About

What is SAMIZDATA?

SAMIZDATA is a data journalism publication focused on Eastern Europe and Central Asia, with a particular focus on Moldova. We are also a studio that helps organisations tell better stories with their data.

What is data journalism?

Data journalism is a form of journalism that uses data as a source of information. It can involve analysing large datasets, visualising data, or using data to tell stories that would be difficult to tell otherwise. See our training materials for more information.

Data journalism has existed since at least the 1800s. But in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, journalism is still slow to innovate, with only a handful of outlets doing any data reporting.

Who's running it?

SAMIZDATA is run by Nicu Calcea, a journalist based in London, UK and Chișinău, Moldova. His work has included data investigations at Global Witness, reporting for BBC News and the New Statesman, and teaching data journalism at City, University of London.

You can follow Nicu on Mastodon, Bluesky, LinkedIn or Facebook.

What’s up with the name?

Samizdat was a form of self-publishing in the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc, largely of banned or censored texts. Data is, well, data.

I want to talk to you!

If you need help with a data project, need training for your organisation, want to collaborate on a story, or just want to say hi, please get in touch.