TIDE

What TIDE does

TIDE GmbH is a Hamburg-based non-profit community broadcaster and training channel (Hamburgs Bürger:innensender + Ausbildungskanal) operating under a statutory mandate from the Medienstaatsvertrag Hamburg-Schleswig-Holstein and supervised by Medienanstalt Hamburg/Schleswig-Holstein (MAHSH). The organization runs two broadcast services — TIDE.radio (FM 96.0 MHz, DAB+ Kanal 10D, cable, online) and TIDE.tv (cable and YouTube) — plus a vocational academy (TIDE.akademie) and a media-pedagogy division (TIDE.medienpädagogik with sub-brands SchnappFisch, MediaMinds, MedienScouts, ElternMedienLotse). Approximately 300 volunteer citizen producers create ~130 different radio programs and ~50 TV formats using TIDE's freely provided studios, cameras, editing suites (DaVinci Resolve, Audacity), and IP-streaming infrastructure (Redcaster, Linda & Sören Steinmann video hosting), with editorial support from a permanent staff of ~20 plus apprentices and trainees.

The business model is structurally a public-mandate non-profit rather than a commercial venture. Core funding flows from Rundfunkbeiträge (statutory broadcasting fees), the Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg (Behörde für Wissenschaft, Forschung, Gleichstellung und Bezirke), and project-specific grants from the Hamburger Behörde für Schule und Berufsbildung, the Sozialbehörde, the European Social Fund, and private foundations including ZEIT-Stiftung Ebelin und Gerd Bucerius and Ballin-Stiftung e.V. Commercial revenue is limited and consists of course fees at TIDE.akademie (€8-€120 per course, VAT-exempt as recognized vocational training, with reduced rates for students, trainees, retirees, and welfare recipients) and unit-priced education services (MedienScouts at €100 per school per two-day module, ElternMedienLotse at €190 per event). Customer segments span four user types: citizen volunteer producers (free access), children and youth aged 3-20 (SchnappFisch, MediaMinds, MedienScouts), adult learners aged 16+ (academy courses), and Hamburg schools as institutional customers.

Alexander Drechsel serves as Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief. The organization is co-located with Hamburg Media School and HAW at the Kunst- und Mediencampus Hamburg (Finkenau 35, Hamburg), giving it structural access to media-students and emerging talent. Distribution reach extends to approximately 800,000 cable TV households and 1 million cable radio households, with DAB+ coverage of the 2.5 million residents of the greater Hamburg area. The operating model is community-led rather than sales-led, with no venture capital, no M&A activity, no public listing, and no parent company.

Name

TIDE

Legal name

TIDE GmbH (Gemeinnützigkeit anerkannt)

Website

https://tidenet.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

TIDE GmbH is a Hamburg-based non-profit community broadcaster operating TIDE.radio and TIDE.tv, a media-training academy (TIDE.akademie), and youth media-literacy programs. Funded by public broadcasting fees and Hamburg city grants, it serves ~300 volunteer producers, schools, and adult learners across the Hamburg metropolitan area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611), Television Broadcasting Stations (516120)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832), Television Broadcasting Stations (4833), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAIAEAB

Public/Noncommercial Radio Broadcasting (NPR, Community, Campus)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Music & Audio (Recording, Publishing, Streaming)/Radio & Audio Broadcasting (Terrestrial, Satellite, Digital Radio)

SECONDARYMPABADAH

Educational/Instructional Public Media Services (Schools, Distance Learning)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Broadcasting (TV & Radio)/Public/Nonprofit Broadcasting (PBS/NPR-style)

SECONDARYMPABAKAF

Public/Nonprofit Children’s Educational Broadcasters

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Broadcasting (TV & Radio)/Children’s & Educational Broadcasting

Keywords

• Community broadcasting services
• Public radio station
• Public television channel
• Media production training
• Media pedagogy programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Broadcasting Funding: TIDE is financed from broadcasting fees (Rundfunkbeiträge) as part of Germany's public media system, fulfilling a statutory mandate under the Medienstaatsvertrag Hamburg-Schleswig-Holstein to promote children's and youth projects, integration, and local/regional culture.
2. Third-Party Funding and Grants: TIDE receives additional funding from the Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg (Behörde für Wissenschaft, Forschung, Gleichstellung und Bezirke). Individual projects are funded by the Hamburger Behörde für Schule und Berufsbildung (BSB), the Sozialbehörde, and the European Social Fund. Private foundations such as ZEIT-Stiftung Ebelin und Gerd Bucerius fund specific projects.
3. Course Fees (TIDE.akademie): The TIDE.akademie charges course fees ranging from €8 to €120 per course, with reduced rates for students, trainees, retirees, people with disabilities, and welfare recipients. Courses are VAT-exempt as recognized vocational training.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

