José Trajano

José Trajano
Trajano in 2013
Born
José Trajano Reis Quinhões

(1946-10-21) 21 October 1946
Rio de Janeiro, Distrito Federal,  Brazil
CitizenshipBrazilian
EducationColégio de São Bento
OccupationJournalist
EmployerESPN Brasil
Known forESPN Brasil
Websitehttp://www.ultrajano.com.br/

José Trajano Reis Quinhões (October 21, 1946) is a Brazilian journalist and writer.[1][2] He was the director of journalism and one of the founders of ESPN Brasil alongside Laércio Roma and Júlio Bartolo.[3][4][5][6] He is also a small business owner in the communications field, creating exclusive content on his website and social media under the name “Ultrajano,” where he blends sports analysis with political commentary.[7]

Biography

First years

He was born in Tijuca, a neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, the son of a history and geography teacher and a homemaker.[8][9][10] As a child, he spent a lot of time at a family farm in Rio das Flores, in the interior of Rio de Janeiro.[11] He attended the prestigious Colégio de São Bento in downtown Rio,[12] but dropped out before finishing high school.[13]

His first job was when he was still a teenager, at age 16, in 1963, at the Jornal do Brasil.[13][14]

Career

José Trajano in 2013.

He began his career at Jornal do Brasil in 1963, at the age of 16,[14] where he covered the 1970 FIFA World Cup final in Mexico, and has since worked for various media outlets across the country.[15][16] He held his first management position in 1972 at Jornal dos Sports.[12] During the military dictatorship, he edited an important newspaper from the so-called alternative press,O Ex.[13]

Between 1993 and 2000, he hosted the sports news program Cartão Verde on TV Cultura.[17][18] In the early 1990s, Julio Bartolo invited him to head Televisão Abril, a sports media company that was a subsidiary of the Grupo Abril.[19] In 1995, the channel was renamed ESPN Brasil.[20] During his time at the station, he appeared on the shows Linha de Passe and Bate-Bola, and was a prominent figure on the former, which he created in 1998.[21][22] He also appeared on the now-defunct Pontapé Inicial.[23]

On September 30, 2016, he was fired from ESPN Brasil after 21 years with the network.[24] Among other possible reasons for the rift between Trajano and ESPN’s top brass was an incident that occurred in May of that same year, in which Trajano expressed outrage during the opening of Linha de Passe while Danilo Gentili was a guest on Bate-Bola,[22] which later led to the filing of a formal legal complaint against Trajano.[25][26] Political issues were also cited, as Trajano takes a political stance.[27][28] He was replaced by João Palomino.[29][30]

In November 2016, he was hired by Canal Brasil, where he hosted the talk show José Carioca.[31] On May 16, 2024, Trajano returned to ESPN Brasil after nearly eight years to pay tribute to journalist Antero Greco in a special edition of SportsCenter Brasil,a program Antero had hosted for years, dedicated to him.[32][33][34][35]

In December 2016, he launched his YouTube channel, Ultrajano.[7][36] On the channel, the host presents the show Na Sala do Zé, broadcast from his living room in Vila Madalena, São Paulo.[13] The first episode aired on December 8, 2016, featuring Eduardo Gudin and Pasquale Cipro Neto.[37] In 2017, his original content production expanded to Facebook, Twitter, and his own website, creating his own distribution network.[37] Guests included figures such as Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva,[38] Fernando Haddad,[39] Ciro Gomes,[40] Sâmia Bomfim,[37] Gilberto Gil,[37] Juca Kfouri,[37] Manuela d'Ávila,[37] and Leonardo Sakamoto.[37] On March 20, 2017, the podcast Zé no Rádio premiered on Central3.[41] On January 14, 2019, with the addition of Dudu Monsanto, the show was renamed Pontapé reuniting the duo from their TV days.[41] The podcast released new episodes weekly until January 2022.[42]

In September 2017, he was announced as a new hire at TV dos Trabalhadores, where he hosts the daily show Papo com Zé Trajano, one of the channel’s top-rated programs.[43][44] In 2021, he joined the cast of Posse de Bola, a podcast and later a television show produced by Universo Online and aired on Canal UOL, in a roundtable format, where he works alongside Juca Kfouri, Arnaldo Ribeiro, Eduardo Tironi, Mauro Cezar Pereira, and Danilo Lavieri.[45]

Personal life

A native of Rio de Janeiro, he is an avowed América Football Club fan.[46][47][48] He also became a fan of Arsenal F.C.in England to bond with his son, who was raised in England, and the team became a common topic of conversation between father and son.[15][49] He was close friends with the soccer player Sócrates, with whom he stayed in Italy and shared many glasses of draft beer.[28][50]

