São Paulo
If there’s one thing that sports narrator Cleber Machado, 61, never imagined would happen, it was being fired from Globo, where he worked for 35 years and broadcast football matches, presented the program “Bem, Amigos” several times and also narrated competitions. of various sports. “I was sure I would retire there,” he tells F5.
Cleber, often considered “number two” in the hierarchy of Globo narrators (behind only Galvão Bueno), was told in March that he would leave. He says that, until then, he had no idea that a supposed crisis was affecting the broadcaster and that his relationship with the channel was at risk. “I asked if they didn’t want me or if it was a financial adjustment. They gave me the second alternative as an answer. I have to believe it”, he resigns.
Life goes on, and in recent months, he narrated games on streaming and had a very brief stint on TV Record (two games). Now everything seems to be falling into place: he was hired by SBT, where he will debut on September 26th. Cleber will broadcast games and also present, from October 9th, Arena SBT, one of the broadcaster’s main sports programs.
He doesn’t hide that he missed open TV, “which still is and will be for many years to come the main way for you to bring together more people for a good audience.” Experienced as he is, Cleber knows that he will have back the terror of those who work live: audio leaks.
Recently, on the old station, an audio of reporter Eric Faria calling Flamengo’s coach, Jorge Sampaoli, an “imbecile” went viral. In Cleber’s view, this will not be the first nor the last time this happens. “Today you have to have a fivefold responsibility with open and even closed microphones.” Check out the full interview below.
Why did you accept SBT’s invitation?
I accepted the invitation because it was a cool chance, a good broadcaster that understands that sport should be part of the programming schedule and become a fixed product. On the other hand, I can’t say why they chose me, it’s more difficult. I think there is the obvious issue of experience and the time I have worked with this, of the things I have already done.
Have you done much in the last 6 months after leaving Globo?
Yes, I talked to people, I saw other markets, other ideas. I remember that I went to Record ten days after my dismissal in the Paulistão finals. I also did voiceovers on Prime Video. But, of course, TV is very much in my history.
What are your aspirations at SBT? Is there a division of labor between you and Téo José?
Nobody told me anything about whether I would be responsible for running one or another championship. I’m going to make the first broadcast [dia 26, no jogo entre Corinthians e Fortaleza pela Sul-Americana] and I have no idea if there will be a split, which speaker will do what. SBT will be the one who will climb, I will be there to do the best I can.
Have you already managed to assimilate your dismissal from Globo?
There is no fight, no hurt, these are things that happen, but no one likes to happen. I didn’t imagine it would happen, I was talking about retiring there. As for the reasons, it is difficult to say. I asked if they didn’t want me or if it was a matter of financial adjustment. They gave me the second alternative as an answer and I have to believe it.
Did you notice any signs or anything strange days before they shut you down?
I didn’t have any information that I would leave, there was no indication. A week before I realized, and it wasn’t me, that there was an internal demand movement, not only in sports, but in other areas of TV. Many people left. I was one of them.
What did you think of the audio leak in the Globo broadcast in which reporter Eric Faria calls Jorge Sampaoli [técnico do Flamengo] of ‘imbecile’?
It wasn’t the first time something like this happened nor will it be the last. They already happened years ago, but at that time the guys said that those who watched on the satellite dish had access to what was said off the air. How these conversations leak I don’t know. But today you need to be careful. Me, you and anyone, because we never know if we are being recorded.
Has it ever happened to you?
When I started working on programming at Rádio Bandeirantes, something was once leaked and a boss wrote a very long statement that I still haven’t forgotten: Open microphone, double responsibility. Today it has to be a five-fold responsibility with an open and even closed microphone.
What about the criticism of Eric Faria?
I think that people, social networks, we, in general, increase, we overvalue everything. Absolutely everything becomes a crisis, from an on-air argument to an off-air conversation. Now everything becomes a noise. There is a permanent court with opinions across all sectors.