Operação Moeda Verde: um fato, dois enquadramentos

Abstract

This article analyzes the covering of Operação Moeda Verde (Brazilian Federal Police’s “Operation Green Currency”), as shown on two newspapers of Santa Catarina, both of them controlled by the same corporation, Rede Brasil Sul (RBS): Diário Catarinense and A Notícia. The different approaches and frames stemmed from the same fact, by DC and AN, clearly show different possibilities of constructing journalistic discourse. These coverings exemplify the extreme dependence, by the press, on official sources, highlighting an inversion that is getting more and more often: actions by Federal Police and Federal Public Ministry were usual items in newspapers’ agendas, now they are establishing agendas themselves, for local, regional and national media. The situation makes clear the need, for the press, of taking on investigative journalism as a method for its day-by-day work. The episode also allows for a reflection on the symbiosis between the realms of media and politics, since Moeda Verde investigations reach political leaderships, businessmen and high public functionaries who have strong relationships with Santa Catarina media.