The Conta Lá initiative is launching a special operation for municipal elections, engaging around 100 people across mainland Portugal and utilizing four outdoor broadcasting vehicles along with eight teams.
Spanning fifteen days, a total of 278 debates will be conducted, recorded between September 1 and 16, with broadcasts starting on September 5.
“For the first time in Portuguese democratic history, we’re launching a television channel dedicated to hearing all municipal candidates across mainland Portugal, representing all parties with seats in the Municipal Assembly,” Ana Sofia Vinhas told Lusa.
Each municipality in mainland Portugal will host one debate.
“I can say that on Sunday night, I’m heading to Algarve” to manage operations in Faro, she commented, expressing her strong commitment and desire to share stories, which forms the essence of this channel.
“A vast team will be on the ground, covering all municipalities and engaging with all candidates,” she continued, noting her presence in the Algarve, Alto Alentejo, and Baixo Alentejo regions.
The Conta Lá channel is distributed across multiple platforms, including Meo, NOS, and Vodafone Portugal.
Covering the country “isn’t limited to the municipal elections period. The country we’re interested in extends beyond politics and political debates. It’s about the people living there, which is why covering the entire mainland will be ongoing,” emphasizes the journalist.
“Conta Lá aims to give regions a voice and to reveal the true nation with authenticity, closeness, and ambition,” stated Sérgio Figueiredo, CEO of the project, to Lusa.
“We’ll operate as a national channel, telling Portugal’s story from each land, each accent, each person,” he elaborated.
“We’re building a proximity-based television channel powered by technology and artificial intelligence – media of the future serving the people,” added Sérgio Figueiredo.
Reflecting on her return to journalism, Ana Sofia Vinhas highlighted Conta Lá’s commitment to “future journalism that seeks solutions, fostering empathy and immersive storytelling across the territory, signifying a different approach to reporting.”
“Participating in a newly launched and evolving project offers a unique proximity perspective with an innovative touch, inevitable for a channel launched now,” she noted.
This “proximity was what attracted me most to the project,” Ana Sofia Vinhas reiterated.
“We shouldn’t remember territories only when they’re affected by fires but always,” she argued, emphasizing the importance of listening to these regions.
The purpose of Conta Lá is to consistently listen to and narrate the story of Portugal as a comprehensive multiplatform, she concluded.
“I firmly believe that the Conta Lá project, which is about Telling Portugal’s Story, could significantly drive the nation’s development,” Ana Sofia Vinhas opined.
The journalist is set to report for the channel.
Conta Lá’s major shareholders hail from northern technology sectors, with key figures including Luís Paulino Santos and Luís Fernandes.
