The Abertura: Television and politics in the end of the dictatorship in Brazil (19791980) Paulo Roberto de Azevedo Maia

(Federal Fluminense University Brazil)

This article proposes a re lection on the per ormance o the Brazilian press! in particular! openin" o the television pro"ram that aired rom February #$%$ to &uly #$'( the net)or* )as readin" Tupi and the process o political openin" in Brazil at the e+act moment that this )as processed, -t is understand the )or*in"s o a television ne)s pro"ram embedded )ithin a conte+t representative o an alternative modernity, Michel de .erteau! to accomplish their daily studies! aimed at e+plorin" the /uestion o the use and consumption and veri ies the behavior o the vie)er be ore the persuasive po)er o television0 Many )or*s! o ten remar*able! dedicated to studyin" the representations is )hether the behaviors o a society, Than*s to *no)led"e o social ob1ects! it seems possible and necessary to delimit the use o them are "roups or individuals, For e+ample! the analysis o the ima"es broadcast by television (representation) and the time spent on the machine (behavior) must be completed by the study o )hat the cultural consumer 2ma*es2 durin" these hours and these ima"es, The same is true )ith respect to the use o urban space! the products bou"ht at the supermar*et or the stories and le"ends that distributes the ne)spaper,# The readin" o Michel de .erteau allo)s you to open a space or the individual in society )hen he sees importance in the study o consumer culture! it manu actures, 3o you understand that there is no possibility o autonomy, The result o the

representations is not limited to pure ideolo"y over)helmin" the individual trapped in a class society dominatin" and oppressive, -n this sense it is possible or cultural
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Michel de .erteau, The Practice o 4veryday 5i e0 Art o Ma*in" (Petropolis0 6oices Publishin"! #$$')! 7$,

resistance and the consumer can stand be ore the media )ith the certainty o intelli"ent li e a ter spendin" time in ront o the television, The study be"ins tries to ollo) the path indicated by the conceptual idea o alternative modernities, The 5iberals! the le"itimate calls bour"eois revolutions! be"an to dictate a certain monopoly on the idea o modernity! because! accordin" to liberals! this )ould not e+ist )ithout them, This idea is challen"ed by 3aniel Aaron! )ho consider the 8in"s too pretentious and said other possibilities e+ist parallel to the development o liberal modernity, 4ven durin" the bour"eois revolutions alternative proposals )hich emer"ed the bi""est challen"e )as to ensure the reedom and it can be seen at various times o the revolutions as the tra1ectory o the 5evellers and 3i""ers durin" the 4n"lish Revolution! the ideas o e+tendin" ri"hts to disadvanta"ed "roups such as blac*s! )omen ! 9ative Americans durin" the American independence! and proposed popular durin" the French Revolution, :Thus be"an the disputes, ;n the one hand! modern liberals, ;n the other hand! the alternative modernities,< Throu"hout the t)entieth century revolutions came and chan"ed the li estyle o millions o people around the )orld, Proposals or radical political le t and ri"ht have brou"ht ne) esperience o modernity and ultimately threaten the very reedom! ie0 -n criti/ue o e+clusive and dynamic liberties that liberal proposals made in many circumstances and events! pro"rams or alternative modernities! not in re/uently! have assumed the ri"ht ( ascism and corporatism) and le t (actually e+istin" socialism) dictatorial tendencies, -n the name o race and = or hierarchies (corporatism and ascism) or class and = or e/uality (socialism)! 1oined the perspective o modernity and blo)in" stron" economic pro"ress! modernity in an instrumental perspective! *illin" her )as more e+citin" in terms o openin" or the construction o ne) horizons0 reedom,
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:The processes o modernization and alternative modernities: -n ;ur America and the U>A ?.3@R;MA

