Alternative and Mainstream Media: The converging spectrum

Alternative media have historically been a central force in social change. Kenix argues, however, that they do not uniformly subvert the hierarchies of access that have always been fundamental to mainstream media. In fact, their journalistic norms and routines have always drawn on the professional standards of the mainstream. Through comparative analysis Kenix posits the perception of ’mainstream’ and ’alternative’ as a misconception arguing that they’ve always… (plus)

Alternative media have historically been a central force in social change. Kenix argues, however, that they do not uniformly subvert the hierarchies of access that have always been fundamental to mainstream media. In fact, their journalistic norms and routines have always drawn on the professional standards of the mainstream. Through comparative analysis Kenix posits the perception of ’mainstream’ and ’alternative’ as a misconception arguing that they’ve always existed on the same continuum and continue to converge. Her vision recalibrates the media spectrum.

This book examines alternative media while being cognizant that they are not situated completely outside the ideological mainstream, carrying distinctive identities excluded from entrenched, elite systems of power. The alternative media can - and do - construct distinct ’alternative communications’ but they do so along a strikingly different continuum than hitherto envisaged. Kenix’s text will tease out differences and similarities across a range of media. Examples will be drawn from the UK, US, Australia and New Zealand.