24/05/2009
Comics in the classroom and the newspaper
CARLOS EDUARDO LINS DA SILVA
ombudsman@uol.com.br
Folha could have analyzed a book regarded by officials as "a horror"; there is no absolute horror when dealing with art
A report on Tuesday told about the purchase of a book with cartoons telling stories, using low-class slang and sexual allusions, for distribution to students in secondary public schools in São Paulo state.
While the story made no accusations about the authors or editors of the book, which has been produced for seven years with an adult target audience, more than a few readers got a bad impression of them. The newspaper did well on Friday by giving space to an opinion piece in the op-ed section which explained the obvious: comics aren't only for kids.
It could have done more than this. It could have analyzed the book, which was regarded by public officials as "a horror." The horror depends on the viewer of artistic work, among other elements. There is no absolute horror when dealing with art.
It could also have dealt with the use of comics as a learning tool, as educator Doralice Araújo said in her blog.
A daily reader and regular critic of Folha, Doralice Araújo, brought up a point that is important for the newspaper: "Even the journalistic sections which publish comics or cartoons that are inappropriate for young readers should be attentive because, contrary to disseminating material of this nature, it makes an association with something ignoble, a joke that is abusive with insolence disguised as laughter and inappropriate insults."
I got many complaints from readers against comics published in the newspaper that were considered offensive, sexist or in poor taste, especially in the Folhateen supplement.
I asked the newsroom how it reconciles the complaints about comics for use in education with its own, accused of similar propriety. I got a response (with which I agree) that they are very different things: "The comics in Folhateen are oriented toward adolescents, inside a product (the newspaper), purchased by readers."
This case gives me the chance to bridge an old divide with some readers who have asked me for a long time to deal with the topic of comics in the newspaper. Alexandre Carvalho, Antonio de Padua Correa, Delano Valadares and Maurício Ferraro were some of those who complained that they believed the comics in Folha showed a "lack of creativity" in recent months.
The cartoonists disagreed. Angeli said that they are being updated and that "making changes in a daily column is like changing your clothes while walking as the whole world is watching." Laerte believes that people don't recognize what is unexpected, but it is good that "there is a place for the traditional cartoon and to experiment." I agree with them.
DILMA'S BASIC WIG
In the evaluation that I make of the daily editions of this newspaper, I wrote the following about the story published on May 16: "I don't imagine there is a public interest in the information about whether Dilma Rousseff (chief of staff to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva) does or does not wear a wig. Highlighting the topic in the headline on page A8 and dedicating six of the 10 paragraphs in a story about her illness, in my opinion, is unjustified and constitutes an unnecessary invasion of her privacy."
Those who decide to lead a public life give up a lot of their rights to privacy. Winners of awards or aspirants for public office have the right to reveal everything about the status of their health.
Still, there is a right to some personal space that only interests those closest. On Wednesday, however, the chief of staff voluntarily commented to journalists that she was using a "basic wig."
If she sees no problem in revealing this kind of information, the newspaper has no obligation to preserve it.
Except when a famous person takes the initiative to open up this kind of information, it is worth recommending that a private life has journalistic relevance only if it is crucially linked to events of interest or legitimate public curiosity.
TO READ
"The Creative Explosion in Cartoons," by Moacy Cirne, Achiamé Publishing, 1982 (starting at 9 reals, or US $4.45, at sites which sell used books)
TO SEE
"Superman," a boxed set of six DVDs and five movies in the series, starting at 79.70 reals)
WHAT FOLHA DID RIGHT...
NOURIEL ROUBINI
An interview on Friday with the economist, who predicted the crisis, is excellent
... AND WHERE IT DID BADLY
"Rhetorical terrorism"
The headline on page A4 Tuesday is typical of an editorial, not a news story: it gives opinion, makes value judgments and takes sides
MENDES LAWYER
An opinion piece on page A4 Monday praising Gilmar Mendes should have said that the writer is a lawyer for the chief justice of Brazil's Supreme Court in his impeachment hearing
DISCOURAGEMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT
A headline on page B6 Friday erred in attributing the conclusion that "discouragement avoids higher unemployment" to the IBGE (the government's statistics bureau).
PETROBRAS
A headline on page A4 Wednesday says that the state company spent 47 billion reals on no-bid contracts over six years; it should have said the total was 72 billion reals over eight years
UNITED KINGDOM
The newspaper has weak coverage and is behind in coverage of the scandal about overbilling of expenses in the British Parliament, similar to one in Brazil's Congress
WHO IS LETTERS TO THE EDITOR?
Letters
from readers 56
from people in the news 9
Centimeters
from readers 435
from people in the news 121
*from May 16 to May 22, 2009
TOPICS MOST COMMENTED DURING THE WEEK
1. Dilma Rousseff
2. Petrobras
3. Savings
WORTH REMEMBERING
Cases that need to be looked at again
Two months ago the newspaper reported that Marcos Valério was in the "final phase" of negotiating his statement to tax collectors. Where is this case now?
-Translation by John Wright