His first marriage was to fellow journalist Renée Castelo Branco, with whom he had two children, Marina and João, both of whom were raised in England by TV Globo journalist Pedro Bial, since Bial had married Renée shortly thereafter.[49][51] His second marriage was to fellow journalist Célia Chaim, who passed away in January 2016, with whom he had his youngest son, Pedro.[28][52]

Trajano is part of the Brazilian left and is an outspoken admirer of the politicians Leonel Brizola and Darcy Ribeiro.[28][53] In the 2016 Rio de Janeiro mayoral election, he joined the campaign for Marcelo Freixo’s candidacy, volunteering his support without being a member of the Socialism and Liberty Party (PSOL).[54] For TVT, he interviewed Lula alongside Juca Kfouri during Lula’s imprisonment, and Trajano stated that Lula was suffering “political persecution.”[55][56] In the 2018 Brazilian presidential election, he supported candidate Fernando Haddad (PT).[57] In 2022 election, he endorsed the candidacy of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, also of the PT.[58]

Books

A novelist, José Trajano has published the following books:

  • Procurando Mônica. São Paulo: Paralela, 2014[59]
  • Tijucamérica: Uma chanchada fantasmagórica. Sâo Paulo: Paralela, 2015;[48]
  • Os Beneditinos. São Paulo: Companhia das Letras, 2018;[60]
  • Aqueles olhos verdes. São Paulo: Companhia das Letras, 2021.[61]

Prizes

Year Prize Category Result Ref.
2009 Prêmio Comunique-se Media ExecutiveWon [62]
2011Won [63]

