"A primeira década da AIDS no Brasil: o Fantástico apresenta a doença ao público (1983 a 1992)" / "The first decade of AIDS in Brazil: Fantástico presents a new disease to the public (1983 to 1992)"

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2006

RESUMO

This work analyses how the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (Aids), considered the most extensive epidemic of the 20th Century, has been broadcasted by the TV show Fantástico, from the Brazilian television network Globo, in the first decade in which the disease appeared in the Brazilian media, 1983-1992. Television, as the main source of information for the population at large, played a key role in presenting Aids to the public, well before governments, health professionals and scientists had reliable answers about this disease. Out of 105 pieces of news broadcasted by Fantástico, 26 were selected as those giving priority to the scientific aspects of the syndrome – scientific meetings, discoveries and advances in its prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Aids has naturally found a privileged space in Fantástico, in large account due to its unknown, lethal, sexually transmitted nature, which fits well into the scope of this TV show, with emphasis on the extraordinary, bizarre or even grotesque, very much inspired in the old tradition of the fait divers. There are few works analyzing television as a medium for popularization of Aids and those that do so focus on prevention campaigns. Fantástico was a pioneer program in spreading the name Aids in the Brazilian news media, when it broadcasted a show in which the disease was already called the “ 20th Century epidemics” on March 27, 1983. The coverage of Aids by this show has emphasized the national scenario and the scientific discourse, giving a reasonable space for the diffusion of information concerning the disease, telling the population of the available means for its prevention and the scientific advances towards understanding Aids and the quality of the Brazilian public health system. However, it is clear that this TV show has also contributed to the strengthening of myths and metaphors concerning science, the history of diseases, as well as prejudices and stigmas against its patients, a factor that has probably played a role in drifting away the spectator from the crude reality of the disease. Fantástico has filled in important gaps in the knowledge of the population at large, but at the cost of leaving aside the great moral, bioethical and ideological issues.

ASSUNTO(S)

public health television aids história das doenças televisão divulgação científica science communication history of diseases aids saúde pública

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