Beyond Mainstream Media

Stephen Cushion is Professor at the School of Journalism, Media and Culture, Cardiff University, UK.

• Introduction The rise of new left-wing and right-wing alternative mediaStudying alternative media and their wider influenceThe scope of the bookChapter by chapter outlineChapter OneResearching the boundaries of alternative and mainstream mediaConceptualising alternative media: towards a more inclusive understanding?Researching alternative media: Towards an international agendaContent: developing left-right comparative and longitudinal analysis of online and social media outputProduction: from single case studies of activism to comparative analysis of alternative mediaAudiences: identifying alternative media users and understanding their relationship to mainstream mediaConclusion: towards a holistic understanding of alternative mediaChapter Two The evolution and influence of alternative media in national media and political systemsInterpreting the characteristics of new alternative online political mediaUnderstanding the editorial character of UK alternative mediaContinuities and changes in alternative media (2020-2021)Understanding alternative media: reflecting and responding to changes in national media and political systemsChapter ThreeHow alternative online political media use social mediaThe use of social media in alternative and mainstream mediaUK 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 mediaChapter 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 perspectiveThe (changing) editorial focus on mainstream media and professional journalismSix ways alternative media de-legitimize mainstream mediaWhy media systems shape alternative media criticism of professional journalismChapter FiveThe professionalisation of alternative political media productionInterpreting the hybridity of alternative media productionProduction processes of alternative mediaOrganizational structuresOrganizational practicesEditorial functionsProfessionalization Beyond activism: The professionalization of alternative media Chapter SixThe influence of mainstream media on alternative media production Interpreting the continuum between mainstream and alternative mediaThe relationship between alternative media and mainstream media production Political journalismEditorial coverage and agendaMedia correctivesThe importance of social mediaDeveloping professional production practices to challenge mainstream media powerChapter 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 usersChapter EightThe attitudes of alternative media users towards mainstream mediaThe relationship between mainstream and alternative mediaThe political orientation of alternative media users and their engagement with mainstream mediaAlternative media users’ attitudes to mainstream journalism and journalistsAlternative media users’ attitudes towards BBC News and the BBC generallyBeyond echo chambers and filter bubbles: towards a sceptical media savvy userChapter NineAlternative media and the future of journalismDe-Westernising alternative media studies: understanding differences in cross-national media and political environmentsDe-centring alternative media studies: Why the US’s media and political system is exceptional compared to other Western nationsThe relationship between alternative media use and disaffection with mainstream mediaThe rise of right-wing alternative media and their opposition to mainstream mediaThe future of journalism? The role of alternative left-wing media and their ideological influenceIndex

‘Cushion's Beyond Mainstream Media is rigorously researched and masterfully written. Given its international scope and provocative critique, the book promises to become a key text within political communication and journalism studies. I urge my colleagues to read and engage with it.’Professor Victor Pickard, University of Pennsylvania ‘Cushion’s work is invaluable to understanding how the evolution of alternative news is intrinsically tied to mainstream politics and professional journalism. This book suggests the future of news could look brighter with more commingling of alternative and mainstream approaches.’ Professor Jennifer Rauch, Linfield University, author of Resisting the News: Engaged Audiences, Alternative Media and Popular Critique of Journalism'A fascinating and much needed empirical analysis of the production, content and user engagement of ‘alternative political media’ in the UK that helps us to understand why people trust mainstream media (and politics) less and how alternative news media have evolved in relation to them. Dispelling myths of alternative media and their users as either amateur journalists or political activists Cushion reveals distinctive content with increasingly professionalised processes used by critical news consumers with diverse media diets. Crucial reading for those seeking to understand ‘alternative’ media and politics.'Professor Natalie Fenton, Goldsmiths, University of London.'By delving into the mainstreaming of alternative online political media, this book offers a nuanced understanding of their impact on contemporary politics and journalism. Cushion's rigorous empirical research, including content analysis, interviews, and surveys, provides a solid foundation for his arguments. This work challenges the traditional categorization of alternative media and sheds light on the diverse perspectives and ideologies that these platforms now encompass. It is a thought-provoking and thoughtfully executed study that will undoubtedly shape future scholarly discussions in the field'. Frank Esser, University of Zurich Switzerland“…this book is essential for scholars of alternative media and practitioners and audiences alike. It provides a more comprehensive understanding, demonstrating that alternative media are not simply distinct from mainstream media. Instead, alternative media interact with and connect to mainstream media in complex, multilayered ways, particularly in content, production, and audience engagement.”Journal of International Communication.“…a comprehensive resource for understanding the roles of alternative media in today’s fragmented political and media environment . The book is written in clear, jargon-free language, and adapts an international perspective while touching on broader issues such as public distrust in media and the influence of different media systems on the production of alternative media”.Communications“The book builds arguments from the author's in-depth case studies on the development of alternative media. Each chapter has a strong analytical approach, and the book provides an overview of the relationship between mainstream media, alternative media, and the future of journalism. Cushion's book is suitable for academics as teaching material in master's and doctoral lectures as it has the potential to spark discussion and open up research opportunities in the field of media and journalism. In addition, the book can be useful to media practitioners and journalists around the world as an overview of the development of mainstream media and alternative media”.Journal of Communication Inquiry