ABSTRACT

Globo and Universal – One and the same. Marketing struggle to gain control over people’s imaginary: a retoric attack and counteratack.

The word "Rhetoric" has been given stereotyped, derogatory acceptations through the centuries, being characterized merely as a flush of brilliant words, without any content. It convinces, moves pleases by conveying messages which would be far from reality. The present essay analizes this stereotype and the consequences to the understanding of the role of communication within coorporations; it also establishes a new point of view within the methodology perspective of the "Rhetorical Criticism": The multitude of theoretical references to the interpretation of the rethorical act, in which analytical perspectives towards the critical analysis of the messages of the coorporations are to be considered; as a reference, we analyze the case of Globo Tv Network versus the Igreja Universal do Reino de Deus (Universal Church of the Kingdom of God), a dispute for people’s mind. From december 22, 1995 to January 8, 1996, one of the most popular themes in the press was the disclosure of the secrets of the Igreja Universal do Reino de Deus (IURD) by a former preacher, Carlos Magno, by means of a video tape first shown in Jornal Nacional and Jornal da Noite, of Globo TV, and in magazines Veja and Isto É, of Abril Press. Due to such disclosure, a number of new accusations took place: former members of IURD mentioned exploitation of faith, blackmail, tax evasion, and even involvement in the international drug dealing market. The government considered revolking Record TV license, since its owners (IURD members) could no longer be considered ‘honorable persons’. IURD’s image to its members and to the public as a whole was deeply damaged. In the meantine, IURD started, from december 27 (five days after the disclosure), a rhetorical counter-offensive by means of an "explanation campaign" presented in the programa "25a Hora" of Record TV, strategically planned and based in three distinct procedures: first, the facts mentioned in Jornal Nacional were denied; second, IURD questioned Globo’s rectitude and seriousness, ending up by sponsoring the so-called " Preacher’s Manifest" to the Brazilian Authorities and population, also unreservedly supported by other evangelical churches. Finally, a series of demonstrations in five states was carried out. Thus, by means of such "campaign"(from dec. 27 to jan. 8), IURD’S leaders got to change their embarassing situation, becoming victims, rather than defendants. This fact, which was thouroughly commented on in many countries, was reduced to a mere journalistic fact. From our point of view, this fact is highly significant to the universe of communication for it may elucidate the fragility of stereotype in the rhetorical activity, while it also provides excellent material to the rhetorical analysis of power, by revealing the influence of speech to accuse and defend, criticize and praise, explain and confuse, propose and justify realities, both know or imaginary, in defence of coorporative interests. It is therefore necessary to question the ethic sense of it, since nowadays the rhetorical analysis as an instrument of research of the organizational speech has become a natural tendency due to the increase of the number of coorporations which act as rethoricians.