The president of the 5th Congress of Journalists indicated this Thursday, January 18, that, in seven years, more than 400 journalists abandoned the profession, highlighting the "acts of courage" of those who arrive or leave the sector and the "passion for journalism".
«There are 5.310 of us in 2024, in seven years, 436 comrades left the profession […]. Leaving and staying are acts of courage. Both are united by the passion for journalism", said the president of the 5th Congress of Journalists Pedro Coelho, who was speaking at the opening ceremony of the main meeting, which takes place at Cinema São Jorge, in Lisbon.
The president of the 5th Congress of Journalists pointed out that in the last edition, former journalist Barbie Zelizer wrote that the profession had reached "a point of exhaustion", and had to be reborn. However, after seven years “we are worse off”, she noted.
During his intervention, he reminded journalists who do successive internships, without salary, those who are physically and mentally exhausted, those who share a house, have no money to travel or buy books, those who are precarious, those who produce on a piece basis and all those who unfold into several works.
“I speak for those who, despite everything, have the courage to stay”, he stressed.
This official also said that journalists have to “look inside” and understand what is being done.
As he argued, if the problem is the financing of public goods, then “the financing of journalism should be discussed without taboos and not of companies, whose ownership we do not know and which may serve obscure interests”.
Pedro Coelho also took the opportunity to leave a warning: If everything stays the same, «we will have lost the opportunity to rebuild the future».
The 5th Congress of journalists, which takes place seven years after the last edition, will address topics such as ethics, working conditions, teaching, memory and media financing.
This event, which ends on Sunday, is promoted by the Journalists Union (SJ), Casa da Imprensa and Clube dos Jornalistas.
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