Igor Moraes, the surfer who is journalism’s friend!

From news site to news site, strengthening Brazilian journalism.

What is “Mais pelo Jornalismo” (MPJ)?

The “Mais pelo Jornalismo” (translation: More for Journalism) is a support program targeting news media sites, especially those who produce journalism in small towns. This concept arose as an answer for the closing of thousands of media outlets in Brazil - newspapers, magazines, radios, and websites which, even with decades of history, had to shutter due to lack of resources.

The MPJ is an initiative of I’Max, a private company which committed itself to promoting up to 1,000 news media websites. The program is focused on the technological side of those sites - a combination of modernizing their layouts, hosting infrastructure, cybersecurity principles, corporate email accounts, and technical support - essential infrastructure for journalism to continue providing information to its community responsibly and with top-notch quality.

Where most see a news desert, we envision evergreen opportunities.

The silent collapse of local journalism

Local journalism is disappearing at a rapid pace and Brazil's small and medium-sized towns are vulnerable to disinformation. Without an active press, the public loses its main source of reliable information, making several everyday problems lose visibility. The quality of life in towns tends to deteriorate without journalism.

Why are media outlets closing?

In 10 years, more than 13,000 press outlets have been discontinued in Brazil, according to an I'Max in-depth survey. The reason for this is the loss of advertising funds to large digital platforms such as Google and Meta, and more recently AIs. They profit from journalistic content without paying any royalties, worsening the financial situation of media outlets and taking away the ability of newsrooms to finance their own production.

A global problem

That phenomenon is not limited to Brazil. According to a 2023 study by Northwestern University, the US loses an average of 2.5 local newspapers a week. To contain this collapse, countries like Canada and Australia have already passed legislation demanding big tech companies to financially compensate press outlets - recognizing the essential role of information for democracy.

A national network of information resistance

The journalists linked to the thousand websites supported by MPJ form a collaborative network that aims to reinforce the importance of creating new funding models for journalism, with independence from the big tech moguls and with long-term sustainability. By strengthening these professionals and their outlets, MPJ not only keeps local information alive - it also defends the right of every Brazilian town to be heard, represented, and well informed.

News sites that joined of the MPJ Network

The Mais Pelo Jornalismo Program was launched in November 2024 and the approval process for media outlets began in 2025 with the first projects being launched in May. The expectation is to have those thousand sites deployed over the course of the year. Click below to visit our glossary which details the media outlets that on the network:

Updates coming soon...

Igor Moraes

MPJ's ambassador

Igor Moraes

MPJ's ambassador

It would not be enough to empower the press with cutting-edge technology if it doesn't appeal to an audience. The public needs to reconnect with journalism and have, at the very least, one favorite news source to check for updates. That's what made us realize that it was required to talk about journalism through the voice of people who have special skills, especially in sports, but who live in ‘news desert’ regions.

The choice of Igor Moraes as MPJ's first ambassador and surfing as a sport is surrounded by symbolism. Click the button to find out more.