Grassroots Grow

With a rising trend toward constant participation in an online space, alternative media sites such as Independent Media Centre http://www.indymedia.org/en/index.shtml and Alternet

http://www.alternet.org/ provide an alternative story and alternative voice than that perpetuated by the mainstream media. The distinction between the way a mainstream media site and an alternative media site tells a story is crystal clear. Mainstream sites will often spin a story in favor of a corporation while the alternative site will provide a voice from everyday citizens and people a part of an activist group or community. As Forde, Foxwell and Meadows propose, "though the lens of the local, that is, that we should consider alternative journalism as a 'process of cultural empowerment... where content production is not necessisarly the prime purpose, and what may be as important (or more) are the ways in which community media outlets facilitate the process of community organization"

I strongly believe that the rise in alternative news sites is a positive trend as those individuals who are committed to social change can take action through alternative sites. Even though this event took place in 1999, it is still one of the most prominent events which demonstrated the strength of globalization and alternative media. The event I am referring to is "The Battle of Seattle." This occurred when thousands of people from all across the country acted together by protesting and shut down the World Trade Organization talks in Seattle. This was a massive movement and fight against corporate globalization. A significant amount of the preparation for these protests and collaboration of citizens was done through sites such as indymedia and alternet. Take a look at this article found on indymedia, it includes numerous hyperlinks to other discussions of alternative voices on the issue of the battle in Seattle.http://publish.indymedia.org/en/2004/12/815172.shtml. This is interesting because people are still discussing the events on alternative sites where public expression is valued.

The mainstream media took this story and turned it into a "hollywood hit," the film used real footage of the protesters involved in the movement. Without the alternative media and active citizens, mainstream media wouldn't have had the accurate footage to make a successful film.I believe a story is never fairly evaluated unless you hear both sides. Mainstream media and alternative media indeed feed off each other. That being said, alternative media is invaluable.

Until next time,

The Active Citizen