José Saramago
Although he never considered himself a journalist, Saramago worked at several newspapers but his debut was as a writer in the magazine Seara Nova. After that he also worked at the Diário de Lisboa, A Capital, Jornal do Fundão and Diário de Notícias where, after leaving journalism, he contributed articles and opinion columns
A journalist who refused that designation. A man who believed Journalism should have an intervening role and a controversial newspaper director. José Saramago had a number of jobs before he made a living off his novels.
He was a locksmith mechanic, a draftsman, a health worker, a translator, an editor… and a journalist.
He worked in the newsrooms of Diário de Lisboa (where he finds fame for the prose of the editorials), A Capital, Jornal do Fundão and Diário de Notícias (DN).
When the revolution takes place, Saramago (a member of PCP – Portuguese Communist Party – since 1969) is a member of the board of Diário de Notícias.
He believes in an openly political Journalism, which causes a division in the newsroom.
As the political environment gets more extreme, he collides with 24 journalists (around half of the newsroom staff).Saramago fires that group.
“Diário is the people’s, it’s not Moscow’s” is one of the catchphrases of the manifestations that take place near DN.
Only after 23 years, in 1998, did Saramago return to DN, as a chronicler. In that year, he wins the Nobel Prize in Literature.
He dies in 2010, in Spain .There’s a Foundation named after him, in Casa dos Bicos. Saramago never considered himself a journalist. “I never did an interview or a news story, I didn’t describe a street incident. I did absolutely nothing of what’s the work experience of a journalist”.