives, by proposing an approach that not only portrays the problem, but also explores perspectives for tackling it. Therefore, the general objective of the thesis is to analyze how the practice of Solutions Journalism can be applied in television journalism for a more complete approach to hunger. Among the specific objectives, the analysis of the possibility of integrating this approach into Brazilian TV journalism is highlighted, aiming to strengthen social awareness about hunger and broaden public understanding of the issue. The research also looks to investigate how Rede Globo has approached the theme in the reports of the analyzed TV news programs, exploring the evolution of the coverage over the last two decades. To support the findings from the report analysis, the research includes semistructured and in-depth interviews with key professionals who contributed to the production of reports on hunger. The interviewees include journalist Marcelo Canellas, known for his impactful social and human rights reports, the cameraman Lúcio Alves, the Director of Journalism and Sports at Grupo RBS, Marta Gleich, and the Product Manager for the multimedia operation at Grupo RBS in Caxias do Sul, Andreia Fontana. The interviews provide valuable insights into the challenges of journalistic coverage of hunger and the potential of the solutions-focused approach. To achieve these objectives, the main methodology adopted is the Analysis of Audiovisual Materiality, proposed by Iluska Coutinho (2016), which allows for a detailed evaluation of the audiovisual materials to be analyzed, considering not only the verbal content but also the visual, sound, and narrative aspects of journalistic productions. Based on an evaluation form, the articles selected in the research section that address the issue of hunger are submitted for analysis. In the end, the thesis aims to contribute to the field of television journalism by highlighting the relevance of Solutions Journalism as a tool for transforming coverage of hunger, presenting proposals capable of inspiring concrete actions and a greater social understanding of the problem. Therefore, it is hoped that this approach can help overcome fatigue and avoidance news and build a narrative that combines information and hope, promoting the right to food and human dignity.