SAPNews Seals Landmark Partnership with CCTV+, “We Embrace This New Era with Full Responsibility” : Sergio

Image : SAPNewsTL Director Sergio Alves da Costa

SAPNewsTL, Dili: Media Sa’ani Assamana Prazer News Timor Leste (SAPNewsTL) has signed a one-year cooperation agreement with CCTV+. The purpose of this partnership is to promote content sharing between media organizations, business training, joint production, broadcasting, media technology innovation, dialogue and communication between media outlets, content dissemination, and media research among media partners.

The Partnered Distribution Channels that CCTV+ collaborates with include AP’s GVW & Media Port and Reuters’ WNE & Media Express, distributed through CCTV+’s own online distribution system at www.cctvplus.com.

Under the “Licensed Channels” agreement signed by SAPNewsTL, CCTVPlus content will be published and reproduced through the All Media Service Platform (AMSP), a comprehensive media service platform developed and managed by CCTV+, which CCTV+ and its members use to publish, download, and share news programs, live broadcast signals, documentaries, and other special services.

Regarding this cooperation agreement, SAPNewsTL Director Sergio Alves da Costa considers the agreement to be highly significant for SAPNews, as it opens the door to new collaboration with an internationally recognized institution known throughout China and ASEAN.

“This is a new and truly crucial opportunity. SAP News TL welcomes it and accepts it with full responsibility as we enter this new era with CCTVPlus. We wish to express our sincere gratitude to CCTV+ for sharing this news service agreement and providing the opportunity to establish cooperation between our two media organizations, both now and in the future,” said SAPNews Director Sergio Alves da Costa in Dili on August 17, 2026.

SAP News TL recognizes the significant value of this partnership, as it allows the organization to become part of the Global South Media Partners network.

“We deeply appreciate CCTV+’s commitment to making news materials and live signals available to SAP News TL under the terms we have jointly agreed upon. We believe this cooperation will contribute to strengthening SAP News TL’s capacity in news production, access to international content, and expanding opportunities for Timor-Leste’s media content to reach a wider international audience,” Sergio said.

SAP News respects the responsibilities and limitations defined in the Agreement, including the use of licensed material, adherence to applicable usage periods and restrictions, protection of editorial integrity and accuracy, and compliance with intellectual property and copyright requirements.

SAP News TL considers the partnership with CCTV+ an important opportunity to strengthen professional cooperation between media organizations from Timor-Leste and China — a cooperation that can contribute to greater communication and collaboration among media partners across the Global South.

“Therefore, we are committed to implementing this agreement with professionalism, editorial responsibility, respect for intellectual property, and mutual understanding. We hope this cooperation will not be limited to video/news materials alone, but will expand to include capacity building, journalist training, professional exchange, study visits, and joint reporting in the future.”

SAPNewsTL has faced various challenges, but the wealth of experience gained along the way has become an important foundation for learning, innovation, and institutional growth, improving working systems, and adapting to change. SAPNewsTL has gradually transformed its challenges into opportunities for development.

Today marks a new phase in the organization’s development, highlighted by the signing of this cooperation agreement with CCTV+. The media outlet is strategically adapting its operations and developing its capacity according to available resources, placing greater emphasis on professional management, institutional strengthening, financial sustainability, digital transformation, and future growth.

“Our experience shows that sustainable media development is not easy, but is built through commitment, consistency, professionalism, innovation, and the ability to adapt. From a youth-led media initiative with limited resources, SAPNewsTL has progressively grown into an independent, professional, resilient, alternative, and sustainable media organization in Timor-Leste,” said a SAPNews Executive.

SAPNewsTL is committed to strengthening this cooperation so that it functions as a viable source of information and a platform for constructive and informed public communication.

“We believe that this strategic partnership, capacity-building opportunities, technological support, and future collaboration will further strengthen our capacity to produce quality journalism. Therefore, SAPNewsTL wholeheartedly welcomes a partner that shares our vision of building a strong, professional, independent, and sustainable media sector in Timor-Leste.”

Media Sa’ani Assamana Prazer News Timor Leste (SAPNewsTL) was founded by young professionals and graduates on February 26, 2022, with the vision of building a Timorese society that is equal, just, informative, inspiring, constructive, educational, analytical, critical, and democratic.

SAPNewsTL is an online media platform driven by a spirit of volunteerism, patriotism, and nationalism, dedicated to serving the public and guaranteeing freedom of the press and expression through its contribution to the development of social communication institutions both within the country and abroad.

Since its founding, SAPNewsTL has remained free from economic and political power, conducting its journalistic activities in accordance with Articles 40 and 41 of the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste on freedom of expression and freedom of the press, Social Communication Law No. 5/2014, and the Code of Journalistic Ethics No. 10.

Over its five years of existence, the outlet has produced 5,900 news articles with 1,510,517 views on its website, www.sapnewstl.com. On Facebook, it has approximately 96,000 followers with monthly views ranging from 10 to 30 million. Its YouTube channel has produced 460 news videos with 950,245 views, and on TikTok it has 32,000 followers with 5,900,000 views across 520 news videos.

The cooperation agreement with CCTVPlus was signed in Beijing, China, on August 5, 2026, when SAPNews representative Marciana da Conceição had the opportunity — facilitated by the Secretary of State for Social Communication — to take part in media training and exchange programs in China.