During the week in which Folha de S. Paulo turned 98 years old, the newspaper promoted a series of daily debates and invited a group of readers to the newsroom on Tuesday (19th)."We want to bring the readers, the columnists, and our newsroom closer," said Maria Cristina Frias, Folha's editor-in-chief, during the opening of the weeklong series of events.
Columnists Clóvis Rossi and Mônica Bergamo, along with Folha's executive editor Sérgio Dávila, discussed the relationship between the newspaper and its audience and answered questions.
Rossi reminisced about former publisher Octavio Frias de Oliveira (1912-2007), who called the reader "His Excellency": "He would often edit something and got stuck. Then he would ask, 'Do you think His Excellency would understand what you mean?'"
When asked if he though Folha's content had taken a "left turn," Dávila replied: "The same criticism made about our journalism now, during Bolsonaro's term, we already heard about Lula, Dilma, and Cardoso. We do journalism, revealing what is relevant, whether positive or negative. "
In a debate held on Wednesday (20th), economists Delfim Netto and Marcos Lisboa discussed the topic "Will Brazil grow again?".
According to Netto, "although reform is necessary, it won't be enough." He defended changes in the minimum wage, in government employment contracts, and in what he calls Brazil's "fiscal madness."
Lisbon said the year could be positive. "But everyone is reviewing [their projections] with lower numbers, and they're right to do so. There was a certain optimism that I have no idea where it came from. "
Translated by NATASHA MADOV
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