The State of Things
As conglomerate corporations peruse the planet on the hunt for big and little news organizations to add to their cache, and as the fate of journalistic integrity looks more and more like water running down the drain, can the alternative, grassroots news publications hold their own?
The alternative press, throughout the history of the United States, often represents the underrepresented and reports the issues that go unreported in the mainstream media, particularly for low-income racially diverse groups that do not fall into the majority stronghold. Because of the role the mainstream media does not play in the exposure of issues affecting the working poor and non-white population, the alternative press plays a vital role in the function of democracy, whereby information is used to help the citizen engage in the political discourse that affects his or her life.
Some of the first black newspapers provided informational access to freedom for southern slaves escaping to the north, and later in World War II the black press drew attention to the contradiction of fighting for democracy while supporting the undemocratic systems of segregation and inequality. The alternative press often serves an important function, even though from time to time it does not resonate beyond the community it represents. Yet, if even at a local level, alternative publications can spark civic engagement, then they are in part fulfilling their democratic obligation.
The problem, or the devil, as they say, may be in the details. As forms of discrimination become more complex and more bureaucratic, the object of attack becomes obscure. In last days of slavery the object was clear, as in the days of segregation, but today discrimination takes on different forms and cloaks itself in unstained fabric. The mainstream media does cover the issues that affect low-income minority communities, but at a surface-level. To illustrate this point, I will explore mainstream media coverage and attempt to penetrate the truth beneath the surface. I will also explore how the alternative press deals with these issues.
How does the alternative press hold up in a battle with an enemy it cannot see?
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