Yes, yes. Now many of you may say that, especially if you are sat in America or somewhere else in Europe.
Why?
As the Brazil general election campaigning starts to ramp up, it is now expressly forbidden to satirise candidates or parties or make any other form of humor with their images on TV and radio.
The law dates back from 1997, but it was never put into action until now. The Brazilian Supreme Electoral Court has considered it is about time to take such restrictions seriously.
Although Brazil’s military dictatorship came to a formal end 25 years ago, this wobbly toddler democracy still faces censorship - more frequently than you possibly may think.
Humor is now banished from this land. One of the most powerful tools of criticism and thought-provoking approaches is gone. And without criticism, what is left? Remains thus only one side of the piece: the politicians’ version of the story.
That coupled with the fact that Brazil occupies the 75th position of the Corruption Perceptions Index 2009, according to Transparency International. So most Brazilian politicians must not be trusted, believe me.
However, Brazilian fellows are not satisfied with that situation and made a massive protest against it in Rio de Janeiro some days ago. At the moment, some humorists are preparing a petition with several signatures to try to revert this.
I now deeply envy Americans, Argentinians and Britons. In their lands no candidate is saved from humor and satires.
Since ancient Greece it is recognized as something crucial. Why is it different down here?
Hi Luan,
Do you mind quoting the `1997 law ? What do you mean by that the humor is banished? What does the law say exactly?
Very interesting…
Yes - and where does one draw the line, no doubt a very thin line?
Hi dear fellows,
Sorry for my delay. I was just on the field preparing some more posts.
Of course I don’t. Here it is the link for those of you who understand a bit of portuguese (page 8!): http://www.tse.gov.br/internet/eleicoes/normas_2010/arquivos/Resolucao_23191_ Propag.pdf
This law was specifically made for radio and TV broadcasting. Here you are: “From July 1, 2010 Radio and TV outlets are prohibited - in their regular programming - from
- making usage of montages or any other audio or video recourses that, in any form, degrade and ridicule candidate, political party or coalition, as well as broadcasting programmes with this effect.
- broadcast movies, soap operas or any other programme with allusion or criticism of candidate or political party, even dissimulatedly, with the exception of journalistic programmes or political debates”.
However, and I’m chuffed to informe you, this post is something that belongs to the past
One of the Ministers of the Federal Supreme Court of Brazil (Carlos Ayres Britto) has decided to revoke some articles of this law, so that humour is back in town
Thanks for the link and for the update. Do you have the new version you mentioned with the articles that have been just removed?
thx
Hi Hussam,
I don’t still have got it. ASAP I will send it to you all here.
Sorry for not sending it right now.
That’s not funny!
Not at all, Hieke.
Here is a very good video on that from an outlet I most admire: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zU5N3Fc_UEY&feature=player_embedded#at=170
Good article - thought provoking! And yeah, satire is one of the best ways of challenging authority. I heard Michael Palin (Monty Python) speak a few months ago and he said that he loves the scene in Life of Brian were the crowd are laughing at Ceasar - they bring down the empire through laughter!
Thanks for the comment Ian! Yeah, we can not underestimate the power of laughter. Humour is Brazil’s philosophy, so, without it we are nothing. It reminds me of this documentary:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNQ-xpowbg0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGE-c7g56tI&feature=related
Have you seen? It is closely related to this post.
This is so bad! WHere’s freedom of expression?
Yes, Andrea. Both in Italy and in Brazil such censorship is always rocketing.