Last week, the Secretariat of State for Social Communication (SECOMS) held Media Tour 2026 in Bali, Indonesia, an initiative that promotes working visits and exchanges with foreign media outlets to strengthen the professional capabilities of national media outlets. 

The initiative involved the participation of ten national media outlets and is part of the strategy of the 9th Constitutional Government Program to provide opportunities for learning and exchanging experiences with foreign media outlets, particularly in light of the challenges posed by media convergence and digital transformation.

As part of the programme, the Secretary of State for Media, Expedito Loro Dias Ximenes, said that Media Tour 2026 aims to broaden the horizons of Timorese journalists through direct observation of media management practices in Bali, with an emphasis on the adaptation strategies needed to ensure sustainability, credibility, and relevance in an ever-changing global media landscape.

The minister also emphasised that the initiative is an instrument of media diplomacy, creating opportunities for professional cooperation across borders in a context marked by increased misinformation, polarisation of the information space, and declining public trust in the media.

During the visit, the national journalists were welcomed by officials from Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI) Denpasar and also visited the Bali Post, where they learned about editorial management practices, business organisation, and content development strategies in the digital age.

Journalists from the media outlets Jornal Independente, Timor Post, STL, Tatoli, IP, RTTL, EP, SMNews, GMN TV, VIP TV, Dili Post, and SapNews took part in Media Tour 2026.