The life story of journalist José Menezes is directly connected to the trajectory of media in Amapá. Born in 1970 in Primavera (PA), 194 km from Belém, where he worked as a newspaper vendor, he moved to Macapá in 1986, still a teenager.
In the state capital, he took his first steps in professional journalism in 1988. He was hired at the then TV Amapá (today Rede Amazônica), a Globo affiliate, working in character generation operations and station programming.
Because he worked the night shift, he began to be called Corujinha — one of the affectionate nicknames he received from press colleagues throughout his career.
In 1996, he joined TV Bandeirantes, the period in which he began his career as a reporter. From that point on, Menezes became one of the most recognizable faces in Amapá. With ease in front of the cameras and professionalism, he quickly took on the anchoring of the station's main newscasts.
He then joined SBT also as a reporter, eventually reaching the anchor desk of the program Meio-Dia, the station's highest-rated newscast, where he worked across different stints.
Jozeca, another nickname given by press colleagues, also had a career in radio. He worked at Amapá FM (today CBN Macapá) and at Difusora, a public broadcaster linked to the state government. His voice carried news to every corner of Amapá's 16 municipalities.
He transitioned into institutional communications, with stints at the Government of Amapá during the administration of Camilo Capiberibe (2011 to 2015), and at the TJAP (Amapá Court of Justice), where he served as presenter and producer of JudiciRádio.
His final professional role was as head of communications at the TRT (Regional Labor Court) of the 8th Region, headquartered in Belém, which covers Amapá and Pará — the two states closest to the journalist's heart, who took pride in the culture of northern Brazil.
Menezes was admitted to a hospital in Belém for medical treatment and died on July 6 at the age of 56, having dedicated 40 of those years to journalism. The cause of death was not disclosed. He was waked in Belém and in the municipality of Primavera, where he was buried alongside relatives.
Communications professionals, broadcasters, news websites, newspapers, politicians, and the public institutions where he worked paid tribute to him and highlighted his trajectory in building a solid, ethical, and dynamic career.
Corujinha, Zé Menê, or Jozeca will be remembered for his good humor, generosity, and professionalism. He is survived by his wife, fellow journalist Kelly Pantoja, four children, and four grandchildren — the youngest of whom was born on the day of his burial.
