The economic news and the public policies of social nature: without dialogue

Abstract

The press is an institution socially legitimated as a defender of plurality of opinions, which is proper of democratic environments. It is from the knowledge of different aspects of reality and visions that individuals make up their minds and carry out their basic citizens’ rights, such as choosing the leaders who will drive the nation towards sustainable and widespread development. Therefore, public policies should be the main target of journalism. However, when one assesses economic news, so central for voters decision-making, it is quite clear that the public sector is seen merely under the needs of primary surplus’ generation. The impact of public investment in infrastructure works, for example, is overshadowed by a discourse according to which the efficiency of the public sector is measured through spending only. This article aims at assessing how federally-conducted public policies appear on the economic session of Brazilian newspapers of general content, taking into account the outcomes of a survey with two of the country’s largest newspapers, as well as to set why the approach favors matters of interest of a specific and well-organized group and excludes ministries and institutions related do social-mobilization.