09/12/2007

Neutral? Only pH

By Mário Magalhães
ombudsman@uol.com.br

Nov. 25: (world news section)
Venezuelan media cover referendum badly

Dec. 1: (national news section)
Coverage of referendum is more impartial, study shows

Those who believe in journalistic neutrality should look at Folha's valuable and involuntary contribution to exterminate that belief.

On Nov. 25, the newspaper ran in the world news section a study which monitored TV and radio in Venezuela in the campaign for the referendum on constitutional changes.

Six days later, the national news section ran the same story again by mistake in some copies of the newspaper. Academic research confirmed that the reporting is partial, though less than in previous campaigns.

The world news section gave a somber tone. "Venezuelan media cover referendum badly." The national news section illuminated the progress: "Coverage of referendum is more impartial, study shows."

Coming from the same prime material, the newspaper offered two syntheses, both of them correct: depending on the page, the contents were positive or negative. This occurred because journalistic neutrality and objectivity are fictional entities.

Folha's stylebook instructs: "Objectivity in journalism does not exist. By choosing a topic, writing a story and editing it, the journalist makes decisions in large measure subjective, influenced by personal positions, habits and emotions." I add: culture, idiosyncracies and opinions of news organizations also have an impact on choices.

Still, in the same newsroom, opposing interpretations can be found. One believes that the essence of the story should be emphasized --coverage is partisan; another, the news: there is progress.

The reader who gets to the final point receives a package of information to form his own judgment. What the eyes passed over only quickly was vigorously influenced by an intermediary --the author of the story.

Even without the existence of any chemical purity, objectivity is a quality that should be pursued, especially in some types of journalism --the role of a story is not to "influence minds," but to inform. The ethical guide at "The New York Times" recommends being impartial "whenever possible."

Challenged about the distortion that his passion for the Botafogo soccer team causes in his commentaries, João Saldanha replied: "Nobody is the child of an incubator; everyone has an opinion."

Mr. Belly darkens journalism

Dec. 3: (front page --national edition)
Exit polls show Chávez victory in referendum

(front page - -São Paulo edition)
Referendum in Venezuela at a dead heat

(World news section --national edition)
Exit polls indicate Chávez victory

(World news section --São Paulo edition)
Chávez's vice president admits on TV that campaign for reforms at dead heat

Opponents of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez occasionally bash him here in Brazil using images of the old Mexican TV comedy "Chaves." One of the characters on the program, Mr. Belly, was customarily targeted for scams by the child Chaves.

On Monday, the specter of Mr. Belly targeted journalism in the coverage of the Venezuelan referendum about constitutional reform. If approved, it would allow Chávez unlimited re-election.

"O Estado de São Paulo" started the day by announcing the triumph of the "yes" vote in favor of Chávez: "Referendum increases powers of Chávez." As was learned in the early morning hours, the "no" vote prevailed.

It was an anthology of "belly." As the stylebook says, "belly" is a Brazilian slang expression meaning the "publication of a serious mistake in information."

By contrast, inspired by virtue of caution, Folha stepped on the brakes. The headline on the front page of the edition concluded at 9:22 p.m. was: "Exit polls show Chávez victory in referendum."

Later, at 1:34 a.m., this was the prudent headline: "Referendum in Venezuela at dead heat." And below: "Exit polls indicate Chávez victory, but government avoids celebrating before final results."

On Tuesday, it was discovered that Folha also committed its own blunder, as did much of the national and international press: the survey in the exit polls from the Datanálisis institute did not exist --it was a series of government sources. The newspaper based its story on the Efe news agency (of Spain), which erred.

If it had shown more caution, Folha would have only reported the survey after checking it. In a polarized campaign, with battles of information determined by the outcome of the fight, there can never be enough of another journalistic virtue, skepticism.

Father Júlio, megaphone and whispers

Oct. 28: (front page)
Former intern says he performed sex for money with priest

(National news section)
Former intern says he performed sex with Father Júlio

Nov. 29: (daily news section)
JÚLIO LANCELOTTI
Prisoner backs off and denies intimate relationship with priest

Above the fold on the front page of its most important edition, Sunday, Folha ran on Oct. 28 the headline "Former intern says he performed sex for money with priest." In the national news section, it added: "Former intern says he performed sex with Father Júlio."

On Nov. 29, the newspaper reported without making a big deal, far from the front page, in a footnote in the daily news section: "Inmate backs off and denies intimate relationship with priest."

Contrary to the thinking of some readers who sought me, the former intern from the first story, Anderson Batista, is not the prisoner in the second one, Marcos José de Lima.

Still, the approach of the facts seemed unequal: when a witness makes damaging statements to Lancelotti, the newspaper reported it with a megaphone; when another said something beneficial, it was reported with whispers.

The coverage is legitimate, as is the approach to questions of public interest, such as alleged extortion, alleged use of official funds and alleged practice of pedophilia. The priest was not arrested nor accused by officials and much less convicted. Folha should restore balance.

The newsroom commented: "The cases are different. The first, on Oct. 28, deals with the former prisoner from Febem who was accused by the priest of attempting extortion. It was published on the front page, the same way that accusations about Father Júlio were published. The second case, in November, was another accuser, whose complaints never received much attention in Folha --not on the front page nor in the daily news section. For this reason, when he backed down, his statements also were not given much play."

-Translation by John Wright