Médio Tejo eXpress is an app-delivered news service with integration across all social media platforms, aimed at a younger audience (16-30) in the Medio Tejo region, located in central Portugal. This service will feature short and innovative formats to reach a demographic group that our digital newspaper (mediotejo.net , created 10 years ago) feels is underserved, as our audience is higher among readers over 40.
We will tailor multimedia storytelling for mobile consumption, to build news reading habits among people who currently access information (and disinformation) in a fragmented way, mainly through social media.
This is a bold step to revitalise local journalism in a growing news desert, with declining audiences and revenues. By providing young people with engaging, high quality local news, we aim to increase their awareness of regional issues and their curiosity about whatss happening where they live.
Goals (expected) of the project
Build news consumption habits among young people, provide accessible, high quality local news to underserved communities, and promote civic engagement and awareness of local issues.
Portugal will hold local elections in October 2025, and politics will be a challenging beat to work with - but by engaging younger citizens (who vote!), we aim not only to grow our audience, but also to strengthen democracy - fighting 'viral fake news' that spreads on social media and building a more informed, connected and vibrant community.
