Anyone who follows Portuguese television daily is used to seeing her face. Charismatic and energetic, Conceição Queiroz is one of the greatest references in journalism in the Portuguese language.
The pen (years later the computer keyboard) was always her companion. Conceição began by studying Sociology, took a course in Social Policy, earned a Master’s in History and ended up gaining a doctorate in Portuguese Studies, specialising in Literature, at the Universidade Nova de Lisboa in Portugal. Besides her work at TVI, a Portuguese television channel, the journalist divides her time between teaching journalism and, more recently, putting the finishing touches to her fifth book. And who would have thought that, in the midst of this already long list, Queiroz still has a few hours in which she writes for cinema?
This is a sketch of her life at the age of 46. She was born on the Island of Mozambique, and it is for this magical place that her heart still beats. “I left Mozambique because my parents made that decision. My mother had high blood pressure and the medication came from Portugal. One day, she and my father decided it was preferable for us to move here. I adapted quickly; I just can’t get used to the winter, which remains a challenge,” says the journalist, by email.
Besides working at the Portuguese television channel TVI, Conceição Queiroz divides her time between teaching journalism and finishing her fifth book, and still has a few hours in which she writes for cinema
More than with nostalgia, Conceição recalls the memories of a free, beautiful, healthy childhood by the sea. And she shares: “I went back there for work seven years ago and it was magical to see again the place where I grew up, the people, our house, the church where we went to Mass, the squares, the monuments. It was an emotional experience. I remember going around the Island with my father many times, in a motorboat, and spending weekends at Chocas beach.”
Now living in Lisbon, Conceição Queiroz already has 26 years in the profession. Journalism is in her blood: dedication, motivation, availability, knowing how to research, knowing how to decode, protecting sources, understanding where the news is, being prepared for any eventuality. That is how it works. “I was encouraged by a teacher at secondary school to follow this profession. At university, I had an experience at the university radio station, and I felt that the teacher who said I would be a journalist might be right. The interview fascinated me immediately – even today it is one of my favourite genres, right after the major feature. From then on I made a difficult journey, between newspapers and magazines, until, when I became unemployed, I tried television journalism and, fortunately, I stayed,” declares Conceição.
Being a communicator means working on the Portuguese language at every moment. In journalism, in particular, Queiroz acknowledges that being up to date and attentive are the main premises for doing the job well. But there is nothing like the experience of years and years: “As for the experiences I carry with me, they are always useful. I understand many of the people I interview better, perhaps because I have been through some of the same experiences. Having seen the world is an advantage when you are a journalist.”
