For three decades, Pedro Coelho has been an accomplished journalist in a country where work conditions challenge the practice and growth of investigative journalism.
Written by: Gabriela Ângelo
- Investigative Reporter at SIC, a prestigious Portuguese television network.
- Bachelor and Master’s Teacher at NOVA University in Lisbon- where he did a bachelor’s in communication, a master’s in communication sciences and a PhD in media studies and journalism.
- Winner of two Gazeta awards in 2014 and 2017, the most respected journalism award in Portugal.
Growing up in a quaint town in a remote part of Portugal, Pedro spent his spare time working in his father’s shop, which sold both decorative items and groceries. During this time, he would find himself observing the costumers entering and exiting the store, without having any direct interaction with them. He believes that this experience prompted his curiosity to become a reporter: “I think it was there that I learnt how to observe, and my curiosity fed itself there, my ability to decipher people also had its roots there”.
Today, he’s the main investigative reporter at SIC (Sociedade Independente de Comunicação), one of the leading television stations in the country where his work is trusted and highly appreciated. However, hefty pressure is often felt, since the investigations he carries out are complex and require additional attention to detail as there is a visual aspect to tend to. It’s worth noting that the investigations carried out by Pedro, which uncover important factors of Portuguese society, are tailored to television, being this the primary information medium in the country.
The work conditions and resources used during these investigations aren’t always ideal. “We have to use the weapons we have, and the weapons we have aren’t many because we don’t have the funding”. Funding is a real problem for the Portuguese media landscape, even in television. So far, Pedro and his team have been able to get external funding for three investigations; two investigation grants from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, and one from a Portuguese NGO, which funded the latest investigation.
When it comes to resisting the external pressures and threats, Pedro’s attitude is to handle it gracefully, stating that his material must be “bulletproof”. He knows that if his evidence and proof are weak, then the entities he’s investigating are going to take legal action against him. The credibility he has built throughout a 30 year career can be shattered in a few seconds. “If I’m not absolutely sure that what I have is solid, I wouldn’t stand a chance. Not me, nor anybody”. Currently he’s dealing with two lawsuits, which can be quite a hassle, because the network has to spend abundant amounts of money on lawyers, and he acknowledges that if he were a freelance journalist, he would not be able to carry on such costs. The relationship with his sources is also something he treasures deeply, and their identity is something he goes through great lengths to protect. After all, they’re doing, as he calls it, “an act of public service” and laying it all on the line.
When it comes to the current state of investigative journalism in Portugal, Pedro believes, as a professional and as an academic, that it’s very limited. There is a scarcity of journalists that want to commit to month-long investigations, facing extreme pressures, overtime work and with no additional monetary compensation. Therefore, he believes being an investigative journalist means being “someone who can suffer”. His latest and biggest investigation, regarding Ricardo Salgado’s agenda, a former Portuguese banker involved in a notorious fraud scheme, was one of his greatest challenges. No other story had taken the same amount of time and effort regarding teamwork, where the competences of the other members were crucial for its completion. Unfortunately, it was not as mediatic as his previous stories, due to the interference of powerful parties. “One of the goals of journalism is to cause impact, if this is not caused, then I think it’s better to stay put”.
Currently, Pedro is recording an investigative podcast that is to be launched during the first semester of this year. It will focus on this investigation, where he shares some information that couldn’t have been included in the televised version.