Radiobubble: Independent media community in Athens Greece
We’re an open medium for communication and information, run by a community of volunteers. We’re based in Athens, even though many of us live in other cities around the world. We operate on the basis of relationships of trust and mutual respect. We don’t follow the hierarchical structure of conventional, mainstream media.
We inform the world of events in crisis-hit Greece through a permanent newsfeed.
We conduct in-depth research on topics that the mainstream media tend to ignore.
We participate in cultural life, promote communication and spread information.
We develop, promote and support solidarity initiatives for people in need.
Live Radio. In 2007, we called upon citizens to take the media into their own hands. To date, 7,500 radio shows have been uploaded onto our website. They include shows about politics, music, culture, Creative Commons and open source software; original radio plays; radio documentaries; and interviews with both newsmakers and ordinary citizens.
News & International News. In 2011, we created the hashtag #rbnews and called on people to use it to tweet news. Hundreds thus became citizen journalists, and #rbnews was the second most popular hashtag in Greece in 2012. We collaborated with tweeters to develop a voluntary code of conduct regulating the use of the hashtag. Cross-checked information is published on our news pages, combining the tools of traditional journalism, new media and participatory reporting.
Hackademy. In 2012, we created this informal learning organization providing workshops and skill-sharing sessions in new media and participatory journalism. Hackademy connects civil society, media professionals and academic society.
The Blogs Section posts the thoughts of Greek bloggers and poets online, and publishes the free magazine Μπαχάρ* to bring them to print.
The Music Section proposes a diverse, and sometimes eclectic, selection of music to our radio listeners and readers of the blog, and organizes events and concerts in the radiobubble Café/Bar.
The Community Section hosts radio shows and podcasts produced and uploaded by citizens.
Our home is the radiobubble Café/Bar: a space open to all, where Greek bloggers but also international journalists and activists visiting Greece get to meet and chat (on air or off air) about news, politics, arts, radio culture, technology and new media.
We’re keeping this description short, but if you want to read more about our projects click here.
#rbnews: Been there, seen it, shared it.
We monitor the #rbnews hashtag 24/7 to curate news provided by Greek Twitter users.
#rbnews international: News from Greece you haven’t heard about
We inform the world of developments in Greece in 8 languages.
Un-quote: Online news for offline people
We’ll reach out to offline people with a weekly newsletter about Greece.
#rbnews: History and a hashtag
We study the role played by #rbnews in Greek citizen journalism.
Hackademy
We train citizen and professional Greek journalists in participatory journalism and new media.
Tracking privatizations
We research and assess the anticipated impact of mass privatizations in Greece.
Water and sanitation in urban areas of Greece
We provide a platform for activist groups opposing the privatization of Greek water.
The crisis and vulnerable social groups
We analyze the impact of the crisis on vulnerable social groups in Greece.
The Second Generation
We give a voice to the second generation of immigrants in Greece.
Charting solidarity initiatives
We network with solidarity initiatives in Greece and abroad.
Researching the impact of mining in Halkidiki
We report on the movement against gold mining in Northern Greece.
To cover the operating costs of radiobubble and fund essential research, journalism and education projects, we need a total of US$207,000 (€160,000) per year. We rely on donations from our audience and our own contributors because funding from the Greek State or corporate sponsors would compromise our independence. Your support will sustain and develop a powerful community of citizen journalists who inform the world about what is truly happening in Greece during the crisis.
Your donation won’t buy you a T-shirt with the Radiobubble logo. What it will do is make you part of a community that is producing well-researched, well-reported and independent journalism and promoting new media, open-source software, the culture of creative commons and open online communities for the common good.
However, you should also know that, if you’re visiting Greece as a tourist, a special correspondent, a citizen media activist or a scholar studying new media, we will be happy to assist and help you in any way we can.
And of course, we’ll be even happier to sit together for a cup of tea or a pint of beer in the radiobubble Café/Bar, where we broadcast our programmes and offer a meeting place for concerned and active citizens from all over the world.
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