The Media Landscape of Setúbal

The media landscape of the Setúbal District has experienced cycles of flourishing and decline: from two dozen newspapers and twenty radio stations 30 years ago to a handful of surviving outlets today. At the heart of this story stands O Setubalense, founded in 1855 and bearing the oldest newspaper title in continental Portugal.

The printed press

O Setubalense — chronicle of a city

Foundation (1855)

O Setubalense was founded on 1 July 1855 by João Carlos de Almeida Carvalho, a monarchist who purchased a printing press and installed it in his house on what is now Rua Tenente Valadim. At the time, Setúbal had a population of around 15,000. After 30 months and 131 issues, the newspaper closed on 27 December 1857.

Revival (1916)

On 10 August 1916, O Setubalense was revived as an independent publication appearing twice a week. By then, several newspapers were already publishing in Setúbal: O Elmano, O República, O Trabalho, A Mocidade, A Propaganda and O Correio do Sado.

Estado Novo censorship (1927–1974)

On 5 February 1927, the newspaper was shut down for 15 days for publishing without prior approval from the censors. Its editor, Luís Faria Trindade, was arrested and spent 5 months in prison without charge. In August 1927 the paper returned with the subtitle “Diário Republicano da Noite” (Republican Evening Daily).

Censorship under the Estado Novo was preventive in nature: all publications passed through censorship commissions before printing. Censors used the notorious “blue pencil” (lápis azul) to strike out forbidden content.

The Carnation Revolution (1974)

After the revolution of 25 April 1974, the newspaper was occupied by part of its workforce. Thousands of photographs and old collections disappeared. A group of workers began publishing a paper called “Nova Vida” (New Life). On 25 November 1975, the paper ran the headline “Armas ao povo, já” (“Arms to the people — now”).

Crisis and rebirth (2013–present)

In 1995 the paper passed to the Plurijornal group. On 10 May 2013, O Setubalense ceased publication due to Plurijornal’s bankruptcy. On 22 February 2014, the paper was relaunched under João Abreu. In August 2018 it merged with the Diário da Região.

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the newsroom to launch a crowdfunding campaign on the PPL platform: monthly costs exceeded €40,000, while advertising revenue had collapsed.

In 2025, the Municipality of Setúbal declared the newspaper an object of municipal public interest on its 170th anniversary, recognising its “defining place in the construction of local identity and collective memory”.

Current status: the only daily newspaper in the district (Mon–Fri) and the oldest newspaper title in continental Portugal (second nationally after Açoriano Oriental from the Azores, founded 1835). Owner: Outra Margem.

Other newspapers

• Semmais — a weekly newspaper distributed with the national Expresso in the Setúbal District since 2007
• O Sesimbrense (Sesimbra) — one of the few surviving local papers

According to journalist Francisco Alves Rito (5th Congress of Portuguese Journalists), around 30 years ago the district had some two dozen newspapers: Distrito de Setúbal, Notícias de Setúbal, Correio de Setúbal, Jornal do Barreiro, Voz do Barreiro, Jornal de Almada, Gazeta do Montijo and others. Today, only 2–3 survive.

Radio

Rádio Azul (98.9 FM)

Began broadcasting on 1 July 1985 as a pirate radio station on 98.5 FM. Licensed on 9 May 1989 to broadcast on 98.9 FM (2,000 W). Covers 100% of the Setúbal municipality and neighbouring areas. A generalist station with news, music and analysis programming.

Rádio Jornal de Setúbal (88.6 FM)

Operating for over 32 years, broadcasting 24 hours a day. Programmes include the morning show “Encontro Marcado”, city news “Bom Dia Cidade” and music blocks.

The pirate radio era (1980s)

In the early 1980s, Portugal had only 3 licensed radio stations (RDP, Renascença, Comercial). From 1984 onwards, a wave of “pirate radio” swept the country — stations broadcasting from attics, garages and community association premises. The Radio Act of 1989 legalised many of them, including Rádio Azul in Setúbal.

Other radio stations in the district

Of the approximately 20 radio stations operating 30 years ago, around 6 remain.

The monopoly scandal (2003)

In 2003, employees of local radio stations filed a complaint about a monopoly controlled by businessman António Justo Tomás. Between 1995 and 1996 he had acquired stakes in Rádio Voz, Rádio Jornal and Rádio Azul, effectively concentrating control over three of the city’s four stations. Journalists accused him of censorship and using the media for personal ends.

Television

Setúbal TV

The region’s first online television channel, launched in 2009. The web-TV produces original programmes, documentaries and city news. It has been described as a “cultural engine of the city”.

TDS — Televisão do Sul

Web television with continuous 24-hour broadcasting (since 2023). Run by the company Diálogo Hábil, which also operates a regional radio network on several frequencies across the Setúbal, Lisbon, Évora and Portalegre districts.

Setúbal has no terrestrial television channel of its own — the city is covered by national channels (RTP, SIC, TVI) via the TDT system.

Online media

Digital outlets have been growing since the 2000s:

• Diário do Distrito (since 2006) — the district’s oldest online publication, a SAPO platform partner
• Distrito Online — regional news
• Setúbal Notícias — “the newspaper of Portugal’s happiest district”
• Rádio Web Setúbal Sado — internet radio

The crisis of local media

In the words of journalist Francisco Alves Rito, the district’s local press has undergone “30 years of slow death”:

• From ~24 newspapers, only 2–3 remain
• From ~20 radio stations, around 6
• The COVID-19 pandemic (2020) dealt a further blow to advertising revenue
• The crisis of local media threatens the region’s information ecosystem

Despite the difficulties, O Setubalense continues to publish, and new digital platforms are filling the information vacuum.

Cultural significance

Local media have played a key role in documenting the life of the city:

• The labour movement and strikes in the canning industry
• Resistance to Estado Novo censorship
• The Carnation Revolution and its aftermath
• Cultural events and festivals
• The life of Vitória de Setúbal football club

O Setubalense is more than a newspaper — it is a chronicle of the city since 1855: from monarchy through republic, dictatorship and revolution to democracy.

See also

• The Carnation Revolution
• Modern Setúbal
• The Canning Industry