Brazilian presidential campaign returns to radio and television
Candidates receive equal airtime from Friday ahead of the second round of voting on 25 October.
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Free election broadcasts for Brazil’s presidential run-off begin on Friday. They will continue until 23 October, giving the two remaining candidates equal airtime on radio and television.
Brazil’s second round of elections takes place on 25 October. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Flávio Bolsonaro are, according to Senado Notícias, the two presidential candidates remaining after the first round.
The free broadcasts are aired in fixed blocks and in short adverts spread throughout the schedule. On radio, the presidential candidates have blocks at 7.00 and 12.00. On television, the programmes are broadcast at 13.00 and 20.30.
In each ten-minute block, the two presidential candidates receive equal airtime, according to Agência Brasil and the electoral authorities. Candidates for state governments also receive airtime in states where a second round is required.
In addition to the fixed blocks, there are daily short messages of thirty or sixty seconds. Brazil’s electoral law stipulates that this airtime is divided according to rules set in advance. The campaigns may broadcast propaganda on radio and television until 23 October, two days before the vote.
For Dutch readers, it is particularly important that this is not simply an advertising campaign run by commercial broadcasters. Parties and candidates do not buy the fixed airtime themselves; radio and television stations are required to broadcast the election messages according to the rules of the Tribunal Superior Eleitoral, the highest electoral authority.
The second round thus becomes the visible phase in which the candidates present their proposals to voters again and can respond to each other’s attacks. Under the system’s design, the official airtime prevents only candidates with the greatest financial resources from accessing national radio and television.
At the same time, the impact of the broadcasts remains difficult to measure in advance. Voters also receive campaign information through social media, debates and local meetings. For these elections, the electoral authority has also published rules on synthetic images and other uses of artificial intelligence.
The resumption of the broadcasts therefore mainly marks the start of two intensive campaign weeks. The result will not be decided until 25 October, and the radio and television blocks in themselves offer no prediction of the outcome.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The free broadcasts for the second round run from 9 to 23 October inclusive.
- The presidential candidates receive equal airtime in the fixed blocks.
- The second round takes place on 25 October.
- TSE sets the rules for radio, television and synthetic campaign media.
Left
Arguments Equal airtime prevents campaign money from determining who reaches national voters. Public rules are needed to make political competition fairer.
Values Equal opportunities, inclusivity and protection of voters against the concentration of financial power.
Consequences More regulation of campaign communication and stricter oversight of misleading or synthetic images is likely.
Centre
Arguments A regulated system can provide basic equality, but voters also need independent journalism and transparent platform rules. No single medium offers a complete picture on its own.
Values Institutional neutrality, informed elections and a balance between freedom and control.
Consequences The airtime will continue alongside debates, news and social media; oversight should primarily ensure that the rules are applied equally.
Right
Arguments Campaigns should be able to address voters directly without bureaucratic rules placing excessive limits on political communication. Voters should be able to decide for themselves which message is persuasive.
Values Freedom of expression, political freedom of choice and limited government interference.
Consequences Fewer content restrictions may produce greater political sharpness, but they also increase the risk that wealthier or more aggressive campaigns will dominate the public space.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
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The election calendar and rules for radio and television broadcasts have been confirmed by Brazil’s electoral authority. Candidates and times were checked against Agência Brasil and Senado Notícias.
- confirmed The free election broadcasts for the second round begin on 9 October and run until 23 October. — Confirmed by TSE and Agência Brasil. source
- confirmed The second round takes place on 25 October. — Confirmed by TSE. source
- confirmed Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro are the two presidential candidates in the second round. — Confirmed by Senado Notícias. source
- confirmed The candidates receive equal airtime in the second round. — Confirmed by Agência Brasil and TSE. source
Editor's note
The start date, broadcast times, equal airtime and election date have been confirmed by TSE, Agência Brasil and Senado Notícias. The effects on public opinion and the final result cannot be predicted.Sources
- Horário eleitoral no rádio e na TV volta ao ar em 9 de outubro — Agência Brasil
- Faltam 16 dias: horário eleitoral gratuito recomeça nesta sexta-feira — Tribunal Superior Eleitoral
- Eleições: propaganda gratuita volta nesta sexta — Senado Notícias
More on this in Dutch media
- NOS — „brazilië verkiezingen”
- Het Parool — „brazilië verkiezingen”
- Trouw — „brazilië verkiezingen”