“Globo never carried that much weight for me”: Mara Luquet explains why she decided to launch MyNews
- On the NXT Podcast, the journalist recalls launching MyNews, inspired by Porta dos Fundos, and discusses management, purpose, and fighting disinformation
Leaving TV Globo to launch an independent journalism channel was the biggest professional risk journalist Mara Luquet has ever taken. The decision met with resistance even at home, but for her, the digital transformation pointed the way forward. In an interview on the NXT Podcast, hosted by Giancarlo Nicastro, she recalled the origins of MyNews and the challenges of going from commentator to entrepreneur.
“I left because I wanted to create an independent journalism channel, and technology made that possible,” she said. The inspiration came from a project in a different field: Porta dos Fundos. Mara wanted to explore the same possibilities for journalism that the comedy group had found online, without relying on a broadcasting license or extensive infrastructure.
According to her, Tabet’s involvement in the early days of the business helped her move away from the traditional television programming model. His advice was to try a handful of shows, keep those that worked, and change the rest.
Asked whether the difficulties of entrepreneurship had ever made her regret leaving, Mara put the broadcaster’s importance in her career into perspective. “For me, Globo never felt as big as its reputation,” she admitted. Having built her career in print journalism, she explained that television had never held that kind of significance in her life.
Her remarks came with praise for the company, its resources, and the professionals she worked with. “Globo was very good to me,” she emphasized. “It’s no accident that it leads the ratings.”
Learning to manage people
Mara said entrepreneurship stripped away “a certain naïveté” about work. One lesson was realizing that offering good salaries was not enough to build a team: she also needed to recognize talent and find the right people for each role.
The experience also prompted her to reassess her behavior. “I regret having been so angry,” she said, acknowledging that she had become involved in unnecessary conflicts.
Despite the difficulties, Mara credits her belief in the transformative power of information with motivating her to keep going. “Purpose is what drives us, not money.”
During the conversation, the journalist advocated for media literacy and penalties for spreading fake news, distinguishing those measures from censorship and reaffirming the importance of freedom of opinion.
Watch or listen to the full episode here:
