Alternative / Independent Media: The Answer to Democratic Decay Or Just Some More Voices In The Crowd?

Last updated August 30, 2013 5:38 PM
 

February 12, 2013 -- I don't know why I've hesitated about blogging in the past since I find myself often commenting on various issues on Facebook which, in some cases, are accessible to the public.  But, for the most part, those comments are only visible to the people on my friends list, and I would like some of the thoughts I have put down to be heard beyond that limited circle.

I published my first blog last week as a result of a course I'm taking on alternative media and politics.  The blog was part of the assignment for that course.

So I will repost that blog here and l look forward to any thoughts or comments that I might receive.

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Alternative / Independent Media: The Answer To Democratic Decay Or Just Some More Voices In The Crowd?

In a world filled with media alternatives the choice of alternative / independent media (AIM) is so wide-ranging as to be overwhelming.  From magazines to newsletters to websites to TV and radio, one could spend weeks glued to a computer screen reading, watching and listening to all the alternative voices speaking about all the issues and viewpoints which are not covered adequately by the mainstream corporate media, or not at all.  To demonstrate how pervasive AIM has become plug the phrase "alternative media" or “independent media” into Google search and it returns over 9.2 million results combined.

Among the multitude of AIM voices on the internet is the website Truthout.

Truthout is a non-profit journalism organization dedicated to providing independent news and commentary on a daily basis. It is affiliated with the Freedom of the Press Foundation, an American organization whose goal is to “help promote and fund aggressive, public-interest journalism focused on exposing mismanagement, corruption, and law-breaking in government.”

According to their website, Truthout’s investigative reporting “has focused on issues such as government secrecy surrounding the Guantanamo Bay prison, the militarization of law enforcement on the U.S. border, and the growth of the U.S. national security budget in the past decade.”  They work to spark action by "revealing systemic injustice" and "providing a platform for transformative ideas", through in-depth investigative reporting and critical analysis.

However, unlike many other AIM media sites Truthout claims not to advocate a political agenda.  They state that their aim is to “remain free of bias and adhere to high editorial standards.”  Notwithstanding this claim, if you examine the articles listed on their main page they cover many issues that would be at home on other progressive leaning alternative media sites, and they cover the issues in a manner that is consistent with a counter-hegemonic, anti-corporate narrative.

With the exception of their claim to being free of bias, Truthout has adopted an operational / administrative model similar to many other alternative media outlets.  They accept no advertising or corporate backing but instead depend entirely on readers to support their work.

So why the need for AIM sites like Truthout?  Although the issue has been discussed at length in academia, the short answer would be that mainstream corporate media is no longer the independent voice it once was, it no longer adequately plays the role of guarding democracy, and thus no longer truly represents the interests of the majority.  Whether it is in Canada, the United States or elsewhere in the democratic world, the historical role of a free and independent media has been a key factor in the establishment and growth of democratic societies and institutions.  In fact it is the only profession that is specifically mentioned in constitutions of various democratic nations, including Canada, the United States, the European Union and its member states.

However, for at least the past two decades barriers have been placed in the path of the democratic evolution of nations due to the increasing concentration of media ownership among small numbers of corporately owned and controlled media empires.  For example, in both Canada and the U.S. the mainstream media is controlled by an oligopoly of corporate media empires who cater to the power and corporate elites and help to maintain the status quo in support of their interests (Atton).  Europe also faces a similar situation despite the fact that their media markets are fragmented by the various languages spoken on that continent.

The goal of these corporate media conglomerates is to create passive and uninformed consumers / voters who will make irrational choices that are counter to their personal / democratic interests.  And to accomplish this goal these corporations are willing to spend huge amounts of money and resources.

While the concentration of mainstream media has been the catalyst for the birth (rebirth?) of independent media in the modern era, the multiplicity of voices, despite their best efforts, continue to be eclipsed by the reach of mainstream media.  Or, to put it another way, despite the efforts and successes of AIM sites and organizations like Truthout, which intend to offer an alternative or oppositional perspective, they are still unable to challenge the macro impact of mainstream media sources.  Which begs the question, is the shift to a democratic and participatory process of production the best option in response to preventing the further decay of democracy if distribution of the information is limited, and if you become just another faint voice in a crowd?

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