.ecilia Azevedo .oordination (Rio de &aneiro0 4ditora FB6! <(($)! %,

.onsidered by many disturbin" actor! insecurity! reedom )as re1ected in the name o pro"ress! i"htin" enemies! the needs imposed by circumstances )hich! strictly

spea*in"! )ere nothin" more than a lo"ical e+ercise o po)er! devourin"! insatiable that hypertrophied states at the e+pense o citizens2 autonomy, ;n the one hand this led to the emer"ence o modern movements that led to e+periments "ave rise to anti@democratic! too! movements i"htin" or democracy as is the case in Brazil durin" the military@civilian rule )ith the emer"ence o a democratic stru""le a"ainst the "overnment in place,

Bet een !esistance and de"ocratic stru##le

;ne issue that arose and led discussions is the idea o democratic resistance lin*ed to the per ormance o le tists in the late 2C(s and early 2%(s, Accordin" to the sociolo"ist Marcelo Ridenti is not possible to spea* o democratic resistance, The term ori"inates rom the di erent "roups )ho ou"ht the 9azis and turned on the idea o de ensive combat and not a revolutionary o ensive, Thus the e+perience in Brazil a)ay rom this concept! 1ust a e) movements may receive this desi"nation as the .atholic le t! some liberal movements and the Brazilian .ommunist Party (P.B) )ho preached a broad ront to i"ht the dictatorship! )ithout the need or armed stru""le, Most movements en"a"ed in the stru""le a"ainst the re"ime sou"ht the path o armed stru""le! but not )ith the intention o restorin" democratic order be ore the coup, Dis in luence )as the .uban revolution and sou"ht to develop a revolutionary action to overthro) the military and civilian rule! then deploy a social society, >ort armed stru""le )ithin the rame)or*

o resistance )as a mysti yin" action that have arisen durin" the political openin"! movement o the amnesty, The results o actions do not al)ays e+press the intention o the a"ent! so Ridenti o results raises the /uestion o armed stru""le, The le tist movement )as very small and insu icient to combat the re"ime, Their actions )ere not si"ni icant and never mana"ed to uni y and create a movement )ith a real chance o ta*in" po)er, >o his )ea*ness could be called resistance, This does not mean that these militants )ere involved in a democratic resistance movement! a ter all! the vast ma1ority did not have democracy as a "oal,7 The democratic stru""le can be conte+tualized rom the political de eat o the le tist movements that have opted or armed stru""le )hen le t@)in" "roups have rallied around the idea o stru""le or the return o democratic order! helpin" to create a lar"e ield opposite the dictatorship, This happens )hen the "overnment be"ins its pro1ect o ma*in" a political openin", Bet a double cross! the spreadin" o an authoritarian "overnment the end o his re"ime in a "radual manner so as not to hit upon the most conservative sectors )hich could impede the pro"ress o open action and or"anized sectors o society as the le tist movements that had the need to rebuild as a political orce a ter the de eat o the armed stru""le, The emer"ence o a movement led by the democratic stru""le )ithin the le tist "roups a reor"anization )ith the emer"ence o ne) "roups )ith ne) "oals, This discussion be"an abroad! speci ically in .hile! )ith other e+iles )ho sou"ht alternative )ays to i"ht the dictatorship! but a ter the all o >alvador Allende )ith Pinochet coup that debate )as ocused to other countries in Paris )here the publication o the 1ournal >ocialist Brazil has emer"ed as a space
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or re lection

or this debate,

Marcelo Ridenti! Resistance and mysti ication o armed resistance a"ainst the dictatorship0 pit alls or researchers, -n 3aniel Reis! Marcelo and Rodri"o Motta Ridenti, The coup and the military dictatorship! E( years later (#$CE@<((E) (Bauru0 4dusc! <((E)! F%,

