Silencing on traditional media and fake news: The Occupy Estelita Case as a starting point for a reflection on the theme

Abstract

Using the coverage of the occupation of Cais José Estelita in Recife (PE) in 2014 as a basis, and aiming to evaluate the ten years of the movement completed in 2024, we consider how the silencing of themes related to the social movement Ocupe Estelita points to a certain emptiness and discrediting of the mainstream media. This can contribute to the emergence of fake news as a social phenomenon. Therefore, an analysis of printed newspapers from Pernambuco was conducted between May and June 2014. This analysis compared the space given to the different sides of the debate (Movimento Ocupe Estelita and Consórcio Novo Recife), taking into account the events that occurred at the time. The research shows that the coverage by Pernambuco newspapers was marked by strategic silencing that favored economic interests, contributing to the loss of credibility of traditional journalism. This crisis of trust paved the way for the rise of alternative sources of information, including fake news.