Non conspiracy alternative media outlets
April 16, 2017 1:07 PM Subscribe
Are there any outlets you know of that can be characterized as alternative media, but that don't support conspiracy theories?
Sites like info Wars are out.
I'm looking for news outlets that are outside the mainstream, but that still report stories that are researched rigorously and make logical conclusions.
Sites like info Wars are out.
I'm looking for news outlets that are outside the mainstream, but that still report stories that are researched rigorously and make logical conclusions.
be aware that nakedcapitalism's daily link posts have quite a bit of conspiracy mongering, especially if it has anything to do with putting russia in a bad light, and everything must be spun in some way to make sure and focus blame on democrats. this is especially true if republicans are about to do something particularly vile.
posted by lescour at 2:44 PM on April 16, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by lescour at 2:44 PM on April 16, 2017 [2 favorites]
Mother Jones is fairly good most of the time. Smaller periodicals can be really excellent but obviously mostly do local reporting or focus on one topic. One that I recommend is the San Jose Mercury News which does excellent work on science in particular, High Country News does excellent reporting on rural and water/ western stuff. Also the Christian Science Monitor is really good for international relations stories and also does pretty well on science/ tech stuff too.
If you're looking for analysis that really takes access, a degree of objectivity, education on the subject matter and institutional knowledge and that's why the mainstream reporters are generally the most reliable there. Foreign media can often provide really excellent analysis: sometimes English or Mexican or Canadian media has much better analysis of stuff in the US than US media, for example.
posted by fshgrl at 2:59 PM on April 16, 2017 [3 favorites]
If you're looking for analysis that really takes access, a degree of objectivity, education on the subject matter and institutional knowledge and that's why the mainstream reporters are generally the most reliable there. Foreign media can often provide really excellent analysis: sometimes English or Mexican or Canadian media has much better analysis of stuff in the US than US media, for example.
posted by fshgrl at 2:59 PM on April 16, 2017 [3 favorites]
The Guardian, particularly for international coverage that is missing from many domestic sources. It's not exactly alternative but still reliable
posted by jwt0001 at 4:27 PM on April 16, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by jwt0001 at 4:27 PM on April 16, 2017 [1 favorite]
I read "Political Wire" religiously; I think it's very good. Slightly left of center, very informative.
posted by coldhotel at 6:47 PM on April 16, 2017
posted by coldhotel at 6:47 PM on April 16, 2017
Christian Science Monitor. That brings back memories. I used to listen to them on shortwave when I was a kid. I always thought the name was very weird, especially as they never seemed to have any religious programming, just science and world events stuff. Learned years later that the founder of the news service (over a century ago!) wanted it to be more or less secular even though it's sponsored by the church she also founded. Apparently they confined the religious stuff to the weekends, and apparently I had other things to do on the weekends, 'cause I never heard it.
The founder's stated goal and focus was specifically to be an antidote to the sensationalist, crisis-mongering reportage of her day.
Apparently mass media hasn't changed much in a century...
posted by MoTLD at 8:16 PM on April 16, 2017
The founder's stated goal and focus was specifically to be an antidote to the sensationalist, crisis-mongering reportage of her day.
Apparently mass media hasn't changed much in a century...
posted by MoTLD at 8:16 PM on April 16, 2017
The "alternative media" I like to read are specialized media. If you want to read about the Trump administration's plan to relax lead paint rules, read about it in a publication directed at remodelers. Specalized publications aren't there to draw clicks and they aren't there to push political lines, they exist to provide relatively accurate information to people whose livelihoods depend on that information.
posted by escabeche at 9:32 PM on April 16, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by escabeche at 9:32 PM on April 16, 2017 [2 favorites]
I've been listening to the local community radio station here (KBOO) and found that the evening news program has some interesting bits done by Labor Radio. There may be a station near you that runs them.
Democracy Now is good. Or the classically named Alternative Radio.
Yes, I'm mega-old and listen to the radio.
posted by fiercekitten at 10:08 PM on April 16, 2017
Democracy Now is good. Or the classically named Alternative Radio.
Yes, I'm mega-old and listen to the radio.
posted by fiercekitten at 10:08 PM on April 16, 2017
This is really going to depend on what you mean by 'mainstream' and 'rigorously.' Some of the above answers I would happily classify as conspiracy theory generators, and others as well within the mainstream.
posted by PMdixon at 6:16 AM on April 17, 2017
posted by PMdixon at 6:16 AM on April 17, 2017
Response by poster: By mainstream, we're talking about all the three letter networks and some of the national newspapers, like the New York Times and the Washington Post.
posted by reenum at 6:36 AM on April 17, 2017
posted by reenum at 6:36 AM on April 17, 2017
« Older Help me describe this laptop case, so I can search... | Cheaper DCA parking options? Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by cfraenkel at 1:16 PM on April 16, 2017