Soap operas: a powerful tool but very poor used

Many people were surprised with the fact that Veja magazine in its issue of August 8th, devoted nine pages to the soap opera Avenue Brazil, a fiction work that Globo airs daily at 21pm.

For the reader evaluates what that fact means, the magazine devoted seven pages in the same issue to the judgment by the Supreme Court of the monthly allowance, the scandal that led to the dock 38 people, a fact of real importance and crucial to the future of our country.

It should be noted that Veja magazine belongs to a publishing group that publishes other magazines aimed at the entertainment and TV programs, engaging Veja generally of issues whose importance to the nation has, like the political and economic issues, much greater significance.

The TV soap operas perform, as we know an important role regard to the entertainment of families and constitute one of the few amusements at zero cost, to the disposal of the Brazilian population.

It is not always, by the values they convey, they have contributed to frame the culture and humanistic strength of those who accompany them, chapter by chapter.

At this time, the central plot of the soap operas that Globo display focuses on excessive ambition - that is the case of the soap opera at 18o’clock - envy and spite – in the case of the soap opera at 19o’clock - hatred and revenge - which is the case of soap operas at 21o’clock - and, finally, lust and hypocrisy - that are the focus of Gabriela, a work based upon one of classics of the late Jorge Amado.

Some will claim that this is so like Brazilians people behave and the soap operas merely depict what actually exists in society.

It could be. We are not to discuss whether or not this is true. But it happens in the entertainment programs, including soap operas, what a certain President of Republic said, as appropriate, regarding to the press in Brazil, which it makes a huge stands out for the error and blemishes and it ignores what it is made good and right in the Country

It seems that the authors of our soap operas have decided to go down to the same path, which we honestly regret, as they have at hand a powerful tool which, however, is very poorly used.