References

  1. ↑ "José Trajano". Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on November 14, 2025. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  2. ↑ Henrique, Guilherme; Brasilino, Luís (August 1, 2018). "José Trajano: um operário do jornalismo". Le Monde Diplomatique (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on February 11, 2025. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  3. ↑ "Desabafo de Trajano após fim da marca 'ESPN Brasil' repercute na web: 'Em lágrimas, me calo!' - Lance!". Lance! (in Brazilian Portuguese). January 17, 2021. Archived from the original on May 24, 2025. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  4. ↑ "Trajano lamenta fim da marca ESPN Brasil: 'Em lágrimas, me calo'". Universo Online (in Brazilian Portuguese). January 17, 2021. Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Em choque, Trajano crê que política tenha influenciado sua saída da ESPN". Universo Online (in Brazilian Portuguese). September 30, 2016. Archived from the original on June 22, 2025. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  6. ↑ Bittencoutr, Julinho (January 17, 2022). "ESPN Brasil deixa de existir; "e eu, em lágrimas, me calo!", diz José Trajano". Revista Fórum (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on April 26, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  7. 1 2 "Portal Ultrajano lança campanha de apoio ao jornalismo livre e independente". Brasil de Fato (in Brazilian Portuguese). December 29, 2017. Archived from the original on January 25, 2021. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  8. ↑ Campos, Mateus (August 5, 2015). "Sangue 100% tijucano: em novo livro, Trajano relembra histórias do América". O Globo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on October 21, 2019. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  9. ↑ Pires, Breiller (March 2, 2018). "José Trajano: "Sonho com os velhos tempos fervilhantes do Rio de Janeiro"". El País Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on June 12, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  10. ↑ ´Damasceno, Renan (April 28, 2018). "Escritor e comentarista Jos Trajano participa do projeto Sempre um Papo, em BH". Estado de Minas (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on April 18, 2024. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
  11. ↑ Lancellotti, Sílvio (July 9, 2021). "Muita História nas muitas histórias do livro "Aqueles Olhos Verdes"". R7 Esportes (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on May 6, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  12. 1 2 "José Trajano". Portal dos Jornalistas (in Brazilian Portuguese). May 30, 2017. Archived from the original on November 16, 2025. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Pereira, Felipe (2016). "Formação alternativa: O homem que criou a ESPN Brasil sequer completou o Ensino Médio e passou mais tempo no bar que na escola". Universo Online (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on March 27, 2025. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  14. 1 2 "José Trajano e o jornalismo esportivo". Serviço Social do Comércio. May 7, 2015. Archived from the original on April 22, 2026. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  15. 1 2 Cantarelli, Bruno; Júnior, Beto (April 1, 2026). "#706 - José Trajano [Jornalista]". Spotify. Retrieved April 22, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  16. ↑ "Telex, Saldanha barrado e festa com Félix: jornalistas contam bastidores do título do Brasil em 1970". ge (in Brazilian Portuguese). June 17, 2020. Archived from the original on April 22, 2026. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  17. ↑ ""Cartão verde" completa 20 anos no ar e recebe José Trajano em programa especial". Portal Imprensa. March 4, 2013. Archived from the original on April 26, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  18. ↑ Santos, Luis (May 24, 2019). "Nos 50 anos da TV Cultura, 'Cartão Verde' segue como um marco para a emissora". Terra (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
  19. ↑ Brito, Marcondes (January 17, 2022). "José Trajano, o criador da ESPN Brasil, chora com a morte do canal". Metrópoles (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on April 26, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  20. ↑ "Entra no ar a versão brasileira da ESPN". Folha de S. Paulo. June 17, 1995. Archived from the original on February 22, 2025. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  21. ↑ "Linha de Passe completa 20 anos sem ceder à gritaria". Universo Online (in Brazilian Portuguese). August 31, 2018. Archived from the original on July 16, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  22. 1 2 "José Trajano critica a ESPN por convidar Danilo Gentili para o "Bate-Bola"". Universo Online (in Brazilian Portuguese). May 28, 2016. Archived from the original on December 4, 2021. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  23. ↑ Ricco, Flávio (February 1, 2012). "José Trajano volta a apresentar programa na ESPN Brasil". Universo Online (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on April 22, 2026. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  24. ↑ admin (September 30, 2016). "Jornalista José Trajano é demitido da ESPN por "contenção de despesas"". Central dos Trabalhadores e Trabalhadoras do Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on August 14, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  25. ↑ Wilkson, Adriano (April 17, 2019). "Adriano Wilkson - Processado por criticar Danilo Gentili, José Trajano discorda de prisão". Universo Online (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on December 12, 2022. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  26. ↑ "Danilo Gentili processa José Trajano e pede R$ 1 mil de indenização". Jovem Pan (in Brazilian Portuguese). October 11, 2026. Archived from the original on April 22, 2026. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  27. ↑ "UOL Esporte - Em choque, Trajano crê que política tenha influenciado sua saída da ESPN". Universo Online (in Brazilian Portuguese). September 30, 2016. Archived from the original on June 22, 2025. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  28. 1 2 3 4 "Falo, logo existo". Universo Online. Archived from the original on December 15, 2025. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  29. ↑ Lavieri, Danilo; Wilkson, Adriano. "Jogo jogado: João Palomino diz não ter rancor por demissão após 25 anos de ESPN e lamenta briga com ex-chefe José Trajano". Universo Online (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on April 23, 2022. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  30. ↑ "Trajano manda indireta para Palomino após demissão da ESPN - Lance!". Lance! (in Brazilian Portuguese). August 14, 2019. Archived from the original on August 7, 2020. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  31. ↑ "Ex-ESPN José Trajano assina com o Canal Brasil e terá talk-show em 2017". NaTelinha (in Brazilian Portuguese). November 9, 2016. Archived from the original on May 1, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  32. ↑ "José Trajano homenageia Antero Greco no SportsCenter especial: 'É a maior unanimidade da história do jornalismo esportivo brasileiro'". ESPN.com (in Portuguese). May 16, 2024. