The Representation of the Concept of Activism in the Information Programs of Public Television channels in Portugal

Abstract

The digital environment has brought new and unexpected forms of collective mobilization and activism, but television remains the privileged medium to access information of the vast majority of citizens in Portugal and in Europe. Based on content analysis of TV news reports that journalists identify as being about “activists†and “activismâ€, news reports where they use the words “activist†and “activismâ€, in the television information of the Portuguese public channels - RTP1 and RTP2 - in 2017, it was possible to determine which subjects were covered and the most representative causes that present an international scope and are fundamentally related to political and human rights issues. It was possible to observe that the public television news programs do not highlight the action of activist groups that practice violent acts. Special emphasis was placed on concrete actions on the ground, whose spokespersons are ordinary citizens at the social micro level. The results allow a reflection on the role of public television, at a time when it seeks to justify its relevance, in helping certain minority groups to reach critical mass.