This paper identiï¬ es and discusses two trends of journalism research in Brazil. In short, the hegemonic trend – the so-called ‘mediacentric’ trend – seeks to look at the impact journalism has on society by disseminating an authoritarian and biased world view. The counter-hegemonic trend – the so-called ‘sociocentric’ trend – takes into account the power of journalism, but considers it susceptible to pressures and seeks to look at the trade-off s made by organized groups in civil society and journalistic institutions. This paper argues for the second trend and considers it as an analytical stance that is less naive and more realistic. That accounts for the complexity of political game and the correlation of forces in society.
