State as a Builder of Public Initiatives in Lula´s Government: an Analysis of Public System of Communication in Brazil

Resumo

Public system is mentioned as one of the  three communication systems in the Brazilian Constitution, considering also private and State ones, in agreement with the principle of mutual complement. This article is based on a  bibliographical and documental research with special attention given to the recently created EBC – Empresa Brasil de Comunicação (Brazilian Company of Communication for the words in English), responsible for the implementation of TV  Brasil (a State TV channel) and also for the first settings towards so called public television, that is today restricted to the Constitutional text of 1988. It analyzes players and elements involved in this situation – considering particularities of the Brazilian communication system – and highlights State responsibility for  building a communication system based on public interest. It also considers Political Economy of Communication as an opportunity of understanding State as a
regulator and  executor of politics – and  its role in the maintenance of hegemonic oriented ideologies. Brazil is a continental country  with distinct economic realities and many
diversified cultures, where nearly everybody speaks (Brazilian) Portuguese as a first language. Brazilian communication system was built under a national integrative perspective by military
dictatorship in the 60’s and 70’s last century. And it  relied on foreign capital, which was illegal according to our national constitution at that time, when three out of the five Brazilian
regions were not so developed. The Globo network, one of the world’s largest private broadcast networks, grew larger with the Time Life group’s funds and was based on an extension of all regions, with all technical and artistic quality that money could buy. Media Community presented many initiatives that were actually a real challenge to organized social groups and movements in the field. TV Brasil started its transmissions in December 2007, occupying one of the channels managed by the State, according to the Decree that implemented digital television in the country.  According to the current legislation, public
initiatives led by social groups are considered productions, while community channels and other initiatives of the so called television´s public field – though operating open and free at
cable system – have no guarantee of their continuity in digital TV broadcasting.