What does the new owner of the iG portal think?

247 - After a drawn-out saga, in which the iG portal was offered to groups such as RBS and Yahoo, as well as banker André Esteves of BTG Pactual, the deal seems to have been finalized with the Portuguese group Ongoing, which, in Brazil, owns the newspapers Brasil Econômico, Marca, and Meia Hora. Controlled by the Portuguese businessman Nuno Vasconcellos, in Brazil it is managed by his wife, Maria Alexandra Vasconcellos, to comply with Brazilian legislation that prohibits foreign control of print media – this restriction does not exist on the internet.

The contract between Ongoing and iG is expected to be signed this Monday and will mark the fourth phase of the internet portal. It was created by Brasil Telecom when the company was headed by banker Daniel Dantas, who entrusted editorial control to journalist Matinas Suzuki, formerly of Folha de S. Paulo. When Dantas was removed from Brasil Telecom and the company was taken over by pension funds, iG came under the influence of former minister Luiz Gushiken, who invited journalists such as Paulo Henrique Amorim, Luiz Nassif, and Ricardo Kotscho. The third phase occurred after the purchase of Brasil Telecom by businessmen Carlos Jereissati and Sérgio Andrade of Oi, who handed over control to Eduardo Oinegue, formerly of Veja.

Oinegue left last year after having set up a very heavy cost structure. And Oi had been looking for a buyer for some time. With the Ongoing group, iG will have its fourth chance to consolidate itself as a relevant provider of journalistic information. The Ongoing group is a shareholder of Portugal Telecom, which, in turn, is part of the controlling block of Oi.

Read below a recent interview with Maria Alexandra Vasconcellos published on 247:

"We cannot manipulate the information."

By Eder Fonseca

For some, she is considered the new Niomar Muniz Sodré (former controller of the "defunct" newspaper Correio da Manhã). For others, she is the new Countess Pereira Carneiro (the legendary head honcho of Jornal do Brasil), but she says she is not concerned with these labels. Maria Alexandra Vasconcellos, president of the Ejesa Group – owner of the titles 'Brasil Econômico', 'Marca Brasil', 'Meia Hora' and 'O DIA' – wants her media outlets to be seen as bastions of reference and credibility in the current Brazilian media market.

Married to the powerful Portuguese businessman Nuno Vasconcellos, who since 2004 has been the president of Ongoing Strategy Investments, a gigantic holding company with tentacles in businesses as diverse as media, telecommunications, technology, real estate and financial services, she says that the leadership of her newspapers in Brazil will be the consequence of permanent work in improving their quality and heavy investments in her team of professionals, in technology and in the growth of the national economy (which she greatly praised).

Two moments in particular stand out in the interview that follows. The first was when we commented that critics see the newspaper 'Meia Hora' as a new 'Notícias Populares' (one of the most sensationalist newspapers of its time). She categorically replied that the 187 daily copies the publication sells and the reader feedback already answer all kinds of questions. Her response was also firm when asked if Ejesa is being persecuted by the Public Prosecutor's Office, which always raises doubts about the group's entry into the country, accusing it of breaking the quota for foreigners in the national media (in clear reference to her husband, who, according to them, is the real name behind the venture), saying that this is because some still don't believe that a woman can manage a large business. Now, let's hear the thoughts of the new lady of media.

Commercial Panorama - Many say that you will soon become the most powerful woman in Brazilian media, a mix of Niomar Muniz Sodré and Countess Pereira Carneiro. Do you harbor this ambition?

Maria Alexandra Vasconcellos - These are two women and journalists who are important to the history of Rio de Janeiro and Brazil. I am honored to be compared to them. However, they are different times and realities. Niomar Muniz Sodré played a crucial role during the dictatorship, campaigning for the rights of political prisoners. To lead a newspaper during a dictatorship and challenge it is a courageous and commendable act. Countess Pereira Carneiro, on the other hand, revolutionized the Jornal do Brasil after the death of her husband, Count Pereira Carneiro, transforming the publication in the 50s into a model of modern journalism. Unfortunately, both ended up closing or becoming exclusively online. This is certainly a loss for the history of Brazilian communication and the city of Rio de Janeiro. I don't harbor the ambition to be the most powerful woman in Brazilian media; I only want to do my job ethically and with excellence. I want to invest in the quality of the Ejesa newspapers – Brasil Econômico, Marca Brasil, Meia Hora, and O DIA – making them increasingly credible and influential publications.

