Radiobrás and Lusa Agency sign cooperation accord

13/01/2006 - 17h06

Rodrigo Savazoni
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Brasília - Radiobrás and the Lusa Agency, from Portugal, have drawn closer. A cooperation agreement signed on Friday (13) by José Roberto Garcez, director of Journalism of Radiobrás, and José Manuel Barroso, executive director of the Lusa Agency, provide for joint efforts by the two companies in news-sharing, professional training, and the utilization of technological tools and telecommunications systems.

"We feel that it is necessary to sensitize the Portuguese media to Brazilian reality," Barroso affirmed. In his view, it is time to overcome stereotypes and bring the two countries into closer commercial and cultural contact.

For Garcez, the agreement with the Portuguese news agency represents the Agência Brasil's resumption of an international coverage project. "We assuredly have much to gain from this partnership," he commented.

The agreement is expected to give rise to courses, seminars, and conferences to make journalists from both companies better informed about Brazilian and Portuguese reality. There are also plans for internships and personnel exchanges between the two news staffs.

The Lusa Agency is the world's largest Portuguese-language news agency, with 200 journalists who cover various European countries and all Portuguese-speaking countries.

Translation: David Silberstein