Damon Charles

090810050
CS-333 Dr. Lewis Kaye
Friday, December 2
nd
2011
What is Alternative Media?
The main goal oI alternative media is to make consumers more aware oI just what it is
that they are consuming, and Irom whom. Alternative media accomplishes this through many
diIIerent mediums, which allows it to reach a vast audience. When discussing alternative media
one must be aware oI what exactly is meant by alternative media. This includes the problems
which alternative media Iaces, as well as precisely what alternative media is opposing and its
targeted audiences.
When one says alternative media, they are speaking oI media which deviates Irom the
conventions put Iorth by mainstream media. Mainstream media is essentially media which is
either commercially-owned or government Iunded, as well as media which receives heavy public
support. Some advocates oI alternative media argue that the inIormation communicated by these
mainstream media institutes is heavily biased and work only to promote a society driven by
capitalism. This results in mainstream media outlets mass producing content as a commodity Ior
the sole purpose oI obtaining proIit, and not as inIormation intended to enhance the public
sphere.
Advocates and participants oI alternative media attempt to remove the veil cast over
society by mainstream media and its content by providing inIormation and messages which in
their opinion are relevant and truthIul. A key argument when discussing alternative media is the
idea that alternative media as a practice grants its audiences and consumers access to the means
oI production, allowing them to also become producers oI media content. This is a key diIIerence
when compared to mainstream media and its producers. In Iact, in their work 'Towards a Critical
Theory oI Alternative Media, Sandoval and Fuchs reIer to alternative media as participatory
media`.
Also, because alternative media urges media consumers to be more critical oI their
interactions with media, the ideology incorporates all media practices which oppose or are
'alternative to what is now seen as the conventional approach to media. For this reason, ideas
such as technological appropriation and the slow media movement can be considered Iorms oI
alternative media; as participants, either as a cause or by the eIIect oI their media interaction, are
more critical oI this interaction. These examples will be discussed later in this essay.
The recent emergence and continuing evolution oI the internet has also aided the
alternative media movement by giving alternative media producers a new medium Ior
communicating their messages; this is evident through mediums such as individual blogs or
online journals, online Iorums and town halls, as well as podcasts. Although, the internet can act
as a double-edged sword at times, because media conglomerates have recently begun buying ad
space on major websites which are based largely on content provided by consumers, such as
Youtube. This is a major problem Iacing alternative media; as alternative media outlets are
vulnerable to takeovers by mainstream media conglomerates, as well as becoming mainstream
themselves.
This major tension is caused by the lack oI proIit produced by alternative media. It is
characteristic oI alternative media institutions to work mostly independent oI the private sector
and government assistance, because operating media outlets outside oI these systems allows the
medium to produce content Ior a speciIic audience, as opposed to the mass-produced content oI
mainstream media outlets which aims at keeping the masses paciIied through propaganda
(Herman & Chomsky). In other words, alternative media outlets Iorgo the proIit that
accompanies the standardized, mass-produced content in order to produce more critical, creative
content Ior more critical audiences. However the world we live in has become a proIit-driven
society, thereIore it is diIIicult Ior individuals to survive or thrive without a certain level oI
capital, and the same is true oI media institutions; especially those with the desire to compete
with major media conglomerates in order to communicate their messages. Because oI this, some
argue that alternative media institutions will inevitably collapse iI it Iails to conIorm to the
practices and principles oI mainstream media. Others argue that alternative media is merely a
subcategory oI mainstream media (Hamilton). In order to Iurther examine the problems Iacing
alternative media, we must Iirst look at the media actors involved in both alternative and
mainstream media; that is, the producers oI content and the consumers.
The actors within mainstream media consist simply oI consumers and producers.
However, the consumers greatly outnumber the producers. This is a main characteristic oI
mainstream media, as the aim oI these media institutions is to keep the power (and the proIit) in
the hands oI those who control the means oI production. Because oI the recent increase in
corporate mergers and concentration oI ownership, power has shiIted Iurther into the hands oI
privately owned media corporations, leaving more people without a democratic voice. New
technologies, such as the internet and other digital innovations involving the storage oI texts,
images and sound, have also allowed Ior horizontal ownership to take place (Murdock). The
result is a media monopoly, where very Iew media corporations control and operate various
media outlets, allowing them to Ilood the market with their standardized content.
Ironically, audiences oI mainstream media are inclined to believe that they are granted
choice with regards to their media consumption. According to Herman and Chomsky,
mainstream media conglomerates oIten Iollow the same or similar standards and principles when
producing and distributing content, with the main diIIerences only being related to packaging
and branding oI media content. The diIIerent brands among mainstream media content is a main
cause oI audiences believing they are choosing among diverse content. Media conglomerates
also expend great eIIort and capital with regards to gate-keeping and agenda-setting, as well as
studies on the media habits oI consumers. Mainstream media corporations have become eIIective
at eliminating non-proIitable audiences, while instructing their proIitable audiences on what to
think and how to act; with the result being content that is strictly Ior proIit and not Ior public
interest or prestige (Murdock).
