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Alternative Media and the Notion of Anti-Systemness: Towards an Analytical Framework

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  • Kristoffer Holt

    (Department of Mass Communication and Media, Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST), Kuwait)

Abstract

A range of alternative media outlets focusing on criticizing immigration politics and mainstream media have emerged in Sweden in recent years. Although they have quite different ideological profiles, they share a clear and critical focus on immigration and mainstream journalistic representations of reality. Their message is that mainstream media conceal or distort information about negative societal and cultural consequences of immigration and that mainstream journalists have teamed up with the political elites and engage in witch-hunts of critics, while ignoring abuses by those in power. Such media outlets (especially online participatory media) need to be analyzed in the light of their position as self-perceived correctives of traditional media. There has been a remarkable surge of alternative media in Sweden with these traits in common during the past few years, and it is important to be able to discuss these media together as a phenomenon, while at the same time taking their differences into account. In relation to this, I argue that the notion of anti-systemness is useful in discussions of the impact these alternative media may (or may not) have on public discourse. In the article, I present a matrix that distinguishes between different types of anti-systemness: ideological anti-systemness and relational anti-systemness. The article therefore mainly presents a theoretical argument, rather than empirical findings, with the aim of pointing to a way forward for research about alternative media.

Suggested Citation

  • Kristoffer Holt, 2018. "Alternative Media and the Notion of Anti-Systemness: Towards an Analytical Framework," Media and Communication, Cogitatio Press, vol. 6(4), pages 49-57.
    • Handle: RePEc:cog:meanco:v:6:y:2018:i:4:p:49-57
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. C. W. Anderson & Matthias Revers, 2018. "From Counter-Power to Counter-Pepe: The Vagaries of Participatory Epistemology in a Digital Age," Media and Communication, Cogitatio Press, vol. 6(4), pages 24-25.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mats Ekström & Oscar Westlund, 2019. "The Dislocation of News Journalism: A Conceptual Framework for the Study of Epistemologies of Digital Journalism," Media and Communication, Cogitatio Press, vol. 7(1), pages 259-270.
    2. Sue Robinson & Yidong Wang, 2018. "Networked News Participation: Future Pathways," Media and Communication, Cogitatio Press, vol. 6(4), pages 91-102.
    3. James E. Katz, 2018. "Commentary on News and Participation through and beyond Proprietary Platforms in an Age of Social Media," Media and Communication, Cogitatio Press, vol. 6(4), pages 103-106.

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