AlterNet began in 1998 and it brands itself as a progressive news magazine and online community that relies on new and aggregated content. The site notes that collected content is pulled from search engines such as Google and aggregators like Reddit and Digg. The content is supported through donations that readers make online.
The stated mission of AlterNet is to inspire action and advocacy on the enviornment, human rights, civil liberties, social justice, media and health care issues. It asserts that this Web site confronts the failures of corporate media and it is a response to the "right wing, hate talk media". The site notes that it views itself as a filter for news that would be impactful and applicable to its readers.
The members of this site tend to me more progressive or liberal politically, yet the site asserts its dedication to fairness and equality. The site has over 30, 000 registered commenters and attracts about 1.5 million unique visitors each month. The demographics of the Alternet visitor are a 52-48 percent male to female ratio, more likely to be in the 18-34 age range, and 48 percent say they have a college degree.
The Web site is organized simply with a header that includes different tabs that one could access depending on their interest. These tabs include things like news, economy,civil rights, and entertainment. Above these main tabs are also links for more information about the site and instructions for donations. This Web site's funding is 40 percent of the operating budget is based upon donations and advertising.
When scrolling down the site, there is a lead story that runs dominant. Underneath this are four other stories that also include photos. Visual images are dominant on this site as every story that is teased includes a photo or an illustration. The only areas without photos is the progressive wire, which lists highlights from progressive members of the media or pertinent national issues, and the comments section.
There is a section along the right side of the page, the Soapbox, that is nothing but reader comments and blog opinions on various topics ranging from the KKK in Texas to religious bullies. Included on the site are also links within advertisements that encourage the viewer to get involved or take a stand. For example, one advertisement calls for viewers to join American veterans in closing Guantanamo Bay.
This site is not specifically for journalists, but it gives journalists an example of where people are turning on the internet for news. The Web site brands itself as an alternative source for people who are dissatisfied with mainstream, corporate media. The website is organized around hot topics or issues rather than a daily, chronological log of news. It plays to people's interests and if, for instance, the environment is that interest there is an upper tab devoted to that cause. This site shows journalists what it looks like when you are primarily giving the viewer what he or she wants.
A journalist could use this site to glean information about hot button issues and the opinion of more liberal minded readers. I would caution journalists to use this site, however, because it does play to the more extreme views of progressive politics. Headlines on the site include things like "What if Sarah Palin were Black?" and "Dick Cheney Admits to Torture Conspiracy". There is a tab on the front of the site titled media and culture, but this primarily is a sounding board for those complaints about right-wing media. In class, we have discussed the problems that result when we simply go to the extremes of the political spectrum asking for opinions. We have not necessarily found the truth and while this Web site may help the journalist be fair, it is not necessarily a place I would recommend turning for stakeholders.
Two things about this site that do show journalistic innovation and that other outlets should take a closer look at are the organization by issue and the prominence of reader blogs and comments. First, the site organizes things in such a way that it makes it much easier to find the specific type of content you are looking for. While there are tabs for things like news and entertainment, there are tabs for civil rights and environmental issues that gather a niche audience. It is all about national news, but it breaks down stories into smaller groupings so it is easier to filter through.
The reader blogs, as mentioned before as the Soapbox, are highlighted prominently on the page and cover most of the right hand side of the site. One of the stated goals for Alternet.org was to bring people together as a community and these blogs certainly allow for people to come together for an exchange of opinions and ideas. This sort of reader involvement is growing amongst other news sites, but here it is a key component of the Web site. The site creates a forum for people to exchange their views without questioning the validity of their beliefs. This forum encourages people to be involved in the site and that is important to a site that relies heavily on advertising and donations. Journalism outlets are currently looking for ways to remain viable through the internet and this sort of community forum might be one way to hold onto those readers who no longer pick up the paper.
In looking over this site and the type of content it provides I would rate it a 4 as far as being a site that does what it aims to do: provide content for a targeted, progressive audience. As far as being a resource for journalists, I would have to argue it is more around a 2. It provides some information about current issues about the economy and environment, but at the same time it is hard to sift through the stories and find some objectivity. In class, we discussed Hayakawa and how he wrote about reports, inferences, and judgments. While journalists should focus on verifiable reports, this site deals greatly with inferences and judgments. It makes judgments about the right-wing side of politics and a subjective message is clear upon ready initial headlines.
This is not the kind of site a newspaper or television outlet should mimic as far as content, which is a large factor, although the design and layout are positive things that make it easier for a visitor to navigate. The tabs are simple and it is user friendly with the blogs encouraging user produced content and feedback. Overall, this site reminds me of a liberal version of a Drudge Report where there are a few positive attributes, but there is also a clear political agenda to attract a certain type of reader.
I believe that blogs are the ultimate "soap box" for the online community. Blogs are usually made of inferences lacking quality reports. Therefore, the quality of inferences suffers immensely.
ReplyDeleteAs for the layout, graphic are a great way to grab attention.