Two editorial lines of MRI and "extremism" of the Mozambique Channel

Radio Mozambique (RM), which should be, in view of the number of customers it has, the most important media organization in the country, is, for me, a very interesting case journalistically. Should be, MRI, the body of information, almost crystalline form, has, in material terms, two editorial lines: one, applied and applicable to the vast majority of their hosted several journalists in their newsrooms, all in country and other applied and apply to your two correspondents abroad, this time Faustino Church in Blantyre (Malawi), and Gabriel Mussavale in Pretoria (South Africa).

But why this way of seeing things?

Discussions "hot" Joyce Banda, president of Malawi, has with his fellow party and government, are subject prefencial in news production of the corresponding MRI in that country; from neighboring South Africa, seeks to capitalize Mussavele, in its orders, for example, the scandals in which Jacob Zuma, President of that country, walking involved almost constantly, as many presidents ... this world. But for the dozens of journalists from MRI based on various parts of the country [Mozambique], this kind of issue does not meet, and alleged unrealistically, the most basic criteria of newsworthiness. Events expondos Graúda we only gain the status of news when the motto is "reacting" to the only "other" is news, which even has the potential to confound those who only have MRI their only means of communication.

"The day I nominate myself correspondent in Malawi or South Africa, I will be a happy professional, because now I will apply all that, as a journalist, do not leave me here," he told me a few days ago, a senior journalist of MRI, one just kidding but seriously.

The Mozambique Channel weekly newspaper is no less "interesting" in terms of news production, at least from the material point of view: for this publication, only one extreme, one that, as far as it seems to me, that favors or promotes the image of right opposition party, or which is negative for the government, can gain status news. It's easy to justify himself by saying that "news is what goes wrong rather than what is going well," but does not seem to believe me hit, the readers, that the Government only spoils, never does well, never sees, is always out rails, etc.. I do not, it should be clear that a newspaper make government propaganda, but what is positive and fit the basic criteria of newsworthiness, it might not be bad after journalistically, perhaps even the "bad" follow these examples the ...

MRI, being public, worries me too. The Constitution itself up care, having in mind its urgency for all of us to give a guarantee of independence to all its employees, at least from the point of nominal, clear view. Still though, as to what cogito on the Mozambique Channel, Good Fernando Veloso coibirá not to "dispel equiívocos" ...

On public service media, it occurs to me to share what Luso-Mozambican José Rodrigues dos Santos, who has been director of public information RTP twice (when PS was a government and another when PSD was in power), once said: "When I was director of information received often calls from ministers, saying 'I'm not worried about going out on television a long time ago,' and I always answered them, 'I'm glad you do not go out, as this means you're on the right track; on the day that you do not do what you expect of yourself, you will be news, perhaps even to open the newscast '. "

The recurring question, at least in the circles of media studies, "why the news are like?", Is actually an attempt at explanation same as I describe above situations.

Nelson Teasing with support Productions thinkers such as Michael Schudson and Gaye Tuchman, summarized the discussion of the theory explaining the news in seven "theories" which try to present the following with the help of no less quoted researcher Jorge Pedro Sousa:

. 1 Theory mirror within which the news is seen as the mirror of reality, as the professional ideology of the journalist;

. 2 Theory of personnel action or gatekeeper, whereby the result of the selection of news events, based, above all, the particular choices of each selector journalist [of events that must be processed in news];

3. Organizational theory, which argues that news result of organizational limitations that are "manufactured", among which stand out the hierarchies, forms of socialization [professional], the acculturation of journalists [provenance d] the resources financial that body and its editorial line;

4. Theory of political action in the wake of which the news is "dissonant" of reality, because their "manufacturers" have no autonomy and are subject to ideological control, which makes them act as "an instrument at the service of the ruling class and power "; some advocates of this theory say that the majority of journalists "leftist" news tend to favor a "liberal" view of the world;

. 5 structuralist theory, which states that the news is socially constructed product that reproduces the dominant ideology, legitimizing, with it, the status quo;

6 constructionist theory, one that is considered by many thinkers / scholars of media as the "most elaborate", argues that stories are stories that result from a process of construction -. Linguistic, organizational, social and cultural - and therefore can not be seen as the mirror of reality, they are, first of all, "discursive nonfiction articles" of reality;

7. Interactionist theory, to which the news should be seen as a process of perception, selection and processing of events in news, under the pressure of time, by a group of professionals "relatively autonomous and empowered, which shares a common culture ". Here, journalists are seen not as passive observers but as active observers as active participants in the construction process of reality.

 Always, but especially in election years - Mozambique, Malawi and South Africa, for example, has 2014 as an election year! - We realize that the news also, as recommended Michael Schudson, taking into account that (i) "they are a product of the people and their intentions" (personal action), (ii) "they are a product of news organizations of its way to adapt to the environment and its constraints, regardless of the personal intentions of the actors "of the production process (social work), and (iii)" they are a product of culture and the limits of the conceivable that a culture imposes irrespective of personal intentions and organizational constraints "(cultural activities). Mozambique Even if we consider a draft" media democracy ", I think it would make sense to think that journalists are, in whole and in all, the" bad guys ". In South Africa, for example, with the Parliament until dissolved, mechanisms allowed by law were driven to a parliamentary committee was composed in the wake of very serious information about Jacob Zuma that the provider of justice in that country included in its report. For my beautiful Mozambique, with the Parliament in full effect and even in session, desengane up those who might think that a committee will be created, for example, to investigate the latest developments in digital migration. In South Africa, the general secretary of the ANC itself, that Zuma is president, went public to recognize the seriousness of the charges against him. For now, my good friend Damian Joseph of speeding up to defend Valentina Guebuza long before seeking to know the "mechanics" and "dynamic" digital migration as such, the point of mentioning the tender only he knows. God help us!

Anyway, I end with a confession and a question: "Agramo maningue" the news! And what would we do if there was no news? (Ercinio Salema)