Portuguese people in Brazilian telenovela: a historical overview

Abstract

The present paper stems from an analysis of telenovelas in order to identify how the contemporary images of Portuguese people are created in Brazil. Grounded on the assumption that these fictional works appropriate everyday elements to build their narrative and that we are dealing with a cultural product with economic value, two main analytical factors were taken into account: migratory flows and trade relations between Brazilian and Portuguese TV networks. Chronologically speaking, the Portuguese characters found in telenovelas are presented by means of a content analysis between 1965 and 2014. The conclusions indicate a growth in the use of Portuguese characters insofar that partnerships are established for the export of telenovelas as well as discrete changes in their characteristics due to changes in the migratory profiles throughout the decades.