Science and Technology in an infotainment program: a content analysis of Fantástico's coverage

Abstract

In spite of the increasing space Science and Technology (S) have been occupying in television, few studies have been done on the way infotainment programs approach these issues. The goal of this study is to analyze the S coverage held by Fantástico, a Sunday program from Rede Globo, to identify their main features and the space occupied by these issues on the program agenda. The methodology used was content analysis. We observed, among other aspects, that the most present knowledge area was Medicine & Health and that "new research" and "personalization" were the most frequent frames. Scientists and physicians, as well as average citizens, were the main sources, suggesting that Fantástico tries to conciliate the building of credibility and the identification with the audiences.

Television; Infotainment; Science and Technology; Content analysis