The tension surrounding alternative media is mostly caused by alternative media as a
practice reIusing to adopt these proIit-oriented principles and practices. The key diIIerence
between alternative and mainstream media is way that these mediums relate to audiences (Koyer,
Dowmunt, & Fountain). Alternative media operates outside the restraints created media
monopolies in order to deliver critical content. It has become a common practice Ior media
conglomerates to produce the same or similar media content and distribute it through various
means, such as televisions, news papers, motion pictures, magazines and the internet. The idea
here is producing media content as a commodity; major media conglomerates target the masses,
thereIore they create content Ior a mass audience.
Alternative media outlets seek to communicate with a critical audience. Some take this to
mean that alternative media does not target a speciIic audience, but rather these media outlets are
sought aIter by a critical audience. These individuals are most likely aware oI their strict,
consumer status with regards to mainstream media and the limits within this system. This
argument is illustrated more clearly when we compare mainstream news to alternative news
outlets. News reports on major television networks oIten Iollow a precise Iormat Irom day to day
(oIten concluding the broadcast with a local, Ieel-good story Ior purpose oI eliciting positive
emotions Irom audiences) (Herman & Chomsky). Also, competing television networks oIten
distribute identical content through their daily news casts, and an organization that operates
diIIerent means oI production and distribution is able to deliver the same content in diIIerent the
purposes oI agenda-setting and gate-keeping, because the inIormation we receive Irom the
mainstream media cannot be too gruesome or negative iI it is to remain a desired commodity.
News provided by alternative media outlets does not succumb to these limits and Iilters.
Instead, these institutions provide inIormation which is unbiased by capitalist principles, because
they are not motivated by capitalist principles. Instead, the producers oI ideal alternative media
aim at truth-telling and the inclusion oI events and point oI views which are not publicized
within mainstream. Audiences with the desire Ior critical, engaging content will seek media
content which is 'alternative Irom the content oI mainstream mediums; content which is not
produced and distributed as a commodity.
These alternative media institutions are not Iunded by the government, and they do not
receive revenue Irom selling advertising space Ior consumer goods and services (Schiller).
Mainstream media institutions rely on these sources oI income in order to continue producing
content and stay in business. Alternative media is not dependent oI these sources oI income in
order to produce content Ior its audience because the audience and consumers oI alternative
media also act as the producers oI content. Advocates oI alternative media argue that this Iorm oI
communication is more democratic, as this system is not bound by the Iraming and Iiltering oI
mainstream media. Alternative media also does not make it a practice oI excluding non-
proIitable content or audiences, which is a major cause oI tension surrounding the ideology. The
practice is based around the idea oI consumer participation, and thereIore encourages it. Many
argue that once alternative media institutions gain a certain level oI support, whether it is through
Iinancial means or public notoriety, then they cease to be alternative. Others argue that
alternative media is simply a subcategory oI mainstream media, since everything is alternative to
something else (Downing, 2001). Still, alternative media gives individuals an outlet to express
their Ieelings and ideas, as well as an opportunity to be inspired by the thoughts oI others.
Sandoval and Fuchs used the term 'prosumer to identiIy the agents within an alternative
media environment, because media actors engage the media as both producer and consumer.
This results in content which is more critical because the aim oI this content is truth-telling and
selI-expression. Within an alternative media environment, one is Iree to express one`s ideas and
conduct their own investigations; individuals are also usually Iree to respond to the content
presented by other prosumers. This means that media actors within an alternative media
environment are more critical and responsive than the passive consumers oI mainstream media.
This is because the content provided in this type oI environment is not merely mass culture being
interpreted and reIlected back at us, it is the thoughts and opinions oI individuals within the
masses; ideas which require a critical response.
Appropriation is an idea which Iurther illustrates the desire Ior some to actively engage
media. Mainstream media has many under the impression that our interaction with the media can
only happen in certain ways, but alternative media encourages individuals to look at our media
interactions Irom a diIIerent point oI view. Appropriation is one way media consumers can
operate outside the box, as it involves taking critical look at media apparatuses and not merely
interacting with them in a passive manner. Whether one engages in appropriation as art, or Ior
the purposes oI technological curiosity and advancement, the result is oIten a more proIound
insight into mainstream media and our media practices in general.
Another ideology which is related to alternative media which encourages a critical look at
society`s media practices is the slow media movement. Media conglomerates operate in extreme
competition with another, and they oIten pursue the production oI new content and new mediums
in order to gain an advantage over competitors. However, these large media institutions (and by
extension consumers as well) oIten neglect the idea that technology, especially technology
related to media and the conveying oI messages, was originally created in order to enhance the
public experience and make liIe more comIortable Ior individuals within ever-growing societies.
Slow Media proposes that we disregard digital media and the constant need Ior speed and quick
stimulation, and instead adopt 'slow practices in order to maintain a better understanding oI
media and our relation to it. This method oI media interaction does only take a more critical
approach to understanding media, but it also results in communication which is more communal
in nature.
