Jornalismo esportivo em tempos de digitalização: liberdade de expressão, ética profissional e pressões de mercado

Abstract

The digitalization of communication has changed journalistic practice and expanded the challenges related to professional autonomy, freedom of the press, and institutional and economic pressures. In sports journalism, these transformations have intensified debates about the limits of journalists' work in the face of corporate interests and the circulation of information in the digital environment. In this context, this study analyzes how digitalization has reshaped these relationships through a qualitative approach based on a literature review and comparative analysis. To this end, two cases are examined: Juca Kfouri's departure from Placar magazine in 1995 and the temporary suspension of ESPN journalists after commenting on a Piauí magazine report about allegations involving the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) in 2025. The analysis shows that, although the forms of pressure on journalism have changed over time, conflicts between journalistic autonomy and corporate interests remain. It is concluded that the digital environment has expanded the circulation and public visibility of information without eliminating the challenges related to freedom of the press and editorial independence.