TRACKING THE VISIBILITY OF THE BRICS CONSTELLATION IN BRAZILIAN NEWSPAPERS: a longitudinal content analysis (2011-2019)

MAPEAMENTO DA VISIBILIDADE DO AGRUPAMENTO BRICS EM JORNAIS BRASILEIROS: uma análise de conteúdo longitudinal (2011-2019)

MAPEO DE LA VISIBILIDAD DEL GRUPO BRICS EN PERIÓDICOS BRASILEÑOS: un análisis del contenido longitudinal (2011-2019)

ABSTRACT

This study assesses the visibility of BRICS, its member states, and associated themes within the Brazilian-mediated public sphere. The theoretical framework centers on the role of journalism in monitoring foreign systems through foreign news coverage. Additionally, we consider the traditional structure of foreign reporting to discuss the potential factors shaping the media salience of the BRICS constellation. By conducting a quantitative and longitudinal (2011-2019) content analysis, we examined 1,451 articles from the newspapers O Estado de S. Paulo and O Globo. The Brazilian press primarily discusses global powers, crisis regions, neighboring states, and Brazil’s key trade partners. China (5.1%) receives the most coverage among BRICS countries, likely due to its geopolitical power and strong economic ties with Brazil. Russia-related issues (4.1%), particularly those involving security and justice, also receive considerable focus. Conversely, Indian (1%) and South African (0.8%) issues receive noticeably less coverage. The BRICS bloc itself exhibits relatively low visibility, potentially hindering its recognition among the Brazilian public.

Key words
Foreign news coverage; Brazilian media; Public discourse; International communication; BRICS