Way Beyond the Walls

09/25/2017 - 12h22

Through the years, Folha grew with "Estado de S. Paulo" newspaper as its competitor. Either by design or through mutual antagonism, one newspaper defined the other. "Estado" has traditional roots; Folha assumed the role of a modern newspaper.

This week, a very high-quality story reminded us that competition is no longer limited to the newspaper on the other side of the river or the neighboring metropolis.

In a three-page story, which took up half of the first page of Sunday the 17th's print edition, the American newspaper "The New York Times" showed why it is a reference worldwide.

Entitled "How Big Business Got Brazil Hooked on Junk Food", it built a great report based on documents from companies, epidemiological studies and governmental reports.

From the very beginning, it is an example of journalistic excellence:

"FORTALEZA, Brazil - Children's squeals rang through the muggy morning air as a woman pushed a gleaming white cart along pitted, trash-strewn streets. She was making deliveries to some of the poorest households in this seaside city, bringing pudding, cookies and other packaged foods to the customers on her sales route.

Celene da Silva, 29, is one of thousands of door-to-door vendors for Nestlé, helping the world's largest packaged food conglomerate expand its reach into a quarter-million households in Brazil's farthest-flung corners.

As she dropped off variety packs of Chandelle pudding, Kit-Kats and Mucilon infant cereal, there was something striking about her customers: Many were visibly overweight, even small children."

In general, Brazilian readers are accustomed to seeing their country reported on in foreign publications with information that has already circulated in the local press. This age has past.

The impeccable report focuses on an angle not approached by the national press. It shows how industry has contributed to the obesity epidemic. It explicitly reveals the meandering of Brazilian authorities, like the choice of a lawyer from the industry to occupy the agency that should be regulating it.

With its sights on the national market, the American newspaper put a version of the report in Portuguese in a section of its site dedicated to the obesity epidemic.

On Monday (the 18th) in an internal critique I suggested that Folha reproduce the article in its pages, since a contract with "The New York Times" allows Folha to reproduce texts from the newspaper. It was only published on the 21st in the digital edition and on the 22nd in the print edition. No attempt was made to provide a local reaction, focus or approach.

The Brazilian market has been coveted by world class news organizations. The Spanish publication "El País" is betting on a stimulating Brazilian version in the digital world. BBC Brazil has widened its Portuguese language services. Both are constantly cited by readers.

In messages to the Ombudsman, they cite articles and reports from these media groups, with themes and focuses that are different than those chosen by Brazilian vehicles, comparing them to those produced by Folha.

Global competition is a challenge. Folha, for sure, is a reference for the work of foreign correspondents in Brazil. Now, however, it is being hounded by journalistic heavyweights in its own backyard.

No one can argue that it is standing still. Since 2013, Folha has been making investments in major multimedia reports inspired by those done by "The New York Times".

The first one, for example, about the Belo Monte hydroelectric complex, received many international awards.

Just this month, the newspaper finished a series of ambitious reports, called the World of Walls. Published since June, the reports have explored physical barriers constructed on four continents due to misery, unemployment, terrorism, war and crime, revealing scenarios generally unknown to the Brazilian public.

Production of the series lasted for six months and involved 22 people. Seven different trips, each involving a text/photographic reporter duo were made. According to managing editor Roberto Dias, readership interest levels have been high and very engaged.

This isn't something that one sees frequently in Brazilian newspapers.

From the point of view of readers in general, international competition seems to offer the best of all worlds. A journalistic dean, however, sees the risk of a consolidation of a worldwide news oligopoly, reducing the space for the Brazilian press.

No matter what problems it is going through itself, the Brazilian press is linked to the country's problems and approaches and reports on them with a national perspective. Foreign media groups with global concerns work from a different level and approach. This is neither always better nor worse.

The new age, without digital walls, presents gigantic challenges.

Translated by LLOYD HARDER

Read the article in the original language