'Hiruka' suffocates financially and launches support campaign
- The Basque media of Uribe Kosta warns that their survival is in danger if no more sponsors are found before the end of the year. Hiruka was born four years ago with the union of several media in the region.
Anyone who accesses the Hiruka website or receives the weekly paper, will read a striking message instead of the news photos: “A picture should be here, but because of Hiruka’s situation, we cannot do our job properly.” In order to obtain new accessions to the campaign, the Zu zara giltza campaign has been launched, with the aim of achieving 333 triples by the end of the year, a symbolic but very important figure for moving forward.
The economic forecasts of Uribe Kosta’s Basque communication project are not being met this year: it has been reduced in the advertising sector and the expected support from the public has not been achieved. In addition, public subsidies have also had "many ups and downs," Hiruka member Unai Brea explained in statements to Reuters. “The duration of the project is very serious,” said the journalist, who, although they still have nothing decided, will surely have to make another less demanding plan for the environment.
Hiruka became a cooperative in January 2015, in the midst of a crisis, after the UK magazine merged with digital publishing UKberri.net. But public subsidies were not adapted to that size and that is one of the reasons for the current situation. As you have explained, they are also in contact with the administration in search of a solution.
In the foams of Euskaraldia, water to the ankles
Hiruka produces a 16-page weekly that delves into the contents and spreads 8,000 copies in the region through 450 distribution points. In addition, the website publishes news related to daily life and offers multimedia productions: “We work with proximity information, giving the floor to the closest protagonists. But many people live in the region, and when important characters from the Basque Country or abroad pass, we also know them,” explains Brea.
Behind the capitals, 'Hiruka' is the local medium where most people can reach: 102,000 vasco-speakers
About 160,000 inhabitants, half of them Getxo, concentrates Uribe Kosta, in this sense, behind the capitals, Hiruka is the local medium that can reach the majority of the population: It is estimated that there could be 102,000 receptor vascospeakers. But the member of Hiruka reminded us that the region is very Castilian and parasitic, there is a great barrier between the knowledge and use of the Basque: “For people who want to live here in Euskera there is no compact community, it is a land that needs to be fought. And in this sense, Hiruka is a space of encouragement, giving information in Euskera”.
Hiruka was born with the intention of being a three-legged project, as one of his intentions for the future was to resume the radius of the region. It is now to be seen whether ten municipalities and eleven districts of the city can be tuned in Euskera to receive information about the situation of the neighbors.
We are in the foam of Euskaraldia, but once again a Basque medium has water to the ankles.
Over the past few weeks I have had these two books in my hands: The space of reflection in Basque (Euskaltzaindia, 2024) and Mariano Ferrer, reflexive journalism. Journalism and commitment (Erein, 2023) . I have read that 42.2% of Basques see ETB1 and 20.6% read the Basque... [+]
Over the past few weeks I have had these two books in my hands: The space of reflection in Basque (Euskaltzaindia, 2024) and Mariano Ferrer, reflexive journalism. Journalism and commitment (Erein, 2023) . I have read that 42.2% of Basques see ETB1 and 20.6% read the Basque... [+]
