A treasured voice of a precious land

It was the beginning of a new century. Goa was a land dominated by a colonial power. There were those who were not happy with the changes that had taken place, and from these there came together Aleixo Messias Gomes, Luis de Menezes Bragança and a few others. Young idealists with far-reaching thoughts who wanted a future for Goa. Their idealism was not of a show of strength, but consisted of words and phrases, and what they needed was a vehicle by which to reach the people. Unable to find one, they created their own. 

At the dawn of a new century, on January 22, 1900, hot off the press rolled out Goa’s first daily newspaper. O Heraldo was born 120 years ago, as a four-page edition that was published on weekdays, and it opened the gates for the media in Goa, that only grew from strength then on. 

If you imagine that the issues that plagued Goa were different 120 years ago, sample this extract from the first editorial of O Heraldo: “If, at the present juncture, it seems to us to be a utopia the return of our society to the pristine state; this is not, however, the reason for letting the management of our public affairs run the risk of chance. The governors and the governed have the strict obligation to, hand-in-hand, cooperate with the intent to improve the economic, financial, social and international conditions. If the combination of these efforts cannot bring our society to its individualisation, it will create, at least, a well-being that challenges life that is so critical, so oppressed in our times. Inspired by these ideas, our political programme will consist of suggesting to the government all the clarifications needed to improve public administration, and to reveal to the governed the means by which can provide them with wealth, a condition so required today.”

It is well over a hundred years since that day when the first edition was slipped under the doors of certain ‘gentlemen’ who were invited to subscribe to the paper. Presumably they did go to the offices of the paper and pay their monthly dues, for O Heraldo has survived the years and decades to enter another century of a new millennium. It was a matter of trust that the people had in O Heraldo, that has seen it survive the vicissitudes of such a long period. 

It reported on two world wars, on the Independence of India, on the Liberation of Goa. It has seen a regime change and reported on transition of power. From a period of censorship to one where the media had freedom, O Heraldo stood alongside the Goan and when the Portuguese readership dropped, made the transition to English in 1983, to cater to the new needs. Yet, in all that, it is still doing what Messias Gomes and Menezes Braganca had set out to do – enlighten the people and keep tabs on the government. 

In the words of Henry Ward Beecher, “The newspaper is a greater treasure to the people than uncounted millions of gold.” O Heraldo has been just that to the people of Goa for the past 120 years, a treasure that the reader refuses to part with. You can’t take O Heraldo out of Goa, it has been and is part of the land’s heritage. Nobody else can claim that. The paper takes pride in being the Voice of Goa for a century and two decades, and will not vacate that space. It will tell the news as it is, without any embellishment, leaving it to the reader’s discretion to form an opinion. It is a commitment to bring the reader the best news every day, and O Heraldo will keep that promise.