Creating a Common Ground for Informed Conversations in South America: Strategies to Fulfill a Primordial Function within the Digital News Environment

On any regular weeknight by the end of the twentieth century, a television would be on at the center room of the house where those in the household would gather to watch novelas such as Terra Nostra or Torre de Babel. If the house had a phone landline, which many did in my hometown of São Paulo, Brazil, it would likely be silent at that time, as it would be rude to interrupt. Before the novela, many residents would choose to watch the Jornal Nacional, Globo’s main newscast, absolute leader in news audience, even at a time when competition had started to shift media consumption patterns in the country. If the house had internet, which most didn’t, connection was very slow, even though some progress in fiber optics had been initiated in the business towers of the city, with faster internet connections in workplaces. As you maneuvered through the busy streets of São Paulo, news stands were common, with a variety of national and international newspapers and magazines, and plenty of comics, displayed, and many homes subscribed to these print editions, especially among more affluent residents. Reading a newspaper before going to work or while on the bus to work was part of the routine of empresarios and many workers alike.