1. ALTERNATIVE & INDEPENDENT MEDIA MASS MEDIA & SOCIETY (COMM 100) - FURNESS

2. ALTERNATIVE / INDEPENDENT MEDIA COULD BE DEFINED AS… 1.Independently owned and operated 2.Driven by content as opposed to profit 3.Based upon a “Do It Yourself” (DIY) ethic 4.Radical media produced for a political purpose Let’s look at these a little more closely...

3. ‘ALTERNATIVE’ TO WHAT? Changes in the media industry, media technologies, and our culture have blurred some of the lines between what used to be called:  commercial media vs. artistic media  establishment media vs. counterculture media  mainstream media vs. underground media For example : bloggers vs. journalistsbloggers vs. journalists But…there are also important differences that distinguish alternative media: Production – how media are made Distribution – how media are circulated Content – what media say and do Audience – who is watching, listening, reading, etc. Purpose – why media are made

4. ALTERNATIVE MEDIA AS… INDEPENDENT MEDIA

5. ALTERNATIVE MEDIA COULD BE DEFINED AS… Independent Media  Not corporate owned and/or produced  Not part of the corporate media oligopoloy  Extremely important for freedom of the press  More humane/personal approach to business  Can be more egalitarian, less hierarchical  Different forms of compensation, royalties, etc.compensation, royalties, etc  Appeals to smaller, specialized audiences

6. Founded in 1996 Award-winning independent, non- profit, investigative news organization Airs on over 1,250 radio, TV and satellite stations. Streams online Features in-depth stories on issues rarely covered by the corporate press Supports community TV and radio as well as independent journalism Successful business model EXAMPLE: DEMOCRACY NOW!

7. Started in 1980 Largely run by 2 people Sold millions of records and had many successful bands No corporate support or distribution Split profits 50/50 with bands Supports local/regional artists Keeps prices cheap: Mp3s are $7; CDs are $10; LPs are $13 Supports live ‘taping’ & archive EXAMPLE: DISCHORD RECORDS

10. ALTERNATIVE MEDIA AS… DRIVEN BY CONTENT NOT $

11. ALTERNATIVE MEDIA COULD BE DEFINED AS… Driven by content as opposed to profit  Artistic freedom & exploration  Freedom to create the kind of art that you want to makecreate the kind of art that you want to make  Creative control & less threat of censorship Creative control  Promotes diversity and experimentation  Politically visible (more on this later)  Freedom to speak one’s mind, step outside of typical debates, positions, etc.

12. Made in 1968 by George Romero $114, 000 budget, made over $30 million worldwide Content seen as too gory for film studios Invented the ‘zombie’ genre First African American lead in a horror movie Subversive themes Influenced generations of independent horror movies EXAMPLE: NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD

13. ALTERNATIVE MEDIA AS… DIY MEDIA

14. ALTERNATIVE MEDIA COULD BE DEFINED AS… Based upon a “Do It Yourself” (DIY) ethic  The idea that YOU can make media:  Participation rather than just consumption  Resisting forced choice  New technologies and new opportunities

15. Short for fanzine, such as the sci-fi fanzine, The Comet (1930)The Comet Revived via 1970s punk culture Celebrates diverse voices, self- expression…not celebrity Easy to make Fosters communities and diverse, experimental content. See Duncombe’s piece for more… Similarities but also important differences from blogs differences EXAMPLE: ZINES

16. ALTERNATIVE MEDIA… RADICAL MEDIA

17. ALTERNATIVE MEDIA COULD BE DEFINED AS… Radical Media  One of the most important reasons why people make alternative media is because they want to express opinions and views that are too critical, confrontational, and/or political for mass media.  Media scholar John Downing refers to this lineage of media production as radical media, or media that expresses an oppositional stance against both mass and popular culture. Radical media has a long history in Western countries. For ex: the English government passed a large tax on newspapers in 1797 in order to put limits on the radical press.

18. UNDERGROUND PRESS IN THE 1960S

19. Worker-owned and operated anarchist collective Worker-owned and operated anarchist collective Publishes and distributes radical political literature as well as other alternative media Supports independent networks of publishers, writers, artists, and teachers. AK PRESS

20. Radio Caroline, founded in 1964 by Ronan O'Rahilly Challenged the BBC’s radio monopoly Inspired a wave of other radio ‘pirates’ both at sea and on land Section on Radio Prometheus in your book ALT MEDIA EXAMPLES – PIRATE RADIO

21. CREATING NETWORKS & COMMUNITY W/ MEDIA Infoshops For ex: The Big Idea Infoshop (Pittsburgh)The Big Idea Infoshop Distribution networks For ex: AK PressAK Press Community outreach For ex: Prometheus RadioPrometheus Radio Community events For ex: Pittsburgh Zine FairPittsburgh Zine Fair

22.  The Yes Men are part of a tradition of ‘culture jamming’ The Yes Menculture jamming  Media and PR ‘ju jitsu’  “Sometimes it takes a lie to expose the truth”  Previously were involved in other media pranks mediapranks OTHER MEDIA STRATEGIES – CULTURE JAMMING

23. Media education and critical media literacy Community and youth media training Appalachian Media Institute Appalachian Media Institute Women Make Movies Global Action Project (an interview with the director) Global Action Project interview Media Education Foundation (documentaries) Media Education Foundation OTHER MEDIA STRATEGIES – EDUCATION

24. GROUP ASSIGNMENT – MAKE A LESSON PLAN! Design a short lesson plan that could be used in a media literacy program for high school students. Draw on what you learned in your readings on alternative media and from previous readings/lectures to design a short lesson or activity that emphasizes: Critical media literacy The value of participation, DIY ethics and empowerment through doing. Imagine that you have a 30-min class in which to teach your lesson and you can utilize whatever tools and materials you want (within reason). List the following: Overview: Objectives/Goals: Concepts: Materials required: