The Silent Humanitarian Crisis in Greece: Devising Strategies to Improve the Situation of Migrants in Greece workshop report Implementing Communications and Fundraising Strategies Communications and information play a strategic role in the work of civil society organisations. Having an effective and efficient communication strategy contributes to civil society organisations’ mission and activities. Developing a clear, concise, and targeted message is crucial for any organisation looking to share its work and also to approach partners and donors. Additionally, it is important to acknowledge the role of both traditional and social media in the public awareness raising process. Migration is reported on extensively by the media in Greece but the reporting does not always reflect the realities experienced by migrants. Increasingly, civil society organisations are becoming valuable sources of information for the media and this new role should be further exploited to support their activities. 24 panel introduction The Role of the Media in Reporting on Migration in Greece Nick Malkoutzis, Kathimerini English Edition and Inside Greece Despite some pieces of noteworthy reporting on the issue of immigration and the situation facing migrants today in Greece, mainstream media in general in Greece has not responded effectively to the issue. There is a need to build a line of communication between civil society organisations and journalists in order to address the urgency of the issue in relation to detention conditions, deportations, etc. As the economic crisis has hit the media sector too, journalists face harder working conditions (e.g. reduced salary and resources, etc.). Civil society should take on a role of experts and feeding facts and figures, providing time to talk, explain, etc. especially legal areas as very few journalists have the knowledge and time to grasp such complex jargon. The role of social media cannot be ignored, as it can be a very useful tool for creating and encouraging ‘citizen journalism’ at the grassroots level which is key for developing awareness, especially about fast developing issues. 25