Joelmir José Beting (Tambaú, December 21, 1936 – São Paulo, November 29, 2012) was a Brazilian journalist, radio and TV anchorman, and an economics-specialized columnist.
He was widely recognized for his ability to translate the harsh, confusing economical concepts (usually called by the jargon economês in Portuguese, meaning the economists' talking resembles a foreign language) into simple, easy to understand examples for the people in general.
[2] His family came from the Westphalia region, Germany,[3] to work in a farm in Limeira, São Paulo.
[1][2] Thanks to the efforts of Father Donizetti Tavares de Lima, he moved to São Paulo in 1955,[4] following his advice to learn sociology and work as a journalist.
[3] He attended the Social Sciences classes at the University of São Paulo and earned his undergraduate degree,[1] aiming first to make a career as a teacher.
[2] His thesis was The adaptation of Northeast Brazilians' manpower in the auto industry,[3] having Fernando Henrique Cardoso as one of his advisors.
[1] While attending the university, he sought for jobs at radio stations and newspaper publishers, and succeeded to work for newspapers O Esporte and Diário Popular, and Rádio Panamericana (now Rádio Jovem Pan[5]) as well, making sports journalism.
As a fanatic Palmeiras supporter, he manifested a biased behaviour during the play he was covering and decided to ask his dismissal after the game.
[5] Due to his successful undergraduate thesis, he was invited in 1966 to become a columnist at Folha de S. Paulo newspaper, to edit a column about automobiles, specially the automotive industry.
[1] In 1970 he started to broadcast daily economical analysis on Rádio Jovem Pan and TV Record.
[7] Alongside Salomão Ésper and José Paulo de Andrade, he joined the first team to air Jornal da Bandeirantes Gente, a daily radio program for Rádio Bandeirantes de São Paulo – AM 840 kHz.
He moved his newspaper column to O Estado de S. Paulo on May 1, 1991,[9] where he stayed up to December 3, 2003 [10] In 2003, he agreed to make an advertisement campaign for Bank Bradesco, posing for advertising pieces of HiperFundo Bradesco, a mutual fund.
[11] Due to his decision, the newspapers O Estado de S. Paulo and O Globo decided to stop the publication of his column, allegedly because the fact his economical columnist to advertise a financial product was incompatible with their policies.
[note 1] Furthermore, he questions supposed false questions that arose from the fact, stating "If journalism gets ashamed from advertisement – then it should survive without it",[note 2] to conclude saying "To advertise a mutual fund, a new car, or toothpaste doesn't harm people.
What endangers the Brazilian people in journalism (and throws the profession's ethics in the dirt) is the old, and even celebrated, journalistic merchandising, with political, partisan, ideological, cultural, religious or militant nature.
He also presented Canal Livre, an interview program broadcast on Sunday nights, as well took participations on Band News television and FM radio,[4] and Bandeirantes' BandSports channel as well.
[15] Joelmir Beting's son, Mauro Beting, was on air in Rádio Bandeirantes featuring a post-game radio program after São Paulo FC v. CD Universidad Católica match when he was warned about his father's death.
Immediately he started to read a letter in homage to him, as reproduced here:[16] "I have never talked to my father about it after Palmeiras has been downgraded.
What I know is the first Sunday after falling to the 2nd Division for the second time, Mr. Joelmir had a stroke before to watch the first match after the downgrading.
Sons of a pioneer, respected economics' journalist, a recognized, innovator TV anchorman, a communication master, brilliant and labourer.
And there isn't any existing word to describe how rare and dedicated Palmeiras fan he was.
Joelmir José Beting was bound to meet the Father of the Ball, Waldemar Fiume, in this Thursday at 0:55."