Panorama - Mino Carta said that the cultural and intellectual background of Brazilian journalists is mediocre compared to that of Europeans. Do you, who live between Portugal and Brazil, share this view?

Vasconcellos - I studied in Brazil until I was 15, at Colégio Santa Marcelina in Rio de Janeiro, which is one of the best Brazilian schools. When I moved to Portugal, I had no problem keeping up with classes. I was very well prepared by the Brazilian school system. However, I know that the current reality of public schools in Brazil is different. Much more investment is needed to provide access to quality education for everyone in the country. A person's cultural and intellectual background is not formed solely by their family and school education, but also by their experiences and a curious outlook on all events, whether cultural, historical, or political-economic. I don't believe that the cultural and intellectual background of Brazilian journalists is mediocre. But unfortunately, we know that in Brazil in general there is still a very large gap in access to information, in the encouragement of culture, and in the simple act of reading a book or newspaper. The 2010 study "Portraits of Reading in Brazil," for example, shows that only 55% of Brazilians read, that is, 95 million people. A very low number compared to the 190 million Brazilians.

Panorama - Are you for or against making a journalism degree mandatory to practice the profession, and why did you reach that conclusion?

Vasconcellos - At Ejesa, we always seek to hire journalism graduates. We believe that university provides the foundation a journalist needs to develop in practice. Much of the knowledge acquired in higher education, the friendships and exchanges of ideas among peers are fundamental in the formation and direction the professional will follow. Contact with theories of communication, politics, economics, ethics, and philosophy allows students to broaden their vision of the field and better understand the role of journalism, its duties and obligations. But I believe that university alone does not make a professional. A combination of factors is necessary: ​​study, knowledge, cultural and intellectual background, the desire to grow, ethics, among many other important characteristics.

Panorama - What does the owner of a large media group need to survive in the market and resist the temptations and pressures of political and economic power?

Vasconcellos - Owners of media groups cannot be subjected to any kind of political or economic pressure; these are fundamental principles for freedom of expression. We provide a service to society, which is to inform. We cannot manipulate information or fail to report a fact due to external or internal pressure. The main asset that newspapers have is their credibility. We work with information, therefore credibility and ethics are fundamental to keeping freedom of the press alive.

Panorama - Many accuse the RBS, Folha da Manhã, Organizações Globo, Editora Abril, and Estado groups of forming an oligopoly in the national media. Do you agree with this statement?

Vasconcellos - I wouldn't say oligopolies, but it's known that in Brazil the press is made up of large family groups. And the arrival of Ejesa shook things up a bit by making investments in the sector like never before. The formation of oligopolies is harmful to the population and to freedom of the press, firstly because of the concentration of media outlets in the hands of a few media groups, and secondly because of the massification of information, which ends up being very similar, following the pattern of the organization to which it belongs.

Panorama - Recently, one of the world's largest publications, the British newspaper The Guardian, stated that it will prioritize online content. Do you believe we are heading towards the end of print newspapers?

Vasconcellos - I believe that print publications will not cease to exist. At least not for now. There is a long way to go before the abolition of print media. In some countries, the circulation of newspapers and magazines is indeed falling rapidly. But in a country like Brazil, which has tens of millions of new consumers entering the market, I believe that quality information will continue to be a very valuable product. And we are fully aware that a large part of these millions of new consumers will not consume information on paper. But regardless of the platform we use, we are a journalistic company. Our business is to generate quality content, with journalistic rigor and credibility, to be distributed on the best platforms for readers, no matter what they are. The online platform greatly facilitates access to news, which tends to increase the consumption of media outlets. That is why we invest heavily in new digital platforms to distribute our content. In São Paulo, at Brasil Econômico, the two platforms already produce content in the same environment. The new headquarters in Rio will reinforce this experience. People will always want and need information. We are prepared to produce and deliver information where, when, and how they want it. Ejesa is a journalistic content company, independent of the channel used for reading.

Panorama - The newspaper Meia-Hora, from the group you manage, is seen by critics as populist and sensationalist. In short, a disservice to journalism, a new Notícias Populares. Are you irritated by this statement?

Vasconcellos - I am only concerned with what Meia Hora's readership thinks of the publication. We use Ejesa's publications to bring news of interest to our diverse readership and communicate using language that each one identifies with most. The circulation is, on average, 187 copies of the newspaper daily (IVC), and the feedback we receive from our readers is already Meia Hora's answer to those who believe the publication is a disservice.