-n Brazil in the second hal o the %( be"an an e ort o the le t out o hidin" and "ain visibility in society made possible by the establishment o alliances )ith other sectors o society )ho also )anted an end to dictatorship, Amon" the or"anizations that )e can hi"hli"ht the M3B a ter )innin" the #$%E election the "overnment concerned and has been a vehicle or uni yin" orces o discontent comin" rom various sectors o society, The .atholic .hurch movement or human ri"hts throu"h the .PT and the ecclesial base communities and more individualized the stru""le o the .ardinal Bishop o >ao Paulo 4varisto Arns in their en"a"ement a"ainst the torture that led the movement Brazil 9ever A"ain, The student movement! a ter years )ithout mani est! resur aced in #$%% )ith parades in Rio de &aneiro, -n addition to these movements o the middle class sectors and pro essional associations be"an to mani est itsel as the ;rder o 5a)yers o Brazil = ;AB! the Brazilian Press Association = AB-! teachers unions and other or"ans, The movements considered a minority! too! are or"anized such as the movement o )omen! blac*s! "ays and indi"enous cause, -mportantly! the role o the metal)or*ers2 unions! especially >t, Paul and the AB. that! ta*in" advanta"e o the ne) political openness! be"an to )a"e a campai"n has revived the trade union movement in Brazil, All "roups )or*ed on a broad ront o society a"ainst the re"ime by democratic stru""le,E The press played an important role in this moment o democratic stru""le! the ne)spapers called d)ar or alternative media positioned themselves! the bi""est press also be"an to mani est itsel ! althou"h there is a bi" part o the press a desire to maintain a position o opposition to the re"ime even )ith the end o censorship! the ne)spapers

Maria Paula 9ascimento AraG1o, :The democratic stru""le a"ainst the military re"ime in the #$%(s: -n 3aniel Reis! Marcelo and Rodri"o Motta Ridenti (eds), The coup and the military dictatorship! E( years later (#$CE@<((E), (Bauru0 4dusc! <((E) #C%@#C'),

)ere the property o "roups that had supported the #$CE coup and did not see the reason to *eep an open opposition, Hith the be"innin" o the Fi"ueiredo "overnment be"ins a television pro"ram that is proposed to discuss the process o political openin" "ivin" space to voices lon" silent as is the case o le t@)in" militants rom Brazil or rom e+ile, -t is openin" that )as aired by Rede Tupi T6 and helped )arm up the debate or the return o democracy and the situation is )ithin the democratic stru""le,

$penin#: a pro#ra" of political liberalization

Throu"hout my master2s research on the ne)sreel .hannel #((! it )as revealed that the period o political openin" has not been "reatly studied in relation to the media, ;nly e) studies have been identi ied and most o them bothered to e+amine the transition in political or military leadership and sou"ht to i+ attention on the )or*in" class and business class, Alzira Alves de Abreu (<((F)! the lo) interest by researchers in the media durin" the openin" can be attributed to ho) it is perceived by students! ie! it presents a hi"h de"ree o subordination to their sources! not actin" directly in the ormulation o the act! but reproducin" a speech that is not yours, This type o analysis can be ound in the Mar+ist thesis that the media consider an instrument o domination o the state! i"norin" its potential as a vehicle or chan"e, Another ar"ument that 1usti ies the lac* o analysis attributes to the di icult access to sources that )ere and remain closed to researchers, ;nly ne)spapers are easily accessible and some ma"azines and T6 stations o er their collections )hich

ma*es it necessary to use other primary sources and oral testimonies to enrich the research, -denti y issues related to the media durin" the openin" is an arduous tas*! more di icult is to ind research that have television pro"rammin" as a central ocus in the period! as studies related to the topic are al)ays connected to the analysis o T6 ne)s as an a"ent o dissemination o some events li*e the bombin" o the Rio@center! or even the ability to manipulate events in some as in the case o Rede Blobo and its covera"e o the campai"n :3irect 4lections 9o): (Abreu! <((F), There is a consistent )or* on the behavior o television and its e ects in the conte+t o openness to the political ima"inary, Television has under"one trans ormations in the second hal o the %(s by proposin" pro"rams that run as themes not discussed the situation o )omen (Malu Homen and )i e o T6 Blobo) and national policy no) bein" lampooned on comedy sho)s such as Planet o the Men, Politics! dan"erous and little@discussed issue because o the repression! )as treated )ith a special attention and! particularly! the openin" pro"ram o the Tupi 9et)or* represented a milestone in Brazilian television! because not only discussed! problematized and brou"ht voices lon" silent to the chorus in avor o democratization o the country, &ournalist Fernando Barbosa 5ima! e+perienced in the production o 1ournalism or T6 pro"rams as the ; icial 6an"uard T6 4+celsior! Free .hannel and others! )as responsible or this 1ournalistic e+perience that ta*in" advanta"e o the discourse o political openness ound room to develop a ma"azine opinion, The pro"ram that aired rom February E! #$%$ until &uly #$'(! portrayed the political momentum that the country be"an to live )ith the return o e+iles, Dad a team o intellectuals! 1ournalists! artists and personalities such as Anthony .allado! Fausto

