Newspapers have traced, documented and shaped the history and development of Brasil, and remain today a hugely important part of culture in Rio de Janeiro.

Brazil has a considerable number of newspapers which display outstanding investigative journalism, integrity and editorial innovation, which have enabled them to overcome the challenges to the development of media posed by the repressive government of Getúlio Vargas and the military governments between 1964 and 1984.

The first newspaper in Brazil was the Gazeta do Rio de Janeiro, founded in 1808, at a time when there was no typography, no newspapers and no universities.