This book offers a fresh perspective on central questions related to right-wing alternative media: Can right-wing media be alternative? Why do they exist? Are they a threat to the existing order and what have the reactions been from mainstream politicians and media actors?
The rise and success of right-wing populism in the political life of many western countries, along with several new and apparently successful alternative media operations on the right, has caused surprise and confusion among researchers and debaters. How should this challenge to mainstream politics and media be understood? Journalistic, political and academic discourse has struggled to explain these tendencies and tend to focus on sensational and extreme examples, with little attention directed towards other aspects. This book critically discusses existing theoretical frameworks related to alternative media in general, analysing a wide scope of cases to illustrate the diversity of voices in alternative media on the right and highlighting the importance of intellectual coolness and common sense in discussions about this important but ideologically and politically charged area.
An important addition to the current discourse of contemporary media, Right-Wing Alternative Media is ideal for researchers, students and anyone interested in politics and public discourse.
| Introduction |
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1 | (10) |
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8 | (3) |
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1 Why do alternative media exist? |
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11 | (17) |
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20 | (1) |
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21 | (4) |
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Counter-publics, Hallin's spheres and the "corridor of opinion" |
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25 | (3) |
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2 Are alternative media a threat to the system? |
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28 | (11) |
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Different types of anti-systemness |
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32 | (1) |
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Ideological anti-systemness |
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33 | (2) |
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Irrelevant right-wing alternative media |
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35 | (1) |
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Polarizing right-wing alternative media |
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36 | (1) |
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Right-wing alternative media |
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37 | (2) |
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3 Right-wing alternative media in research |
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39 | (28) |
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39 | (3) |
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Views on the established journalistic media |
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42 | (2) |
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How do they relate to each other? |
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44 | (2) |
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Populism and alternative media |
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46 | (2) |
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48 | (2) |
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50 | (1) |
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Extremist right-wing alternative media |
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51 | (2) |
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The "alt-right," "new right" and "metapolitics" |
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53 | (4) |
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Propaganda and disinformation |
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57 | (2) |
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Fake news is fake because of its fakeness ... |
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59 | (3) |
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Filter bubbles and echo chambers |
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62 | (1) |
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The Intellectual Dark Web |
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63 | (4) |
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4 Reactions from the mainstream ... |
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67 | (14) |
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Freedom of speech challenged? |
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71 | (3) |
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Implications and conclusion |
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74 | (2) |
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76 | (2) |
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78 | (3) |
| Bibliography |
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81 | (14) |
| Index |
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95 | |
Kristoffer Holt is Associate professor at the Department of Mass Media and Communication (MCM), Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST), Kuwait. His research has focused on the relationship between media and public discourse, especially aspects related to alternative media, religion, ethics and political communication. His work has appeared in the European Journal of Communication, New Media & Society, Information, Communication & Society, Journal of Mass Media Ethics and Media and Communication, among others.