The emergence oI the Free SoItware movement as an alternative media practice has also
resulted in individuals taking a more critical approach to interactions with media. Mainstream
media institutions deliver content to the masses and simply expect individuals to accept it and
engage passively. This is the case with regards to inIormation as entertainment as well as our
interactions with mediums. But some consumers oI mainstream soItware may Ieel too
constricted by the limitations imposed by 'closed soItware; much in the same way that some
consumers oI diIIerent media apparatuses Ieel that their creativity is imposed on by the
conventional uses oI these apparatuses, resulting in appropriation as a practice. Advocates Ior the
Free SoItware movement believe that programming code should be open to changes by its user
(Elliot & Scacchi). The reason Ior this is that the mass-produced commodities distributed by
major soItware companies are generated Ior the purposes oI suiting a general consumer. But
these products do not Iit the needs oI all consumers, especially those with speciIic purposes,
which is similar to situation consumers oI other Iorms oI media oIten Iind themselves in. This is
a vast source oI tension with regards to alternative media as a practice. This is because oI the
implications created by patent laws and copyrighting. SoItware companies are opposed to the
idea oI open source code because this would mean individuals are no longer completely
dependent on them; having consumers Ieeling reliant on their commodities is quite proIitable Ior
major soItware producers, as well as other media conglomerates. The conIlict between advocates
Ior Iree soItware and major soItware developers is intensiIied with the introduction oI the idea oI
individuals engaging in Iree soItware as means oI obtaining proIit. Still, it is evident that those
active within the Iree soItware movement have Iormed their own community, whether it is
occupational or social (Stallman, 2002). This is a community that is willing to share and work
together, with the motivation being only the pursuit oI greater knowledge and the comIort that
goes along with it, as well as notoriety within this social environment; themes which are present
across many aspects oI alternative media.
Other examples oI Iorms oI alternative media are Indymedia and pirate radio. Indymedia
is known Ior being opposed to neo-liberalism, as well as government and commercial media. It
was Iounded in 1999 and is centered on the idea oI truth-telling and reporting on political and
social injustices around the world. Indymedia and its participants operate outside the realm oI
mainstream news reporting because mainstream media outlets are oIten owned and operated by
the conglomerates who are oIten the subjects oI discussion within Indymedia and similar media.
The anti-capitalist standpoint taken by Indymedia is Iurther illustrated by their democratic media
practices. This organization operates using an open publishing process, which allows anyone to
contribute. The only Iorm oI gate-keeping present within this alternative media outlet is the
removal oI certain contributions which editors Ieel promote racism, anti-Semitism, homophobia,
and other Iorms oI hate speech.
Pirate radio is similar to Indymedia in the sense that anyone who is willing and able to
participate has the opportunity to. The diIIerence lies in the Iact that pirating a radio signal is
highly illegal. Still, both oI these media practices oIIer individuals the opportunity to participate
(whether it is through production or consumption) in media that is not limited by story-Iraming,
gate-keeping, or other capitalist-motivated practices.
The internet has also helped to expand the realm oI alternative media, as well as
communication as a whole. The web`s emergence gave consumers access to digital content, as
well as access to one another. This technological advancement also gave users a new medium Ior
expressing themselves and creating their own content through blogs, video journals, and other
social media. While the internet has been a signiIicant inspiration Ior alternative media, and rich
source oI alternative media content, it is also a source oI great tension within the alternative
media community.
Having unlimited access to media content also means that the media institutions which
produce and distribute this content also have access to us. Major media conglomerates are
capitalizing on society`s growing Iascination with the internet by purchasing ad space on
websites, as well as expanding production in order to include digital commodities and content.
The access these large companies have now extends Iurther than television, radio and product
placement in Iilm. This is problematic Ior alternative media because alternative media
institutions now Iace an even greater risk oI transitioning into mainstream media because there is
a greater vulnerability to mainstream advertising. Youtube and similar social media are good
examples oI this, as these organizations began as mediums Ior individuals to post their thoughts
and opinions, as well resubmit content they Ieel is signiIicant, however a recent change in
business structure has resulted in mainstream advertisers being able to present their messages to
individuals when they attempt to participate in these Iorms oI media. There is also tension
surrounding the idea that alternative media institutions can also reach a level oI notoriety within
the public sphere wherein they themselves become mainstream.
Alternative media embraces communication in its true sense. However, there is much
tension created by the irreconcilable imbalance between alternative media`s pursuit oI political
eIIectiveness as well as a need Ior organizational and Iinancial structure, and the desire to remain
alternative and in opposition to principles and practices oI mainstream (Hamilton). It seems as
though alternative media cannot achieve one without relinquishing the other. Still, the alternative
media community can only continue to grow, precisely because it is a community. Living in a
democratic state means that we all possess Ireedom oI expression; we have a choice on whether
or not to express ourselves, and the manner in which we do so. Technological advancements
have aided us in our pursuit oI expressing ourselves and to better communicate ideas to one
another, but limitations are put in place in order to limit access to means to production and
distribution. Alternative media has rooted itselI in the social aspect oI communication by
allowing individuals to take advantage oI their democratic voice, which is in the true nature oI
media.















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