The Azorean Regional Government has more than doubled its financial support for the region’s private media outlets in 2025, surpassing €1 million in funding through its Media Incentive System (SIM), according to Regional Secretary for Parliamentary Affairs and Communities, Paulo Estêvão.

Speaking about the initiative, Estêvão said the total investment this year represents “more than double the best year ever recorded for similar programs,” calling it an unprecedented commitment in the history of Azorean governance.

“In terms of SIM, 2025 will close with more than one million euros invested in the sector — more than twice the previous annual average,” he said. The funding, he added, is intended to modernize the regional media landscape and ensure the continued existence of a free and pluralistic press across the archipelago.

New Azores–Diaspora Media Alliance Headquarters in Ponta Delgada

Estêvão also announced that the headquarters of the Azores–Diaspora Media Alliance will be installed this month in Ponta Delgada. The initiative is designed to foster content sharing between media outlets in the Azores and Azorean communities around the world.

Under the plan, the Regional Government will provide office space, equipment, and logistical human resources to manage a new digital portal dedicated to journalistic content exchange. The platform will connect regional media organizations with diaspora outlets while also serving Azoreans and Azorean descendants globally.

The portal will include a directory of radio stations, newspapers, and television outlets across what Estêvão described as the “global Azorean world,” strengthening ties between the islands and their far-flung communities.

Global Program Planned for 600th Anniversary of Discovery

Looking ahead, the regional secretary confirmed that preparations are underway for the 600th anniversary of the discovery of the Azores, set to be commemorated in 2027. The government is developing a global-scale program that will include events across the archipelago, mainland Portugal, and Azorean communities abroad.

The anniversary, officials say, will not only mark a historic milestone but also reinforce the cultural, historical, and media connections linking the islands to their diaspora worldwide.

In Diário Insular-José Lourenço-director

Translated into English as a community outreach program by the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL), in collaboration with Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno. PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.