The discourse of neutrality in the press

Abstract

The goal here is to show how writing and style handbooks for journalists make a neutral image of news text and the press. Considering that language is not transparent nor simply a tool for communication (FAIRCLOUGH, 2001), I analyzed here how information, the prime object of the press, tends to be seen as an impartial product, based on techniques for standardizing journalistic language. For that purpose, an analysis was made of the handbooks produced by the newspapers Folha de S. Paulo and O Estado de S. Paulo. The analysis allowed the following conclusions: 1) the press sees the news text as whole and impartial; 2) the language of the press is presented as transparent and, consequently; 3) the press acquires an image of neutrality.