Alternative media - Definition and Overview

As long as there has been media there has been alternative media. The line between the two is not always clearly defined.

Proponents of alternative media often argue that the mainstream media is heavily biased. Causes of this bias include the political interests of the owners, government influence or the profit motive. While sources of alternative media are also frequently highly (and sometimes proudly) biased, the bias tend to be different, hence 'alternative'.

Authors such as Louis Althusser and Noam Chomsky have written in detail about the problems of the mainstream press, and their writings have inspired the creation of many alternative press efforts. Many current alternative press sources share values on copyright with the open source movement.

Examples of alternative press include Z Magazine, Indymedia, CounterPunch, Altermedia and Commondreams.

See also: Free press, Alternative weekly

External links

• RINF (http://www.rinf.com)
• Commondreams (http://www.commondreams.org)
• Dissident Voice (http://www.dissidentvoice.org)
• Indymedia (http://www.indymedia.org)
• Zmag (http://www.zmag.org)
• CounterPunch (http://www.counterpunch.org)
• Altermedia (http://www.altermedia.info)
• Indymedia (http://www.indymedia.org)
• The New Standard (http://newstandardnews.net)