Hol ! Fernando >abino! >er"io .abral! ;s)aldo >ar"entelli! Iiraldo! 9e)ton .arlos >aldanha and &ohn Halter .lar*! amon" others, -t is true that the openin" )as not the only pro"ram to discuss politics and everyday events! Blobe Reporter lived )ith their most interestin" productions that bore the hallmar* o "reat documentarians as 4duardo .outinho, The 4ducational T6 o >t, Paul )ith 6o+ Populi had a tal* sho) tellin" "uests to have as controversial i"ures as the )riter .larice 5ispector! or 9elson Rodri"ues! tal*in" about his )or* or even the repressive re"ime )hich )as in avor! but it stood a"ainst censorship and violence )hich his son )as the tar"et, -t is amon" the e) pro"rams that tal*ed about important issues )ith critical content and many o erin" mass entertainment and Brazil sou"ht to e+alt the Breat! as the documentary series Amaral @ The Reporter! a pro"ram that is dedicated to e+plorin" the natural beauty o Brazil in a patriotic speech! is that the idea o Fernando Barbosa 5ima in doin" a 1ob o discussin" the political reality o Brazil in its various aspects, The pro"ram )as the development o policy analysis at the process o political openin"! but are not e+empted to discuss cinema! psychoanalysis! literature! the very Brazilian T6 and other issues that turned the pro"ram into a "reat ma"azine o varieties, An important actor or the emer"ence o the openin" )as the moment that )as censorship! despite the e+istence o censorship! 1ournalism )as no lon"er under the eye o the censors directly! because there )as no more censorship, This event mar*ed a turnin" point in Brazilian television and! accordin" to Babriel Priolli! the openin" )as the irst pro"ram o national impact o this phase and accounted or more than a darin"! )as a stimulus o rene)ed attitude o reedom! too! to other stations because The coura"e he sho)ed in the video restore ree political speech! ma*in" damn voices spea*in" or many years @ 5uis .arlos Prestes! 5eonel Brizola! 3arci

Ribeiro! etc,, encoura"ed )ary T6 producers to dare them too! solidi yin" the small hole in the )all o the dictatorship achieved,F The pro"ram led to openin" reaction in the press that came re"ularly to revie) your edits, This may be due to the democratic character o the pro"ram that dre) attention because it helped to rea irm the process o political liberalization in the country )ith analysis o intellectuals! artists and politicians )ho )ere not common on television, An e+ample is the article :&ournalism @ True 5i e >ho): &e erson Barros that analyzes several pro"rams at the time as the 9ational &ournal! but consider the only openin" to discuss issues relevant to that moment! a pro"ram that can mobilize up to Blobo that )ould have chan"ed the ormat o his >unday pro"ram Fantastic! very close to the schemes o American 1ournalism! or his sa*e, The pro"ram came to be a re erence in times o openness not only the content but also by the )ay,

