With the assistance of Emídio Navarro, José Augusto Barbosa Colen moved from Beira Interior to Lisbon, where he entered the world of journalism and politics. There he joined the founding members of the newspaper, As Novidades, and was considered the creator of investigative journalism in Portugal, through the section entitled 'Cases of the Day', which published news revealing in-depth research. Colen assumed the management of As Novidades on two occasions (1891-1895 and 1905-1907). With this publication he proved himself to be an active, engaged journalist, whose political articles brought him into conflict with certain personalities of the time. He would later leave this newspaper to begin working on the Revista Quinzenal Illustrada: Brasil-Portugal magazine.

In 1886, when Emídio Navarro rose to a position in the ministry of public works, he appointed Barbosa Colen as his private secretary. This appointment, of course, counted on his personal and political connections, which also materialised in the elections for deputy by the Progressive Party in the uninominal circle of Figueira Castelo Rodrigo (1887-1889 legislature). Barbosa Colen's reputation as a parliamentary chronicler assured his place as editor of the Diário das Câmaras (15 January 1890), later becoming head of the writing office of the Diário das Sessões, a position he occupied for several years.

Between 1890 and 1916 he was director of the Anglo-Portuguese Telephone Company. Among his writings, one of his most prominent works was Entre Duas Revoluções (Between Two Revolutions, 2 vols.), published in 1902. Another of his works, and perhaps his magnum opus, were the volumes IX, X and XI of Historia de Portugal: Popular e Illustrada (continuada desde a chegada de D. Pedro IV à Europa até aos nossos dias), by Manuel Pinheiro Chagas published by the Empresa da História de Portugal between 1899 and 1909. These publications cover the period from 1832 (landing at Mindelo) to 1853 (death of Maria II) of Portuguese contemporary history, noting their similarity, since many of the issues addressed in Entre Duas Revoluções are reprised in Historia de Portugal: Popular e Illustrada.

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