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Communication and society take center stage at the opening of the 1st International Congress of Public Broadcasters
The inaugural panel, attended by the USP's president and vice-provost, opened the meeting, which 13 foreign professionals attended
Fábio Magalhães, Norma Meireles, president Carlos Gilberto Carlotti Jr., vice-provost Maria Arminda do Nascimento Arruda and Eugênio Bucci – Photo: Marcos Santos/USP Images
“The relationship of public TV is one of constant struggle,” Fábio Magalhães said, current chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Padre Anchieta Foundation, during the opening of the 1st International Congress of Public Broadcasters, held at the University of São Paulo (USP) between May 21 and 22. The congress gathered representatives from radio and television stations worldwide in thematic panels and working groups to foster debates on these broadcasters’ role and contributions to quality journalism and their relationship with society. Professor Eugênio Bucci (Office of Social Communication – USP), Fábio Magalhães (Padre Anchieta Foundation – TV Cultura), Norma Meireles, Brazilian University Radio Network’s president – Rubra, and USP’s president and vice-provost, Carlos Gilberto Carlotti Junior and Maria Arminda do Nascimento Arruda, attended the congress’s opening event.
Introducing the panel’s guests, radio host Roxane Ré pointed out the congress’s goal of creating an environment for collaboration and the exchange of experiences and knowledge, “as well as promoting the exchange of strategies and solutions to the challenges faced in the current ecosystem, thus strengthening collaboration between public broadcasters so that they promote plurality and ensure sustainability in line with the public interest”.
Verônica Poli, congress coordinator, also thanked the researchers, professionals, and students involved in the event for their attendance. “Let it be a unique opportunity to reflect on the role of public broadcasters in journalistic practice, cultural programming, and the promotion of education, both in Brazil and internationally.”
Roxane Ré - Photo: IEA-USP
Broadcasts of all the congress panels can be accessed on USP’s YouTube channel. More information is available below and at the official site.
Eugênio Bucci - director of Social Communication at USP
In his speech, professor Eugênio Bucci defined public communication as a form of media that serves no commercial interests, religious doctrines, or partisan agendas. Instead, it “seeks to represent society and engage in dialogue with it.”
For this reason, he advocated for the continued existence of public broadcasters. “And where they are stronger, democracy is better protected,” he said, noting that “this kind of platform reduces vulnerability to misinformation, hate campaigns, and threats to solidarity, freedom, democracy, and respect.”
Eugênio Bucci - Photo: Marcos Santos / USP Imagens
“The people meeting here over these two days are each other’s main support,” he said, pointing out the academic and professional dimensions of bringing together public broadcasters in search of the best paths for communication. “We need to seek alliances to gain strength – in Brazil, no doubt, but also internationally – in defense of the right to information and democracy.”
Fábio Magalhães - Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Padre Anchieta Foundation
“The relationship of public TV is one of constant struggle,” said Fábio Magalhães, current chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Padre Anchieta Foundation (TV Cultura), during the congress’s opening. According to him, this trajectory is marked by “a constant of conflicts and also of encounters: the government pays, but it doesn’t call the shots”. The phrase was originally used by the former governor of São Paulo, Roberto de Abreu Sodré, to define the early years of the relationship between the State government and TV Cultura. The expression synthesizes the ideal of editorial autonomy and independence in public communication, so that the State finances the broadcaster without interfering in its content.
Fábio Magalhães - Photo: FPA
Norma Meireles - Brazilian University Radio Network's (Rubra) president
Norma Meireles, a professor at the Federal University of Paraíba and current president of Rubra – Brazilian University Radio Network – has expressed “the joy of being part of the construction of this congress” since the organization’s first meetings. Meireles pointed out the working groups organized during the evening of the congress. They were not planned at first, but they became part of the schedule to ensure the participation and integration of all the public broadcasters’ representatives.
Norma Meireles - Photo: Lattes
Maria Arminda do Nascimento Arruda - USP’s vice-provost
“The social communication, radio, newspaper, television, as well as the publisher and so many other institutions that the University has, have a fundamental characteristic: They operate from the University, which is a research institution, and at the same time they are marginalized in the market,” vice-provost Maria Arminda do Nascimento Arruda said in her speech. “We are at a time when it is very important to defend sustained communication, which is averse to so-called fake news and, at the same time, defends rights, democracy, freedom, and independence,” she concluded, pointing out that Jornal da USP has guided the mainstream press.
Maria Arminda do Nascimento Arruda - Photo: Cecília Bastos/USP Imagens
Carlos Gilberto Carlotti Junior - University of São Paulo's president
In the panel’s closing speech, USP President Carlos Gilberto Carlotti Junior highlighted the importance of the independence of public broadcasters and institutions. As examples, he cited the São Paulo Research Foundation (Fapesp) and the three state universities of São Paulo: the State University of Campinas (Unicamp), São Paulo State University Júlio de Mesquita Filho (Unesp), and USP itself. “Financial independence also ensures our academic independence,” he said. Carlotti also suggested promoting debates throughout the congress, including discussions on “how we are going to behave in the public sector in the face of the speed, quality, and vagueness that exists in social media”.
Carlos Carlotti Junior - Photo: Marcos Santos/USP Imagens
*Intern under supervision of Marcello Rollemberg
**Intern under supervision of Moisés Dorado
English version: Nexus Traduções, edited by Denis Pacheco
Política de uso
A reprodução de matérias e fotografias é livre mediante a citação do Jornal da USP e do autor. No caso dos arquivos de áudio, deverão constar dos créditos a Rádio USP e, em sendo explicitados, os autores. Para uso de arquivos de vídeo, esses créditos deverão mencionar a TV USP e, caso estejam explicitados, os autores. Fotos devem ser creditadas como USP Imagens e o nome do fotógrafo.
A reprodução de matérias e fotografias é livre mediante a citação do Jornal da USP e do autor. No caso dos arquivos de áudio, deverão constar dos créditos a Rádio USP e, em sendo explicitados, os autores. Para uso de arquivos de vídeo, esses créditos deverão mencionar a TV USP e, caso estejam explicitados, os autores. Fotos devem ser creditadas como USP Imagens e o nome do fotógrafo.