“Journalism is a fundamental pillar of democracy and citizenship. In the Azores, as in any part of the world, journalists give voice to communities, ensure public scrutiny, and help preserve our collective memory,” highlighted the regional secretary for Parliamentary Affairs and Communities, Paulo Estêvão, in a message from the Azorean executive on World Journalism Day.
In the message, the Government of the Azores (PSD/CDS-PP/PPM) reaffirms its commitment to valuing journalism in the region, emphasizing the importance of adapting to new digital realities, investing in the sustainability of the media, and protecting pluralism.
Paulo Estêvão recalls that the “Plan for Azorean Media” is in effect, based on four areas of intervention, starting from a system of incentives for the training of professionals in the field, including the purchase of institutional advertising and distribution of publications in schools and Private Institutions of Social Solidarity (IPSS).
“On the table for this year, there are around two million euros to support the regional private sector, in addition to incentives for RTP/Azores, a company justifiably recognized this year on Regional Day for its fundamental role in deepening our autonomy,” the official states.
In the message, the regional secretary pays tribute to the media professionals of the Azores, who “daily assume the noble and increasingly decisive mission of informing with rigor, independence, and truth,” highlighting several distinctions of professionals in the field “on national stages, proving that the sea is not always an impassable barrier.”
“On this day, we also remember, with respect and sorrow, all the journalists who lost their lives or were injured in the line of duty. Their dedication, even in the face of risks and threats, deserves our deepest gratitude,” he further notes.
To the companies in the sector and to all Azorean journalists and those working on the islands, he left “a word of appreciation for their indispensable contribution to building a more informed, just, and democratic society,” the message concludes.
