A Ciência na imprensa escrita (sul) mato-grossense: uma análise de conteúdo do jornal O Progresso (1920-2019)

Abstract

This study identified and analyzed the presence of science through texts and images in the published editions of the “O Progresso” newspaper, which is based in Dourados city, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, to recognize the science scenario in (sul) mato-grossense written press, pointing out this newspaper’s approach to published science news. Based on a longitudinal design, the “O Progresso” editions were researched from its foundation, in the 1920s, until June 2019. This period was adopted to investigate the greatest number of editions, situate the emergence of scientific news over time and follow scientific progress in this print media, and point other divulgation activities that occurred in this region in the past and the present through the events reported. The research identified the publication date of texts related to science, the relevance given by the newspaper to published texts and their general characteristics, the genre of journalistic texts, the predominant areas of knowledge and visual resources employed, the frameworks, the research and researchers locations, the sources and voices, the scientific controversies, the benefits and harms, science’s promises and risks. Exploratory in terms of methodology, the theoretical contributions used to support these procedures were based on content analysis references, using as an instrument of data collection an adaptation of the Protocol proposed by the Ibero-American Network for Monitoring and Training in Science Journalism and the software IRAMUTEQ (R Interface for the Multidimensional Analysis of Textes et de Questionnaires) for data processing. These resources were used to facilitate the data exploration and the definition of categories, and to support the processing of the texts and presentation of results, in addition to promoting the use of CAQDAS (Computer-Aided Qualitative Data Analysis Software) in research related to content analysis in the scientific divulgation field. The research revealed that since the newspaper foundation in Dourados, in 1951, it has regularly and significantly disseminated topics about science. Mostly, it has reported researches and events related to regional science, with a predominance of agricultural sciences and rural extension areas, based on topics that are interesting to the local agribusiness sector. It also found that most of the articles comprise texts about medicine and health, human and social sciences, and articles related to scientific and technological politics, with texts signed by scientists, columnists, and politicians, who were mostly men.