Beyond Mainstream Media

Introduction The rise of new left-wing and right-wing alternative media Studying alternative media and their wider influence The scope of the book Chapter by chapter outline Chapter One Researching the boundaries of alternative and mainstream media Conceptualising alternative media: towards a more inclusive understanding? Researching alternative media: Towards an international agenda Content: developing left-right comparative and longitudinal analysis of online and social media output Production: from single case studies of activism to comparative analysis of alternative media Audiences: identifying alternative media users and understanding their relationship to mainstream media Conclusion: towards a holistic understanding of alternative media Chapter Two The evolution and influence of alternative media in national media and political systems Interpreting the characteristics of new alternative online political media Understanding the editorial character of UK alternative media Continuities and changes in alternative media (2020-2021) Understanding alternative media: reflecting and responding to changes in national media and political systems Chapter Three How alternative online political media use social media The use of social media in alternative and mainstream media UK comparative study of Twitter use in right-wing and left-wing sites (2015-2018) How the changing political environment reshapes social media content (2020-2021) Editorial differences, but a mainstreaming of social media use in alternative media Chapter Four Attacking mainstream media: the role media systems play in shaping how professional journalism is critiqued The portrayal of mainstream media in alternative media: a cross-national perspective The (changing) editorial focus on mainstream media and professional journalism Six ways alternative media de-legitimize mainstream media Why media systems shape alternative media criticism of professional journalism Chapter Five The professionalisation of alternative political media production Interpreting the hybridity of alternative media production Production processes of alternative media Organizational structures Organizational practices Editorial functions Professionalization Beyond activism: The professionalization of alternative media Chapter Six The influence of mainstream media on alternative media production Interpreting the continuum between mainstream and alternative media The relationship between alternative media and mainstream media production Political journalism Editorial coverage and agenda Media correctives The importance of social media Developing professional production practices to challenge mainstream media power Chapter Seven Who uses alternative media and why? Identifying and characterising alternative media users To what extent have people heard or accessed alternative media sites? Where and why do people use alternative media? What issues and topics matter to alternative media users? Interpreting the complexity and fluidity of alternative media users Chapter Eight The attitudes of alternative media users towards mainstream media The relationship between mainstream and alternative media The political orientation of alternative media users and their engagement with mainstream media Alternative media users’ attitudes to mainstream journalism and journalists Alternative media users’ attitudes towards BBC News and the BBC generally Beyond echo chambers and filter bubbles: towards a sceptical media savvy user Chapter Nine Alternative media and the future of journalism De-Westernising alternative media studies: understanding differences in cross-national media and political environments De-centring alternative media studies: Why the US’s media and political system is exceptional compared to other Western nations The relationship between alternative media use and disaffection with mainstream media The rise of right-wing alternative media and their opposition to mainstream media The future of journalism? The role of alternative left-wing media and their ideological influence Index