Fernando Barbosa 5ima tried to ma*e a pro"ram that di ered rom the others not only in discourse independent! but also proposin" rames )ith personalities )ho led their e+pectations! so &ohn >aldanha )as not spea*in" o sports such as mi"ht be e+pected! but in any event o the )ee* as a lood or political event deemed relevant, .abral spo*e o music! but "ave no room or e+pression in the media i"ures! be"inners or veterans non@privile"ed by the cultural industry, The name o the pro"ram )as the hi"hli"ht o Blauber Rocha! responsible or the "reater part o irreverence, -n it the director discussed the situation o national culture by e+pressin" his displeasure a"ainst the orces o :cultural imperialism: and

hi"hli"hted the role o the artist and the people )ithin the national political scene, Fi"ures considered by Blauber as true Brazilians )ere constantly on his table as Brizola youn" blac* Bota o"o )ho )as intervie)ed as a popular re erence i"ure o 5eonel
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! Fernando Barbosa 5ima! Arlindo Machado! Babriel Priolli!, Television and 6ideo (Rio de &aneiro0 Iahar! #$'F) 7$,

Brizola 1ust returned rom e+ile or >everino! a 9ortheastern mi"rant ilmma*er )ho "ave much re erences and appeared re/uently! but had little active participation because it is practically spea*in"! limited to hear the criticism e+posed, >everino2s about the article by 1ournalist Maria Delena 3utra2s ne)spaper o 9ortheastern Brazil that considers the victim o humiliation, The reaction o the ilmma*er Blauber Rocha appears )hen intervie)in" Paula BaitJn! )here he comments0 :The Mary 4llen is "ettin" very amous! is "ivin" a shoe to Paul Francis there,: -n other pro"rams the ilmma*er *eeps the same tone o the 1ournalist )ho considers critical0 :Kour article in the &ournal o Brazil a"ainst the pro"ram o the openin"s is an article disastrous! because it is a stupid article, Kou need to be more sophisticated, The >everino is not not bein" humiliated, :The symbolic presence o a representative o the northeastern classes is a provocation that Blauber had e+ercised on earth in trance )ith the character o the man o the people depoliticized, Blauber Rocha *ept the tradition o their troubles and controversial i"ure! )hose criticism al)ays )ith a stron" acid o irony provo*ed reaction, Dis participation had an e+perimental nature! choosin" ne) an"les! characters! and by openly criticizin" the censorship ban the boo* 6ianinha he considered one o the "reat authors o the Brazilian theater, But in addition to maintainin" a nationalist discourse! propa"atin" an independent culture! attac*in" censorship and discuss the role o the common man in national politics, Blauber )as responsible or intervie)s eaturin" the openin" theme to the center o discussions, The speech o the then "overnor o Bahia! Antonio .arlos Ma"alhaes e+empli ies not only the initiative o a pro"ram )hich aimed to discuss the democratization o the country and brou"ht a si"ni icant loo* at the de inition o orces that made up the "overnin" coalition o support or the end o the dictatorship! ie0

- thin* the amnesty in the political ield should be as )ide as possible! no)! un ortunately it cannot be unrestricted up so as not to con use )ith other politicians )ho are actually in other crimes )hich are not political,C

The Bahia political emphasized the need o the end o bipartisanship in the construction o democratic order! ma*in" it clear that in the #$'< elections should already participate in at least three political parties, The importance attached to the bac* o the multiparty system )as valued as a )ay to stren"then the representation o various sectors o society as )e can see0 The important thin" is that the parties have representation in order to avail themselves or )hat they have in the se"ments o society! in public opinion, Political party by decree )e2ve ever had and it seems that )as not )or*in"! there ore )e have to hear the basis or parties to represent the popular )ill,% -ntervie)s li*e these lead us to in/uire about the nature o the pro"ram, -t )as a space o political plurality or more an outlet o the systemL - believe the irst hypothesis, 3espite si"ni icant "overnment i"ures o ten participate! participation o people rom various sectors o society and especially ne)ly arrived rom e+ile i"ures contributin" to the debate on the openin" and the )ays that Brazil should ollo)! is a stron" e+ample o pluralism contributin" to the democratic stru""le in Brazil,

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;penin" Tupi 9et)or*! April #$%$! 9ational .inemathe/ue! >ao Paulo ;penin" Tupi 9et)or*! April #$%$! 9ational .inemathe/ue! >ao Paulo