Jornal O Dia em Teresina: sua trajetória e impacto na construção da informação no Piauí (1952-1961)

Abstract

This study analyzes how the newspaper O Dia, founded in 1951 by Raimundo Leão Monteiro in Teresina, contributed to the construction of information and public opinion in Piauí between 1952 and 1961. The research seeks to understand how the newspaper influenced the formation of the state’s political, social, and cultural identity, especially in a context marked by the influence of oligarchies and the slow modernization of the regional press. During this period, O Dia stood out for presenting itself as an “independent, political, and news-oriented outlet,” claiming editorial impartiality amid a scenario dominated by newspapers linked to political parties. From the analysis of its editions, it was possible to observe that O Dia played an active role in mediating information and shaping public opinion, sometimes adopting a neutral stance and at other times engaging explicitly in political and social issues. Its discourse of independence was often challenged by opinionated practices and criticisms directed at local authorities, revealing the newspaper as a social actor that directly influenced power disputes and the construction of Piauí’s collective memory. The methodological approach used in this study was qualitative, historical, and documentary, based on the analysis of newspaper issues available in physical and digital archives, and supported by authors such as Nilsângela Lima (2014), Ana Regina Rêgo (2001), Maria Helena Capelato (1988), and Jürgen Habermas (2003). The secondary and theoretical sources made it possible to understand the role of the press as an instrument for shaping the public sphere and mediating between the State and society. Throughout the research, it was concluded that O Dia represented a milestone in Piauí’s press by adopting a more modern journalism committed to objectivity, although it maintained connections with local and ideological interests. The newspaper significantly contributed to public debate and to the consolidation of political and cultural awareness in the state, becoming an important agent in the construction of Piauí’s memory and social history during the 1950s and 1960s.