The founder of Expresso and the first private television station, SIC, passed away today at the age of 88 due to natural causes.
“Francisco Pinto Balsemão is an absolute reference for Portuguese democracy, even before democracy,” stated Nuno Artur Silva, a former media overseer and RTP administrator.
“In the latter days of the Estado Novo regime, he was already an advocate for freedom, both as a political figure and a press figure, with the foundation of Expresso. He was always a reference as a journalist, an entrepreneur, and a politician,” he emphasized.
“At a time when we need figures of reference, the loss of Francisco Pinto Balsemão reminds us of how necessary they are and how his role has been irreplaceable in our 50 years of democracy, whether as the founder of Expresso or the first private television station,” the former government official recalled.
Nuno Artur Silva highlighted that Balsemão was always recognized for “being a democratic person and someone who valued, above all, freedom and, within freedom, press freedom.”
“Personally, I crossed paths with him several times and, moreover, I have to say that he also had another quality that, unfortunately, is becoming rare—he was a gentleman, a person who respected others, who engaged in dialogue, and who was capable, even with those he disagreed with, of maintaining, shall we say, a level of civility and democratic standards,” he emphasized.
Francisco Pinto Balsemão “was an example at various levels of the best the country has given us, especially in his activities as a media entrepreneur, politician, and journalist.”
