Alternative Media
The term Alternative Media (or Independent Media) describes any content produced and released by an independent or non-traditional source. This can be anything from a single person to an organized group, producing anything from blogs, newsletters and podcasts to videos, music, books and games.
Basically, alternative media is any media content that is not mainstream.
Diversified Sources
Many of us do not think enough about the sources of our information--gossip, television, random websites, magazines, etc. We live in an age where there is an overwhelming amount of information available to us, and as such we are able to reap the benefits of this huge mass of human knowledge.
Thing is, one needs to be very careful about where one gets one's information, and exactly who to believe. There are an inordinate number of conflicting sources, as well as just plain disinformation.
In order to make the best decisions, it is important to examine all the facts available, rate the sources, and put together your own picture based on all the info you have available. Common sense, right? So why don't more of us use this critical thinking to filter our inputs?
By examining a more broad set of sources, you can start to see different perspectives, and begin to piece together a larger picture. The more diverse your pool of inputs, the more information you'll have to help you on your quest for the truth.
Trust
Each source needs to be weighted by how much you trust it. Here's the tricky part--there is no master list to check who to trust, so you'll just have to make up your own mind. Sources (both mainstream and alternative) can be rated for trust in a number of ways.
Friend of a Friend--If a media source is recommended to you, you can weight the new source based on how much you trust the judgement of whoever recommended it to you. In fact, you probably do this already, automatically, but by consciously thinking about who's telling you what, you'll be less likely to believe something you shouldn't.
Prior Record--By examining a source over time, you are able to better determine how you feel about it. If the source always releases content that's spot on, that trust level will build. When you see crap coming out, it's a big clue to take what's said with a grain of salt.
Critical Analysis--Even if you have no other info to base trust (or lack thereof) on, you can still use your head to examine what you're being fed. Does the info make sense? Do you like what you see/hear? Can claims and references be verified? Common sense and critical thinking/logic skills go a long way in this area. Is your bullshit filter in good repair and engaged?
Finding New Media
There are a plethora of media outlets to experience. In fact, there's more media content out there than you'll likely be able to soak up no matter how hard you try, or how long you live. Not all of this media is digital, by any means, but the Interweb has provided us such a unique and powerful new paradigm for sharing and distributing information.
http://www.zinelibrary.net/
The best way to find new media is to keep your eyes and ears open. Search engines can be powerful tools for finding new media--though advanced searching techniques are a bit beyond the scope of this page. Audio and video directories are also great tools for stumbling onto the newness.
Below, I'll provide a few content categories and some of my favourite links to independent content.
Indymedia is a network of independent journalism web sites where you can find local news and post news stories in your community.
Audio
A collection of hacking/phreaking/security/technology audio feeds all in one place.
A weekly hacking/phreaking radio show produced by 2600 staffers.
A (formerly weekly) hacking broadcast on a variety of subjects.
A weekly independent news baudcast on current events, interesting thoughts, and opinions from a wog perspective.
An alternative audio source, a division of RantMedia, they have music, news and talk.
radio freek america
A (now defunct, but still informative and entertaining) phreaking/hacking internet radio show.
An open music competition--song title is release and competitors have a week to make the best song, which users vote on.
A collection of homemade songs and remixes of video game musihttp://www.zinelibrary.net/c.
MC Frontalot, the Godfather of Nerdcore Hiphop.
Several compilations of various nerdcore/geeksta tracks, distributed in bittorrent form.
twat radio - today with a techie
A community produced show on anything technology related.
Video
Recently, a plethora of video hosting sites have popped up. I don't think you'll have to much trouble....
Images
Images are a wonderful form of media which is often overlooked in this sort of list. Everything from scans to digital art to photography.
Books, Zines and other Text
An extremely diverse collection of various textfiles assembled by Jason Scott.
A collection of free books on computers, programming, networking, etc.
Google's collection of scanned books, freely available.
An online collection of various Zines.
An actual physical library of various Zines, located in Denver, CO.
A collaborative collection of papers on computer/hacking/technology/free thought/culture jamming/etc topics run by the ddp.
A very interesting source of very interesting links and stories.
Other
open educational resources
MIT's project to make public their course materials.
user moderated news feeds
slashdot (/.)
DIY - Get your own voice out there
"Don't hate the media. Become the media." --Jello Biafra
The best thing about the internet is its ability to connect us to anybody else (or everybody else) on the planet, regardless of physical location. And the best thing about digital media is its inherent ability to be reproduced perfectly, without additional overhead.
Take these two things together, mix in your own ideas, style and opinions, add a dash of motivation and patience as required, and you can become dj of your very own radio or tv station. You can author something which has the potential to reach millions of other minds, and what some publisher says is irrelevant. You have the potential to communicate with the world.
Cool to think about, huh?
Closing thoughts
The point of Alternative and Independent Media is not simply to cut yourself out of the mainstream. It is to provide a more rich set of resources for you to inform yourself about the universe we live in.
Look at all your choices, and try to build a broad view. Weight everything you take in by how much you trust it, how reliable, how useful it's likely to be. Don't necessarily shun the mainstream simply because it's mainstream (very hipster, I know, but a silly idea nonetheless).
Keep your eyes peeled.
If you have something to say, put your own voice out there. Be the media.
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