By Maira Magro
The frustration of Brazilian journalists with World Cup coverage has drawn the attention of the international press. In an interesting report this week, the New York Times contrasts the proximity and informality of the relationship between reporters and athletes during soccer games in Brazil, with the distance FIFA and coach Dunga have imposed.
For example, the newspaper said that when Pelé scored his 1000th goal in November 1969, the ball wasn't the only thing to go in the net. A video of that celebratory moment in Maracanã, in Rio de Janeiro, shows Pelé going into the goal after the ball, and reporters following behind him.
In Brazilian stadiums, reporters watch the game from the field, enabling them to get quotes from coaches and players at key moments of the game. During Brazilian championships, the separation between reporters and players is often absent during games, the Times said.
But during the World Cup, everything has been different. Only the photographers can go on the field. Reporters have to settle for watching the game from a press box and interviewing players after the match is over. The problem is that the press box doesn't have space for all the reporters who want to be there, leaving some in the media to watch the action on a big screen, which could be a "shock" for Brazilian reporters, according to Reuters.
As if this were not enough, the Brazilian press also is facing rigid rules imposed by the coach, Dunga, who is preventing players from speaking one-on-one with journalists. The interviews are limited to the press conferences after the games, in a room with about 400 reporters.
In previous World Cups, tells Reuters, Brazilian journalists used to maintain daily contact with the players. "The new policy is especially difficult for radio reporters, who have hours to fill on the air," Reuters said.
In addition, Globo TV has lost numerous privileges: Dunga canceled exclusive interviews with players, causing friction with the country's largest broadcaster.
Note from the editor: This story was originally published by the Knight Center’s blog Journalism in the Americas, the predecessor of LatAm Journalism Review.