TIDE is Hamburg's non-profit citizen broadcaster and training channel (Bürger:innensender + Ausbildungskanal), operating TIDE.radio and TIDE.tv community broadcast services alongside a media training academy (TIDE.akademie) and media pedagogy programs for children, youth, and parents. The organization provides free access to professional radio and TV production infrastructure (studios, cameras, editing suites, broadcast distribution via FM/DAB+/cable/online) for approximately 300 volunteer producers, and offers over 40 vocational media courses plus accredited apprenticeship pathways (Mediengestalter:in Bild und Ton). Revenue is primarily drawn from German broadcasting contributions (Rundfunkbeiträge) and public/governmental grants, supplemented by paid academy and school-program fees.

Product overview

TIDE is a community media organization operating as a multi-platform media operation consisting of TIDE.radio (community radio with ~140 programs), TIDE.tv (community television with ~50 formats), TIDE.akademie (training academy with 40+ courses), TIDE.medienpädagogik (media pedagogy for schools), and the Ausbildungsredaktion (training newsroom). The organization enables citizens to produce their own radio and TV content, offers professional training in media production, and provides media literacy education for youth and parents. TIDE is structured as TIDE GmbH, a non-profit organization funded by the city of Hamburg.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TIDE.akademie: Training academy offering over 40 courses in journalism, radio, TV, and web production for media enthusiasts aged 16 and above.
• SchnappFisch
• MediaMinds
• MedienScouts
• ElternMedienLotse
• Ausbildungsredaktion (Hamburg immer anders!)
• Hamburg immer anders!

Products and services

• TIDE.radio Hamurg's community radio station featuring approximately 130-140 different programs produced by around 300 volunteers, covering music genres, culture, journalism, and youth content. Distributed free to listeners via FM 96.0 MHz (Hamburg city center), DAB+ Kanal 10D (greater Hamburg area, 2.5M+ residents), cable (~1M households across Vodafone/Kabeldeutschland, PŸUR, willy.tel/wilhelm.tel), online livestream at tidenet.de/radio, and Radioplayer integration on smart devices and car radios.
• TIDE.tv Community television station offering approximately 50 different formats including news, culture, music, youth programming, and magazine shows. Content is broadcast free to viewers via cable (Vodafone/Kabeldeutschland 599 MHz HD, PŸUR 578 MHz SD, willy.tel/wilhelm.tel 666 MHz HD / 674 MHz SD, reaching ~800,000 households), livestream at tidenet.de/tv, and on-demand via TIDE's YouTube channel.
• TIDE.akademie Training academy offering over 40 paid practical courses in journalism, radio, TV, web production, and media law for media enthusiasts aged 16 and above, including practical workshops for groups. Course fees range from €8 to €120 per course, with reduced rates of approximately 50% for students, trainees, retirees, people with disabilities, welfare recipients, and TIDE producers; courses are VAT-exempt as recognized vocational training.
• Ausbildungsredaktion (Hamburg immer anders!) Training editorial newsroom at TIDE where BFD volunteers, apprentices (Mediengestalter:in Bild und Ton), and trainees learn television production by independently producing the city-magazine TV program 'Hamburg immer anders!' broadcast on TIDE.tv every three weeks.
• SchnappFisch Free youth editorial desk at TIDE for ages 12-20 where young people work on practical media projects including podcasts, radio shows, videos, and TV programs, with project weeks integrated into partner schools. Includes the 'TV Lerche' project funded by ZEIT-Stiftung Ebelin und Gerd Bucerius.
• MediaMinds Out-of-school workshops for children and youth aged 10-17 teaching journalistic basics through audio and video content creation, with accompanying parent education program. Free to participants as part of TIDE's public service mandate.
• MedienScouts Peer-to-peer digital media safety training program for Hamburg schools in which students from grades 7-9 are trained as digital media scouts who conduct workshops for students in grades 5-7 on topics including online safety, social networks, data privacy, and cyberbullying. Priced at €100 per school per two-day module (max 6 students per module).
• ElternMedienLotse Program training parents to become media literacy advisors for parent evenings at schools, covering topics such as smartphones, games, social media, streaming, and cyberbullying for parents of children aged 3-12. Events priced at €190 per parent evening.

