Who we are
OC Media (Open Caucasus Media) brings you news from the North and South Caucasus, going beyond the headlines to bring you in-depth analysis of the issues, movements, conflicts, and people shaping the region.
Our team
OC Media is proud to have a diverse and multinational team, combining local staff from across the Caucasus with dedicated professionals from around the world. We hire through a transparent, merit-based process, free from nepotism, ensuring that our team is committed to our mission and values. We believe in the power of diversity and inclusion, fostering an environment where different perspectives come together to strengthen our reporting and contribute to meaningful change in the region.
Get to know our team members here, or connect with them directly through our Discord server.
our team
Our values
We pride ourselves in our commitment to ethical journalism and our core values:
Integrity
We are politically independent. Our funding, from both institutional donors and our readers, depends on maintaining editorial independence and a steadfast commitment to our values. We strive for unbiased, accurate, and honest reporting, following the truth wherever it leads.
Justice
We believe in social and economic justice for all.
Peace
In a region impacted by intercommunal and interstate conflict, we remain firmly committed to a comprehensive peace, free from all forms of violence.
Inclusivity
We stand for equality for all, amplifying the voices of the diverse people of the Caucasus.
Cooperation
With a strong network of partners across the media and other sectors, we prioritise cooperation over competition.
The first member-funded media platform in the Caucasus
Currently, most independent media in the Caucasus rely heavily on funding from institutional donors such as foundations and embassies. This overdependence on external agendas, shifting priorities, and project-based funding puts the long-term sustainability and growth of the media at risk. At OC Media, we believe that true independence can only be achieved when we rely on our readers to support and sustain our work.
By placing our trust in you, our readers, we ensure that we remain accountable to you, free from political or commercial influence, and focused on serving your interests. We are pioneering the first membership-based media platform in the Caucasus, and as we chart this course, we aim to share our experience with other independent media to help them achieve sustainability.
Our goal is to reach 1,000 members by the end of 2025, with the long-term vision of becoming fully member-funded.
Reach
1,000 members
by 2026
You can learn more about how you can support us through Membership here.
Our story
OC Media went online in January 2017, founded by journalists Mariam Nikuradze, Dominik K Cagara, and Chai Khana’s founder, Caroline Sutcliffe.
The idea for OC Media began in March 2016, when Mariam and Dominik travelled to Adigeni, southwest Georgia, to report on a conflict between local Christian and Muslim communities.
At the time, Mariam was an experienced journalist and photographer, while Dominik was just starting his career in the media after working in peacebuilding. With no funding for transportation, they hitchhiked between villages to complete the assignment. By nightfall, the work was done, but they had no way back to Tbilisi. Mariam confidently suggested they hitchhike home as well, and Dominik, impressed, agreed. Before heading out, they decided to stop for dinner, lured by the local fame of Meskheti’s delicious potatoes.
Over that meal, Mariam shared her disappointment with her job and revealed her dream of starting her own media platform. Casually, she suggested, ‘Maybe we could do it together’. Dominik, caught off guard, was thrilled but played it cool. As they hitchhiked back to Tbilisi through the night, Dominik couldn’t stop thinking about the idea. By the time they got home, he was already seriously considering the possibility of launching a new platform together.
Fast forward to November — Caroline, for whom both Mariam and Dominik occasionally freelanced, secured seed funding to launch a new media project. Building on Mariam’s journalistic experience and Dominik’s passion for the region, OC Media was born. A year later, OC Media registered as an NGO of its own.
From the start, Mariam and Dominik wanted to do things differently. They rejected the nepotism and bias that plagued much of the local media landscape, hiring staff through a transparent and competitive process and upholding the highest international standards of journalism, including rigorous fact-checking and impartiality. They prioritised conflict-sensitive reporting, creating a safe, merit-based environment for journalists from communities scarred by conflict. They ensured that OC Media covered diverse perspectives, including those of women, queer people, ethnic and religious minorities, and other marginalised voices, to provide a true picture of the region free from the influence of power or privilege.
Having experienced the challenges of starvation wages and working in difficult conditions, Mariam and Dominik also fought for fair compensation for their team, despite resistance from institutional donors, who often feared it would ‘ruin the market’.
Today, eight years later, Mariam and Dominik continue to shape OC Media’s future alongside editor-in-chief Robin Fabbro, who has been part of the team since day one. Together, they navigate the complex financial, legal, and security challenges of the region, while delivering frontline reporting that serves OC Media’s diverse audience.
As the pressures on independent journalism in the region grow, we know that our strength lies in the trust and support of our readers. This is why we’ve embarked on the journey to become the first member-supported media platform in the Caucasus.
Independent journalism in this region is under constant attack, and we’re only as strong as our members make us.
Our mission
OC Media’s mission is to provide honest reporting across borders and communities in the Caucasus.
We strive to empower progressive voices and support democratic change, driven by solidarity and social justice.
We are committed to raising the standard and resilience of media across the region by training and supporting local journalists and newsrooms.
As we look to the future, we aim to champion the shared interests of independent media organisations, advocating for sustainable funding and creating initiatives that empower like-minded outlets to thrive in the challenging media landscape.
Our vision
OC Media’s vision is to be the most authoritative and trusted media source on the Caucasus.
We strive to be the definitive go-to platform for fact-checked information and in-depth analysis, shaping the narrative and providing reliable insights on the region.
We measure our impact by assessing how our reporting influences real-world change. This includes how we’ve affected the lives of people on the ground, shaped policies, and driven positive social transformation. We also gauge our success by the growing number of people who trust us enough to support our work by becoming members.