Panorama - We still have a low number of newspaper readers, comparing our nation to other smaller countries like Argentina and Chile. What do you consider to be the key factor for this to change?

Vasconcellos - Brazil is experiencing a positive economic period, despite the global crisis, and we expect this growth to be further boosted by the World Cup (2014) and the Olympics (2016). A consequence of this positive economic climate is the growth in Brazilians' income. According to the Getúlio Vargas Foundation (FGV), from the beginning of 2003 to May 2011, 48,7 million people entered classes A, B, and C in Brazil, almost the population of Spain. Furthermore, according to the IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics), the number of Brazilians attending higher education has doubled in the last 10 years. These are factors that tend to contribute to the growth in the number of newspaper readers. In a country like Brazil, which has tens of millions of new consumers entering the market, I believe that quality information will continue to be a very valuable product. And, as I said before, we are fully aware that a large part of these millions of new consumers will not consume information in print. That's why we've invested heavily in new digital platforms to distribute our content.

Panorama - Do you believe that the Ejesa group is being persecuted by the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office for having the audacity to challenge the 'status quo' of communication, and, furthermore, that this 'status quo' is afraid of foreign capital?

Vasconcellos - Ejesa complies with Brazilian legislation regarding limits on foreign participation in media companies. The company has already demonstrated this to the Public Prosecutor's Office, which, after a careful procedure lasting over a year, recommended the case be closed. I am very surprised that in a country like Brazil, which has just elected its first female president, the competence and management power of women are still questioned. I own Ejesa and am the chair of the board of directors, and I am very clear about where I want to take the newspapers we publish. And if there's one thing a good manager knows well, it's that a company, whatever it may be, is not made up of just one person. It's made up of many people. In our case, in addition to myself, Ejesa is composed of a team of highly competent and qualified administrators and journalists who constantly seek innovations that bring our readers the most modern forms of reading, as well as the best content on business, general information, and sports.

Panorama - How are you viewing the first few months of President Dilma Rousseff's government?

Vasconcellos - I have high hopes that the first woman in the Brazilian government will show the country and the world the power and competence we have to manage a company or a country. President Dilma Rousseff inherited an excellent economic scenario, with good employment and income indicators for the population. She also received a country that became the focus of the world with the hosting of the two largest sporting events on the planet (World Cup and Olympics). In other words, Dilma received a Brazil within a very different initial context compared to her predecessors. In general, we can say that the assessment of these first months of government is quite positive. The president has imprinted her own way of governing. She has managed to show personality in governing the country and distance herself from her political godfather, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Dilma has also adopted a change in Brazil's posture in international relations, as in the case of Iran, and has been firmly confronting the scandals of influence peddling and corruption in some of her ministries. It is known, of course, that the world scenario is not the most promising. The crises in all major world economies are bringing insecurity to the general population and could be reflected in Brazil. Therefore, the president faces enormous challenges related to economic policy, interest rates, and exchange rates, among others. But I do believe that Brazil is prepared to face the situation and, above all, that President Dilma has the necessary tools to lead a great government. She simply needs to remain firm in her convictions.

Panorama - Does the lady put too much pressure on herself to lead the newspapers Brasil Econômico and O Dia to the top of their respective markets?

Vasconcellos - I demand a quality product from myself to my readers. Of course, I want my newspapers to reach the top, and I work hard for that. Leadership will be the result of continuous work to improve our newspapers and investment in our team of professionals, in technology, and in economic growth.

Panorama - Why don't media outlets in Brazil tell their readers what their political preferences are, as the newspaper O Estado de S.Paulo did when it supported PSDB candidate José Serra in the last election, since this is normal and legitimate in other parts of the world?

Vasconcellos - The role of the media is to inform. The media needs to be a place for debate, for fostering diverse opinions. Journalism should not be partisan.

Panorama - Does the Ejesa group intend to have a free-to-air television channel to compete with Record, Globo, SBT, and Band for viewers' preference?

Vasconcellos - At the moment, Ejesa is focused on its products. This year, O Dia moved to a new headquarters, which allowed for the integration of the print and online newsrooms, and the Marca.BR newspaper was renamed Marca Brasil, as it maintains greater integration with Marca in Spain. We are focusing on existing products. We invested in mobile devices for Brasil Econômico, with the launch of the iPad and iPhone versions. The company frequently studies new opportunities, but at the moment there are no new projects defined.

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