Quantifiable outcome

• 300+ volunteer producers create approximately 140 radio programs
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Netzwerk RecherchecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026TIDE attended and recorded the Netzwerk Recherche annual conference NR26 held at NDR in Lokstedt under the theme 'Superkraft Recherche.' As a civic broadcaster dedicated to quality journalism, TIDE's participation supports its mission to strengthen investigative journalism in Germany. The conference recordings are made available on the nrch.de platform.
• Hamburg Media School / Department Medientechnik HAWcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing cooperation in student and intern exchange. TIDE supports technical-organizational aspects for large media technology projects outside of Finkenau. Content collaboration includes broadcasting the 'Short Cut' short film series from the 3rd semester of Media Technology studies and other student projects.
• Staatliche Jugendmusikschule Hamburg (JMS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe State Youth Music School Hamburg cooperates with TIDE to present special concerts as live streams. The formats showcase the full range of young talents from solo singers to large orchestras. Events like Cellotage Hamburg and the 'Hamburger Solisten' series are broadcast via TIDE.
• Hamburg Schools (various)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTIDE works with Hamburg schools through multiple programs: SchnappFisch project weeks where entire classes produce radio or TV shows; MedienScouts peer education program; MediaMinds workshops; and parent education through ElternMedienLotse. Classes integrate media projects into regular lessons with support from TIDE's media educators.
• Ballin-Stiftung e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Ballin Foundation sponsors the 'Haste Töne' children's media project at TIDE, where children produce radio shows, audio plays, animated films, videos, and podcasts with professional media pedagogy support, transitioning from consumers to producers.
• Linda & Sören Steinmann GbR (Video-Stream-Hosting)coreTechnology or IntegrationVideo streaming service provider for TIDE's live TV broadcasts, operating as a strictly instructed data processor under GDPR Art. 28. All processing is conducted within the EU.
• Christoph Rothe's Redcastle (Redcaster)coreTechnology or IntegrationProvides live radio streaming, documentation recordings of radio programs, and operates the IP broadcasting solution 'Redcaster' for TIDE. Acts as a strictly instructed data processor under GDPR Art. 28 with processing limited to the EU.
• ZEIT STIFTUNG BUCERIUS (KI Veranstaltungsreihe)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTIDE participates in the 'Was macht KI mit...?' event series organized by the ZEIT Foundation, exploring the risks and opportunities of artificial intelligence for society.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Alex Berlin: Alex Berlin is the Offener Kanal (community broadcaster) for Berlin and Brandenburg, operating community radio and TV with volunteer producers under a statutory mandate similar to TIDE's — a direct functional and structural peer.
• Radio Corax: Radio Corax is a non-commercial community radio in Halle operating under a federal-state broadcasting licence with volunteer producers — a direct peer to TIDE.radio in structure, funding model, and audience.
• LORA München: LORA München is a non-commercial community radio in Munich operated by an association of volunteer producers under Bavarian regulatory oversight — structurally analogous to TIDE.radio's Hamburg community broadcaster model.
• Radio Dreyeckland: Radio Dreyeckland is a non-commercial community radio in Freiburg with volunteer-driven programming and statutory funding — comparable to TIDE.radio in mandate, governance, and content model.
• nrwision: nrwision is NRW's community TV platform that broadcasts citizen-produced content via cable and online — closely comparable to TIDE.tv's ~50-format, volunteer-produced community television model.
• Freies Radio Wüste Welle: Freies Radio Wüste Welle is a community radio in Tübingen/Reutlingen run by an association under the Landesmedienanstalt Baden-Württemberg — a structural and operational peer to TIDE.radio.
• OK Köln (Offener Kanal Köln): OK Köln is North Rhine-Westphalia's largest open community TV channel, providing citizens with free access to production facilities and broadcasting under the regional media authority — directly comparable to TIDE.tv's volunteer-driven model.
• Pi Radio: Pi Radio is a non-commercial community radio in Berlin operated by an association of volunteer producers — a direct peer to TIDE.radio in programming model, governance, and regulatory framework.

Broad incumbents

• Deutsche Welle Akademie: Deutsche Welle Akademie is Germany's international broadcaster's training arm, offering media-development and journalism courses globally — comparable to TIDE.akademie's vocational training mission, though at much larger scale and with international scope.

Regional players

• Hamburg Media School: Hamburg Media School is a journalism and media-management university co-located with TIDE at the Finkenau campus with a long-standing partnership — comparable as a Hamburg-based journalism/media training institution, though operating at higher education level rather than civic broadcasting.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/tide
• Xx.com/tide_hh
• Facebookfacebook.com/TIDE.HamburgsCommunitySender

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about TIDE