SURFE, “CONTRACULTURA” E LUCROS: AS ESTRATÉGIAS DA IMPRENSA ESPECIALIZADA NA FRANÇA

Abstract

Resumo: O presente artigo visa expor as representações sociais dominantes, no universo do surfe, e o papel que tiveram – e ainda podem ter – as figuras emblemáticas, produtoras dessas representações, ocupando a direção de publicações especializadas. As visões normativos da imprensa especializada na França são altamente lucrativas no plano econômico. A estrutura desse sub-espaço – uniforme, com pouca concorrência, estreitamente ligado ao setor do surfwear e dominado por um jornalista tido como pioneiro – faz com que os surfistas sejam retratados com base em categorias que os consideram como “livres”, “contestadores”, “sem restrições” etc., isto é, inscritos em uma contracultura aparentemente natural.

Palavras-chave: Contracultura; Surfe; Imprensa; Revistas.

Surfing, “counterculture” and profits: the strategies of the French specialised press

Abstract: The current paper aims to present the distribution procedures of the dominating social representations specific to the world of surfing and to the role that used to play – and still do – the emblematical characters who were the producers of these representations, at the head of the specialised media. The normative visions of the journalists of the specialised press in France are strongly profitable on the economic plane. The structure itself of that sub-space – uniform, little competitive, closely linked with the industrial “surf-wear” sector and dominated by an “instigator” journalist – has as an effect the fact that surfers are essentially considering themselves as “free”, “dissenting”, “without restraints”, etc., that is to say members of an apparently natural “counterculture”.

Keywords: Counterculture; Surfing; Press; Magazines.

Surf, “contre-culture” et profits économiques: les stratégies de la presse spécialisée en France

Résumé: Le présent article vise à exposer les modalités de diffusion de représentations sociales dominantes propres à l’univers du surf et au rôle qu’ont pu jouer – et jouent encore – les figures emblématiques, productrices de ces représentations, à la tête des médias spécialisés. Les visions normatives des journalistes de la presse spécialisée en France sont fortement profitables le plan économique. La structure même de ce sous-espace – uniforme, peu concurrentiel, étroitement lié au secteur de l’industrie du surfwear et dominé par un journaliste “initiateur” – fait que les surfeurs sont essentialisés à l’appui de catégories visant à les considérer comme “libres”, “contestataires”, “sans contraintes”, etc., c’est-à-dire inscrits dans une “contre-culture” qui semble aller de soi.

Mots clés: Contre-culture; Surf; Presse; Magazine.