Please Join Hromadske Radio in Providing an Independent Political Voice for the People of Ukraine

We are raising $16,500 to support independent political news in Ukraine. Contributions will go directly to a team of professional journalists who have created public radio in Ukraine. They have been producing podcasts since last summer now they stream live and are on air. A broad international crowdfunding campaign is critical to ensure that the coverage is independent of political and commercial pressures.

I am Dora Chomiak, an American of Ukrainian descent; I worked full time with several of these journalists 20 years ago when I co-founded the International Media Center. My work on this campaign is strictly as a volunteer. 

First, let us address a question: Why bother making radio instead of television?

1. Radio is a powerful medium. It reaches people over the airways and over the internet.

2. People listen while driving and commuting. 

3. It is cheaper to produce than television. 

4. People need info in multiple forms: audio, video and text. 

Listen Now 

UPDATE: As of February 22, 2014 the team at Hromadske Radio have started to do live broadcasts. You can listen at Soundcloud or through the TuneIn Radio App (iOS and Android). Just search for Hromadske Radio and listen. 

UPDATE:  As of February 26, 2014 Hromadske Radio is now heard across all of Ukraine on the strongest frequency. Hromadske Radio has a two hour block of time over the first national channel. They are reporting and taking calls from all regions of the country. 

The People of Ukraine Need Your Help!

Hromadske Radio needs $16,500 to create four new political podcasts. For almost three months, people in Ukraine have held peaceful protests to end corruption and to build a stable democracy in which the citizens have a voice in determining the fate of their country. Most of the sources of news in Ukraine are funded by the government and by commercial and political interests.

Hromadske Radio (translation: Public Radio) wants to ensure that the people of Ukraine have an opportunity to access political news and analysis they can trust from an independent source by providing a series of four weekly podcasts that will cover politics in their country. 

The (working) titles of the shows you will help create are:

• Yakshcho (If, or What If) A flagship political podcast: fast reaction to the hot news.
  
• Kabinet (Office). In-depth interviews with Ukraine’s top politicians.
  
• Letiuchka (Editorial Meeting) Leading journalists, editors and columnists discuss the events of the week.
  
• Investigations. A review of the most important investigative reporting of the week.  A magazine format.

The tagline of Hromadske Radio (translated from Ukrainian) is: Listen. Think.

Knowledge Is Power

A small group of professional journalists in Ukraine launched this project to provide information to people throughout the country so they can know what is happening and so each person can decide how to act. Their shows are available by podcast and occasionally on local FM radio stations. The team at Hromadske Radio aspires to create a sustainable public radio operation with programming about politics and culture.

Other Ways You Can Help

We hope that you'll contribute to this important campaign.  But you can also help by:

• Spreading the word! - Please post this campaign on your Facebook, Twitter and other social media