Dear reader,
On the week of International Women's Day, we honor and celebrate the achievements of women around the world, including those who have broken barriers in the field of journalism. In Brazil, several women journalists have made a significant impact on the industry, inspiring generations to come. In this article, we highlight the stories of four influential women who have left their mark on Brazilian journalism: Eliane Brum, Glória Maria, Zileide Silva, and Maria Júlia Coutinho. Through their passion, hard work, and dedication, these women have paved the way for others and changed the face of journalism in Brazil.
Through their fearless reporting, these women have covered everything from political scandals to environmental disasters, serving as a vital source of information for the Brazilian people. They have brought to light stories that might otherwise have gone untold, challenging the status quo with their independent and often groundbreaking work.
Despite the challenges and obstacles they have faced, these women have persevered and carved out a place for themselves in a field long dominated by men. They have broken barriers, shattered stereotypes, and paved the way for future generations of women journalists in Brazil.
Their contributions to the field of journalism have not gone unnoticed, and they have inspired countless women across the country to follow in their footsteps. Today, we celebrate the achievements of these women and honor all women journalists in Brazil who continue to make a difference in the field.
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The Brazilian Report team.
Eliane Brum
Born and raised in the South of Brazil, Eliane Brum is not only the most decorated journalist in Brazil, with more than 40 prestigious awards, but also a renowned author and filmmaker. She began her career at Zero Hora, one of Porto Alegre's largest newspapers, where she worked for 11 years before becoming a special correspondent for Época Magazine, where she worked for a decade. During her time at Época, Brum published more than 200 journalistic chronicles, many of which were later collected in the critically acclaimed book "A vida que ninguém vê".
After leaving Época, Brum continued to produce exceptional work, focusing on writing books and directing documentaries that tell the stories of real people and their experiences. Her books, which explore themes of poverty, violence, and inequality, have been widely recognized for their literary merit, and her documentaries have shed light on the harsh living conditions of people living in remote and extreme regions of Brazil.
Currently based in the city of Altamira in Para, Brum has recently launched a news outlet called "Sumaúma," named after one of the largest trees in the Amazon forest. Through Sumaúma, Brum has become a leading voice in exposing the atrocities being committed against the Amazon forest, its indigenous peoples, and the animals that inhabit it. By using her platform to raise awareness about the ongoing destruction of the Amazon, Brum is working to hold those responsible for the devastation accountable and to inspire action to protect this vital ecosystem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19dZiyQhA4c
Eliane Brum's career has been marked by a commitment to telling the stories of those who are often overlooked or ignored. Through her extraordinary journalism, books and documentaries, she has become a leading voice for social justice in Brazil, and her new venture, Sumaúma, promises to be an important outlet for exposing the harsh realities of life in the Amazon and the urgent need for action to protect it.
Glória Maria
The first black journalist to grace Brazilian television screens, Gloria Maria was a trailblazer for generations of women. With more than five decades of experience, she covered major events in more than 100 countries, interviewing icons such as Michael Jackson and Freddie Mercury. She also covered historic moments such as the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and the terrorist attack on the Brazilian Embassy in Peru.
As a black woman, Gloria faced many obstacles in her career. But she refused to let those challenges get in her way. When a hotel manager denied her entry because of her skin color, she used the Afonso Arinos Law to fight back and demand equal treatment and rights for people of all races and skin colors.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2P1J4LMJtqw
Gloria's talent and determination led to her being hired by the prestigious Globo television network. Her first assignment was to cover the fall of the Elevado Paulo de Frontin, a huge overpass in Rio de Janeiro, in 1971. She later became the anchor of the seven o'clock news and even presented Fantástico, Brazil's flagship Sunday night magazine show.
After a brief hiatus, she returned to television to produce special reports from exotic locations such as the Sahara Desert, and even covered events such as the Falklands War in 1982. Her groundbreaking work as a black woman journalist inspired many and will always be seen as a major contribution to Brazilian journalism.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ks2lHR4Nt4
Sadly, Gloria passed away this year after a battle with cancer that began in her lungs and spread to her brain. Her legacy as a pioneer in her field will continue to inspire generations to come.
Zileide Silva
Zileide Silva is a prominent black journalist in Brazil. She began her career in radio while studying at Faculdade Casper Libero in São Paulo, and later worked for several television stations, including Bandeirantes, TV Cultura, and SBT, before joining Rede Globo, where she gained widespread recognition.
From 2000 to 2003, Silva served as the network's New York correspondent, covering major events such as the September 11 attacks. She also made history as the first black journalist to accompany Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on his trip to South Africa.
Silva's talents as a political journalist led her to anchor Bom Dia Brasil, Rede Globo's flagship morning news program, from 2009 to 2013. She was the first black woman to host a nationally broadcast daily news program. Despite her professional accomplishments, she became known on the internet for some live TV gaffes that led her to take a break to prioritize her health.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJSup4DAckk
Zileide Silva's contributions to Brazilian journalism were significant, especially as a pioneering black woman journalist. She remains an inspiration to many aspiring journalists in Brazil and beyond.
Sônia Bridi
Sônia Bridi is a journalist from Santa Catarina, southern Brazil, who joined Rede Globo in the mid-1980s and became an important international correspondent, reporting from New York, China, London, Paris, and Beijing. She covered major events such as the Rio de Janeiro Carnival and the 1994 World Cup, where she had the opportunity to watch the final alongside the family of star striker Romário.
Bridi's passion for journalism began at a young age. As a child, she loved writing and begged for an internship at a local newspaper in the small town of Caçador, Santa Catarina. Despite numerous rejections, her persistence led one of her teachers, who knew people at the newspaper, to tell them that she was his best student and that they should find something for her to do. She began working as a producer and editor for a radio station that eventually became a television channel, from where she landed a job at Globo doing reports while studying journalism. Even before graduating, she was reporting for the most influential daily news programs in Brazil.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62uvPWu1fW0
Bridi's contributions to journalism in Brazil have been significant, particularly as a woman journalist who has broken barriers in the industry. She has covered important topics such as climate change, traveling around the world with her husband, Paulo Zero, to report on environmental issues and the inequality of people living in situations of high demographic pressure. She also played a crucial role in some of Brazil's biggest political scoops, including interviewing Edward Snowden and reporting on how the U.S. spied on Dilma Rousseff and Petrobrás. Her reporting has helped shed light on important issues and shaped public discourse in Brazil.
Maria Júlia Coutinho
Maria Júlia "Maju" Coutinho is a prominent Brazilian journalist who faced a great deal of racism and prejudice throughout her career. Despite adversity, she persevered and rose to become a news anchor, serving as an inspiration to many.
Maju began her journalism career in 2004, working as a weather reporter for a local television station in São Paulo. She quickly gained recognition for her talent and charisma, and was eventually promoted to weather anchor for Globo's flagship evening newscast, Jornal Nacional, in 2013.
However, her rise to prominence was met with a barrage of racist comments on social media, with some viewers expressing disbelief and disgust at the idea of a black woman delivering the weather report. But Maju refused to be silenced by the hate, and her dignified response to the attacks earned her widespread support and admiration.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeFBvhY81eg
In 2015, Maju made history by becoming the first black woman to anchor a national newscast in Brazil, when she temporarily replaced the regular anchor on Jornal Nacional. The landmark moment was celebrated by many, but it also sparked a new wave of racist comments.
Despite the continued discrimination she faced, Maju continued to shine in her role and became a beloved and respected figure in Brazilian journalism. She has since gone on to host several other news programs and continues to be an advocate for diversity and inclusivity in the media industry.