Politics, participation and the people: Alternative journalism around the world

Abstract

Recent work in the field of community and alternative media studies identifies a unique form of journalism operating within these broader outlets (Atton and Hamilton, 2008; Harcup, 2013; Forde, 2011). The nature of the journalism produced in the alternative sector varies considerably – depending on many factors, including target audience, the medium and original purpose – and this diversity is amplified when considered across national and cultural borders. The alternative journalism we see, for example, in the community media of developing nations differs in both its motivations and its content from, say, a radical online newspaper coming out of New York City. There is purpose in examining the variety of practices occurring across these different nations and in these different formats in efforts to discover the essence of the journalism produced. To that end, this chapter intends to go some way towards an overview and an analysis of international forms of alternative journalism.