Urgent Call to Action: Journalists' Union Demands Government Meeting Over Trust in News Crisis

Journalists' Union Urges Government Intervention in Media Crisis

The Journalists' Union (SJ) is requesting an urgent meeting with the Minister of Media, Pedro Duarte, to discuss the ongoing crisis at Trust in News (TiN), which owns prominent publications including Visão and Exame. The company is currently facing insolvency, has outstanding salaries to employees, and is behind on payments to freelancers, according to a statement from the union.

The issue has already been raised in four meetings between the SJ and the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs. The SJ emphasizes the need for immediate dialogue with the government to address the challenges facing this media group.

The union highlights that the State, through Social Security and the Tax Authority, holds over 50% of the credits and rejected the Special Revitalization Plan (PER) that was approved by other major creditors. This presents an opportunity for potential solutions, according to the SJ.

Moreover, the SJ insists that government officials must strive to find a solution that ensures the financial viability of TiN's publications, guarantees the payment of overdue salaries, and preserves jobs.

In addition, the union has reached out to all parliamentary groups, sending an open letter from TiN employees to raise awareness among public officials regarding the severity of the situation, which impacts 17 titles and numerous families.

The SJ has also called on all journalists to participate in a public gathering scheduled for Wednesday, December 4th, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Praça de Luís de Camões in Chiado, Lisbon.

TiN, which owns 16 titles including Visão, Exame, and Jornal de Letras, saw its PER rejected on November 5th. On November 12th, the administration announced its intention to file for bankruptcy, already requesting the convening of a creditors' meeting to present and substantiate a recovery plan.