Cultural consumption and structural racism

the process of meaning of a media product

Abstract

This article explores the relationship between cultural consumption and structural racism, focusing on how reality shows like Big Brother Brasil shape public perceptions about race and representation. Using a theoretical-methodological study based on Peircean semiotics, we analyzed the process of meaning of a section of content shown in the final of Big Brother Brasil 2023, on Rede Globo. Peirce's semiotics offers a framework for understanding the relationship between the sign, the object and the interpretant, allowing us to explore how the visual and sound elements present in the program contribute to the construction and perpetuation of racial stereotypes. The analysis focuses on identifying and classifying signs as icons, indices or symbols, investigating the levels of meaning attributed to them and their cultural implications. Furthermore, we examined the impact of this content on discussions on social media and public debate, considering the program's high audience and its relevance as a popular cultural product. The article seeks to understand how the entertainment media influences narratives on issues such as structural racism.