Dorothy Kidd – Indymedia.org : a new creative commons.

Importance of alternative news sources. How successful are independent news sources such as indymedia.org? How can multimedia platforms truly provide an effective alternative to mainstream media?


retrieved from http://www.jmk.su.se/global03/project/mediaday/Images/alternative.jpg

Independent news sources are very successful in presenting alternative views and broad discussion of issues from different perspectives. When mainstream media seems to present similar points of view, independent media are successful in hearing voices of activists, minorities, and opinions that need a voice but are not represented in mainstream media. Alternative media sources are also successful in being able to criticise and question power structures; which would be impossible for mainstream media sources that are owned and run by the powerful people who may need to be questioned or criticised.

Multimedia platforms have provided an effective alternative to mainstream media by enabling people themselves to “be the media” and share their views and discussions. Digital technologies, multimedia platforms, open-source and volunteer-run independent media can be an effective alternative, because they are decentralised and have the ability at little cost to offer alternative views and alternative presentations. Because digital technologies and access to digital image creating and editing equipment is much more available, sharing of alternative news sources is able to have a much larger number of contributors. Potentially anyone can contribute and use the alternative medias. They are a new creative commons that is run by the people for the people, independent and alternative.