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  33. ↑ "Com Amigão, Trajano e Juca Kfouri, SportsCenter presta homenagem a Antero Greco: 'A maior unanimidade da história'". ESPN.com (in Portuguese). May 17, 2024. Archived from the original on May 20, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  34. ↑ lance (May 17, 2024). "Com volta de Trajano e choro de Juca Kfouri, SportsCenter homenageia Antero Greco". Terra (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on June 23, 2025. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  35. ↑ "José Trajano se despede de Antero Greco: 'Um dos maiores jornalistas de sua geração'". O Globo (in Brazilian Portuguese). May 11, 2024. Archived from the original on May 15, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  36. ↑ "Após demissão da ESPN Brasil, José Trajano anuncia programa no Youtube". UmDois Esportes: Notícias do esporte paranaense e brasileiro (in Brazilian Portuguese). December 6, 2016. Archived from the original on April 22, 2026. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  37. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Na Sala do Zé". Ultrajano. Archived from the original on January 18, 2018. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  38. ↑ "Entrevista de Lula a José Trajano". Mauricio Grabois (in Brazilian Portuguese). July 20, 2017. Archived from the original on April 19, 2025. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
  39. ↑ Trajano, José (June 20, 2017). Na Sala do Zé, Nº 7 - Fernando Haddad (Television production) (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved April 23, 2026 – via YouTube.
  40. ↑ "Ciro diz em programa do Trajano que eleição está pra ele". Revista Fórum (in Brazilian Portuguese). August 11, 2017. Archived from the original on April 23, 2026. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
  41. 1 2 "Pontapé Archives". Central 3 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on July 9, 2025. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
  42. ↑ "A Central 3 informa que o podcast Pontapé não será continuado. Foram 3 temporadas muito legais, e uma produção que deixará saudade. Foi demais reviver o "velho Pontapé". E antes que perguntem: sim, vem novidade muito boa em breve com José Trajano e a Central3". Twitter. February 2, 2022. Archived from the original on February 19, 2022. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
  43. ↑ "José Trajano está de volta à televisão. Saiba mais..." Portal Comunique-se (in Brazilian Portuguese). September 11, 2017. Archived from the original on March 5, 2026. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
  44. ↑ "José Trajano estreia programa na TVT". Portal Imprensa. September 12, 2017. Archived from the original on January 31, 2018. Retrieved January 31, 2018.
  45. ↑ "Trajano bate boca com jornalista do UOL: 'Não vem me ensinar a ver futebol'". Portal iG (in Brazilian Portuguese). August 9, 2024. Archived from the original on April 20, 2026. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
  46. ↑ Redação (January 22, 2025). "José Trajano narra amor ao América em 1960 – quando as estrelas ficaram vermelhas". Portal dos Jornalistas (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on August 13, 2025. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
  47. ↑ "José Trajano". Football Museum (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on April 23, 2026. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
  48. 1 2 Neto, Fernando (July 22, 2015). "'Tijucamérica', de José Trajano, recupera os tempos de glória do América-RJ". Estadão (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on April 23, 2026. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
  49. 1 2 Trajano, José (September 2, 2022). "Quando o pai tem que torcer pelo time do filho!". Universo Online (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on December 12, 2022. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
  50. ↑ Santiago, Anna (April 26, 2026). "Documentário do Globoplay sobre Sócrates terá depoimentos de irmãos e de rivais em campo". O Globo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on June 6, 2024. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
  51. ↑ José Trajano e Pedro Bial contam que 'têm dois filhos juntos' (Television production) (in Brazilian Portuguese). May 14, 2025. Archived from the original on April 23, 2026. Retrieved April 23, 2026 – via GNT.
  52. ↑ Kfouri, Juca (January 23, 2016). "Tostão, por Célia Chaim". Universo Online (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on February 27, 2016. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
  53. ↑ "José Trajano". Ludopédio (in Brazilian Portuguese). May 28, 2020. Archived from the original on March 28, 2023. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
  54. ↑ "Trajano: "O que mais enoja é a mídia fazendo jogo sujo contra o Freixo"". CartaCapital (in Brazilian Portuguese). October 13, 2026. Archived from the original on May 4, 2023. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
  55. ↑ Lucca, William De (April 28, 2019). "José Trajano: Lula sofre campanha de perseguição permanente". Brasil 247 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on July 16, 2019. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
  56. ↑ Vidigal, Raphael (April 24, 2020). "José Trajano: 'Entrevista com Lula na prisão foi triste e histórica'". Esquina Musical (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on January 13, 2026. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
  57. ↑ Federicce, Gisele (October 4, 2016). "Trajano ao DCM: "O macartismo está no ar"". Brasil 247 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on April 23, 2026. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
  58. ↑ "Mais de 8 mil já assinaram manifesto de apoio à democracia, ao TSE e ..." Congresso em Foco (in Brazilian Portuguese). October 24, 2022. Archived from the original on March 6, 2026. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
  59. ↑ Almeida, Marco (March 15, 2014). "Jornalista José Trajano relembra sua paixão impossível em livro". Folha de S. Paulo. Archived from the original on October 2, 2024. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
  60. ↑ Silva, Álvaro (April 6, 2018). "'Os Beneditinos' mescla tempos de colégio e futebol no Rio de Janeiro". Folha de S.Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on November 30, 2020. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
  61. ↑ "Jornalista e escritor José Trajano lança novo livro. Chegou 'Aqueles olhos verdes'! - Notícias". Terceiro Tempo (in Brazilian Portuguese). July 7, 2021. Archived from the original on April 30, 2023. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
  62. ↑ "Conheça os vencedores do Prêmio Comunique-se 2009". Abracom (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on December 16, 2025. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
  63. ↑ "VÍDEO: José Trajano vence Prêmio Comunique-se de Executivo de Comunicação". ESPN.com. September 14, 2011. Archived from the original on January 18, 2022. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
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