Ir-Realta' was born in 2005 with the help of individuals from diverse social and cultural backgrounds whom were aiming at formulating an Independent Media Centre. One must stress that these persons had different ideas, politics and ideologies but they had all one common interest: to create an independent source of information which would not be influenced by any political party or any financial unit. After a process of trial and error and continuous brainstorming and proposals, the creation of a local Indymedia Centre was possible. Indymedia is an international network of grass root independent media centres; hence the affiliation of this local project with its international brethren would increase exposure and more means for their prorogation of unbiased, critical and analytical information. Some of the members, cunningly thought that Indymedia would be insufficient to cater for the needs of the transmission of independent information, so they decided to start publishing a newspaper which would be disseminated for free; ‘Realta' Madwarek’.
 
In 2006 Indymedia Malta and Realta' Madwarek were suffering from coordination and content building problems and these were solved by re-structuring into non-hierarchical organisations. The groups of volunteers decided to ask for the aid of international independent journalists to re-organize and start again publishing the newspaper once more and re-upload the website of Indymedia Malta. After various hectic reforms and work the newspaper was again published with the title Ir-Realta' but retained the same website www.realtamadwarek.org. Since then, Ir-Realta' has developed and its social, organizational potential grew by organizing events such as Film Nights, Seminars, Discussions and Music Events. Ir-Realta' has also increased its efficiency in cooperating with other organisations and information centres, especially with Indymedia Malta.
 
Ir-Realta' has always tried not to favour any political party so as to keep its content free from any third party influence or political bias. Only by having an independent media, can information be disseminated without being distorted in the process to have it suite capital or political interests. Due to Malta’s small size and other social circumstances there is actually no space for independent information to flow, especially with the powerful monopolistic mass media that has existed until now. Public Broadcasting Services is heavily commercialized and is absolutely uncritical and terribly backward in cultural, social and artistic content, while the television stations of the political parties produce incessant, ridiculous propaganda. The radio frequencies are nearly all hijacked by the same type of people who work in the television stations so the content is mostly very dull and repetitive. On the other hand newspapers, may offer a small space for the citizen to speak out his demands but they are also controlled by political or financial appointees. The General Workers Union press office is hijacked by orthodox Labourites, while the press of the Nationalist Party is similarly ridiculous in propaganda. The Times of Malta have historically favoured the right-wing ideology and thus was most liable to protect the Nationalist Party in its content, but we must admit that there was slight improvement in these newspapers when it comes to independent coverage. Nevertheless there is still much progress to be documented. The so called Independent newspapers are still not yet Independent as they still have political and financial strings attached; in this context Ir-Realta' struggles to survive with the minimum and bare resources, in attempting to produce information which is not meant to lie or sway the reader into a conviction of any sort.
 
Ir-Realta' believes in the Reader as a person who takes decisions over the content and not vice versa.