Candidate for Mayor of São Paulo said that the media group received R$474 thousand in public money and interfered in the draw of questions
The Flow media group denied the businessman’s accusations Pablo Marcal (PRTB) about receiving municipal funds and having manipulated the debate held on Monday (23.Sep.2024). According to Marçal, the media group would have received around R$474 thousand from the city hall.
The former coach’s statement was given to journalists on Tuesday (September 24) after being expelled for breaking the organization’s rules. After the expulsion, one of his advisors even punched Mayor Ricardo Nunes’ (MDB) marketing expert.
“The Transparency Portal shows that Mayor Ricardo Nunes has already invested R$648 million in everything related to the media and press. Flow, for example, received R$474 thousand. I keep asking myself, what does Flow have to receive from the R$474 thousand in public money? So here is another new promise: we will cut the press allowance next year.”, said the candidate.
In sabatina promoted by Metrópoles this Wednesday (25th September), Marçal also accused Flow of manipulating the draw of candidates who would ask questions during the debate. And he stated that the mediator, journalist Carlos Tramontina, used “double standards” with the candidates to expel him.
“It doesn’t make sense, in a debate, for a draw to come out with me and Marina 3 times [Helena, do Novo]. This is unlikely in mathematics. Tramontina did not interrupt Datena’s speech [do PSDB]. He spent 2 minutes destroying me“, he said.
In a note published on social media, Flow said that the allegations “are completely unfounded” and harm the “reputation built with dedication, transparency and ethics” of the group.
The Flow team also says they investigated the matter for Transparency Portal of the City of São Paulo and identified two payments to a company called “Flow Mídia e Publicidade LTDA” totaling R$474,999.62. The group claims, however, that this company “is not and has never been part of the Flow Group”.
Read Flow’s full note in full:
“We repudiate the statements made by candidate Pablo Marçal, who accuse Grupo Flow of bias, manipulation and receiving funds from the City of São Paulo. These allegations are completely unfounded and undermine our reputation built on dedication, transparency and ethics.
“We reaffirm that we have not received any funds from the City Hall. We investigated the matter and found, on the Transparency Portal of the City of São Paulo, two payments in 2023 totaling the amount of R$474,999.62 to the company Flow Mídia e Publicidade LTDA, a company that is not and has never been part of the Flow Group.
“We held the debate in an independent and unprecedented manner, with the aim of serving the public interest, informing voters in the city of São Paulo about the proposals of the main candidates in the electoral race. We reaffirm that our commitment is to truth and dialogue.”.
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