Abstract

This article refers to the beginnings of journalism studies in Brazil, insofar as it proposes systematization and critical-reflective examination of pioneering works on the subject of the periodical press and its journalists, produced within the scope of the Brazilian Historical and Geographical Institute (IHGB) and its counterparts. It is considered the set of accounts published between the mid-19th and 20th centuries, from what would be the first essay dedicated to the subject, published in the institution’s journal in 1846. The objective is to analyze both the trends of investigation and conceptualization of the phenomenon in question, by the generation that precedes university historians. The conclusion reached is that, despite the descriptive character and the inventorying approach, such production converges in the construction of a particular narrative in relation to the development of the Brazilian press and its role in the nation, as a civilizing element and means of public instruction.

Keywords:
History of Historiography; Press; Brazilian Historical and Geographical Institute (IHGB)