Many of us use our normal, mainstream forms of news, such as CBS, NBC, ESPN, etc., but there is a form of underground news that is not part of the usual stream of media. Enter: alternative media. In a world where we mainly use mainstream sources, alternative media and citizen journalism allow for people to extend upon their first amendment right to freedom of expression and freedom of the press. This allows for smaller outlets to create news for minority and smaller groups, like the poor, LGBTQ, and political and ethnic minorities. While mainstream media covers the general news and common happenings, as well as adds their own bias, alternative media outlets look to push out the best news possible and give their audience the truth and findings that the corporate media won't show or talk about, without implementing their own opinions into their writings and productions.
What Is Alternate Media?
John Downing describes alternate media as a form of news, "that express an alternative vision to hegemonic policies, priorities, and perspectives." Many major outlets look to pump out the news that is very generic and doesn't quite show the whole picture. Smaller outlets do just the opposite. They look to give their audience and viewers a real, up-close look at what is really happening when it comes to certain events and issues around the world.
Christian Fuchs, a professor of Media at the University of Westminster, states that alternative media must have four elements to be considered what it is:
1. The audience must be involved with what is put out by alternative media
2. Must be different from mainstream media
3. Should create a perspective that's different from that of the state/major corporations
4. Establish different types of relationships with the state and market
The main idea of what makes a media outlet underground or minor is distancing itself as far away from traditional media as possible. That could also mean showing what the news doesn't, including issues surrounding human rights and environmental units. Smaller outlets have exposed child soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo and human trafficking in the United States. Others have brought attention to issues surrounding nature, such as deforestation, climate change, overfishing, etc.
Citizen Journalism
Alternative media wouldn't be able to exist without citizens documenting their findings on current events. In an age where technology, such as our phones and laptops, have made it easier to share our thoughts and writings, it's become easier than ever for the average person to become a journalist. Many of the issues that smaller platforms cover are led by citizens who have strayed away from mainstream media to help spread the actual happenings of events and how much they really impact others. Jay Rosen puts them as, "the people formerly known as the audience," which is the main mission of alternative media as a whole as well.
Many of the eyewitness stories from the 9/11 attacks were recorded by citizen journalists. Images and other accounts taken down by these journalists help magnify the events that happened that day even more so than they already were. Without citizen journalism, many things would be left unheard about or not covered in extensive detail or not to its full potential.
Forms of Alternative Media
As expected, underground media can be found in your usual forms of news, such as online, in paper forms, and through videos. But there are other forms of alternative media you may not realize.
Twitter and other social media platforms are filled with alternative media sources, as the form of communication is used by millions around the world and is becoming the number one way for people to obtain their news. Media doesn't just have to relate to news, however. Graffiti and street art are considered forms of underground media, as it operates free from the confines of the art world. Much of street art is used to even speak out against certain political and social issues and is a way for citizens to express their dislikes in a way that's separate from the structured ways of art.
Speaking of the arts, alternative mediums are also found in performances and music. Many theater performances or plays can be tied to issues in society and are used to express the emotions felt by one self or others affected by it. In music, indie rock or pop are genres in which the bands or artists are tied to contracts created by major record labels, allowing the music creators more freedom with what they choose to put out to their listeners. One of the more notable indie artists to win a Grammy was Macklemore and Ryan Lewis back in 2014 when they took home three golden record player trophies.
In summary...
While many of us will most likely stick to our mainstream uses of news, it's important to dig deeper and do some more research when it comes to certain events and issues around the globe, as other outlets may have more up-close encounters and personal interactions when covering these topics. Sure, the corporate news outlets may be very reliable and easy to follow, but the extra research that could be done to be more knowledgeable about what is going on without bias and vague reports hiding what's really going, could change your whole perspective on what news really is.
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