Introduction

The rise of new left-wing and right-wing alternative media

Studying alternative media and their wider influence

The scope of the book

Chapter by chapter outline

Chapter One

Researching the boundaries of alternative and mainstream media

Conceptualising alternative media: towards a more inclusive understanding?

Researching alternative media: Towards an international agenda

Content: developing left-right comparative and longitudinal analysis of online and social media output

Production: from single case studies of activism to comparative analysis of alternative media

Audiences: identifying alternative media users and understanding their relationship to mainstream media

Conclusion: towards a holistic understanding of alternative media

Chapter Two

The evolution and influence of alternative media in national media and political systems

Interpreting the characteristics of new alternative online political media

Understanding the editorial character of UK alternative media

Continuities and changes in alternative media (2020-2021)

Understanding alternative media: reflecting and responding to changes in national media and political systems

Chapter Three

How alternative online political media use social media

The use of social media in alternative and mainstream media

UK 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 media

Chapter 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 perspective

The (changing) editorial focus on mainstream media and professional journalism

Six ways alternative media de-legitimize mainstream media

Why media systems shape alternative media criticism of professional journalism

Chapter Five

The professionalisation of alternative political media production

Interpreting the hybridity of alternative media production

Production processes of alternative media

Organizational structures

Organizational practices

Editorial functions

Professionalization

Beyond activism: The professionalization of alternative media

Chapter Six

The influence of mainstream media on alternative media production

Interpreting the continuum between mainstream and alternative media

The relationship between alternative media and mainstream media production

Political journalism

Editorial coverage and agenda

Media correctives

The importance of social media

Developing professional production practices to challenge mainstream media power

Chapter 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 users

Chapter Eight

The attitudes of alternative media users towards mainstream media

The relationship between mainstream and alternative media

The political orientation of alternative media users and their engagement with mainstream media

Alternative media users’ attitudes to mainstream journalism and journalists

Alternative media users’ attitudes towards BBC News and the BBC generally

Beyond echo chambers and filter bubbles: towards a sceptical media savvy user

Chapter Nine

Alternative media and the future of journalism

De-Westernising alternative media studies: understanding differences in cross-national media and political environments

De-centring alternative media studies: Why the US’s media and political system is exceptional compared to other Western nations

The relationship between alternative media use and disaffection with mainstream media

The rise of right-wing alternative media and their opposition to mainstream media

The future of journalism? The role of alternative left-wing media and their ideological influence

Index