Trends on investigative television journalism from the TVI's case study “Secrets of the Gods”

Abstract

This article analyzes some trends of television investigative journalism from the analysis of a reportage transmitted by TVI: “Secrets of the Gods”. Designated as the “first information series” of that private channel, 10 episodes were shown, making it the longest news story ever broadcast on Portuguese television. The serialization corresponds to an option typical of fiction genres, implying levels of redundancy and style effects that are usually absent from the information genres. We conclude that this reportage follows the trend towards the hybridization of genres and formats, posing new interpretive and ethical challenges in the reception and reading of these journalistic contents.