Alternative news sites
You may have to subscribe to some of these, but it’s free; and for gosh sakes be careful–consumption of any of these sites may lead to permanent attitude adjustments . . . in fact, you may think you’ve suddenly been transported to a parallel universe. You’ll find some redundancy–I want to make sure you see some of the good ones . . . may make consumers more prone to bouts of depression. May cause drowsiness, sleeplessness, anxiety, possibly even outbreaks of joy if not elation. Do not use these sites in conjunction with cable news, especially the ‘news analysis’ shows. If you experience cynicism for more than eight continuous hours, call your doctor, or watch some Lawrence Welk re–runs.
News organizations have myriad ways to influence their audiences, some subtle and others not. Put simply, they get to decide:
- Whatto cover
- What notto cover
- Whereto cover it (front page, living section, etc.)
- Howto cover it (headlines, sources used, spin …)
- How longto cover it (just ask Nancy Grace)
But first, here are some basic ‘suggestions’ that, if you follow them, will pretty much guarantee you have a better idea of what’s going on in the world:
- Don’t watch TV for news. Too much noise. The air time is so pricey the pressure to filter stories, use sound bites and shorthand, avoid threatening the powerful, and appeal to the audience’s basest entertainment instincts is irresistible. PBS is the best of the bunch if you do, but also has the least infotainment value. Also, I would avoid social media newsfeeds–you just don’t know what kind of algorithmthe so-called ‘curators’ are feeding you.
- Don’t rely on one source for your news. No one source is immune from making editorial decisions and skewing the view of the world that results. Any one source is likely to be at a point on a spectrum that excludes multiple perspectives and viewpoints (but if you do choose just one . . . check out NPR, or the Christian Science Monitor.
- Include at least one non-commercial source in your mix (at least it reduces the filtering pressuresthe advertising industry can impose).
- Include an international source. American news organizations are risk-averse when it comes to criticizing US foreign policy, all the way up to war. You’ll get a clearer picture of what the rest of the world thinksby doing so.
- Find some analysis. There’s so little of it in reporting these days that doesn’t feel like crass editorializing or audience baiting. That’s one thing PBS Newshour does–brings on guests (generally people with knowledge, not just talking points, so they’re less likely to be bloviating politicians).
- With breaking news, wait a week or so. There is so much competition to get the ‘scoop,’ that reporters often are pressured to take shortcuts and go to press prematurely. If you wait a few days anyway, you’ll get a better sense of some truth (vs Truth). So slow down. Don’t get seduced by fast-breaking stories and round-the-clock (non) coverage. Commercial news didn’t learn any lessons from the Jessica Lynch fiasco.
tools | |
Friends don’t let friends watch TV news (for news, anyway). But if you must watch TV …. | |
Right in your own backyard. Peruse it or lose it. | |
Another site that tries to peel off some of the layers of secrecy that have shrouded government activities in recent years. From the Center for Responsive Politics. They specialize in exposing campaign funding–find out who has bought out your state’s members of Congress. | |
Want to know who’s writing bills in the legislature these days, while legislators hold industry fundraisers and call for accountability of state government employees and universities? | |
What it says–covers the government, and does what the networks don’t in many cases. You can get information on any department, with their official seals! | |
Excellent site for learning what corporate interests are funding seemingly independent think tanks, social movements, and non-profits. | |
Excellent site–sort of an encycopedia of media chicanery–you can search it for individuals, groups, etc.–your source for propaganda! | |
Same as sourcewatch, but more focused on the PR industry | |
A voice for reform in a corporate wilderness. Their MediaFile page is a good source of info on what’s currently going on (that we’re not hearing about) in the sordid world of media and government. | |
I know, I know–politicians never lie. But just in case, here’s a site designed to shame the tempted. | |
You think you want to know how your tax dollars are spent? | |
This is a link to their video page–but they have many campaigns and cover the uncovered | |
from our Library, great for doing news-related research | |
Just what it sez . . . multinational corporations, that is. | |
While it lasts! Governments around the world are trying to shut this one down. In the name of national security, of course. For historians, journalists and activists, it’s like a candy store full of official secrets. | |
” provides a central repository for freely licensed photographs, diagrams, animations, music, spoken text, video clips, and media of all sorts “ | |
Good source for ‘connecting the dots’ between various neocon individual and organizational actors. Or as they say, tracking militarists’ efforts to influence US forein policy. | |
Keep track of your favorite multinational corporation! | |
from the Washington Post–votes from elected U.S. representatives and senators, going back to 1991, searchable in a variety of ways. | |
excellent site for picking apart policy and statistical manipulation | |
Program on International Policy attitudes–they regularly take the pulse of the public, both in the U.S. and abroad, on a variety of important issues, and also look at their consumption of mass media | |
There’s something to interest almost anyone on this site (except maybe a Limbaugh dittohead) | |
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. Now there’s a concept … they do reports and FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) requests when the government won’t play nice. | |
‘An independent, nonpartisan resource on trends in American public opinion.’ | |
There are many tools on this site for investigating BS-like claims. Here’s their database of Iraq War lies (direct quotes from our leaders). Leans left, occasionally overboard. | |
Best site I’ve found for getting at the corrupting influence of money in politics–many different areas to search–lobbyists, campaign contributors–it’s all here (but some requires subscribing). | |
from the Tampa Bay Times–tries to document (hard to keep up, though!) the lies and half-truths of politicians and their campaigns | |
‘Curators of social media,’ they aggregate coverage on breaking stories (and archive them as well). Users can also ‘create’ stories, so there’s citizen journalism here. | |
this is the site that debunks all of those stupid emails you get forwarded (like the tax on email, or the billion dollar Microsoft giveaway) | |
A project of the Public Concern Foundation. Irreverent journalism you won’t find in too many places. | |
still the search engine standard–if you’re unsure about something, google it with a search term or two to filter out unrelated garbage. There are many tools available on google now–government documents, images, maps, your home from space, check them out, they just make your searching more efficient and effective. | |
Looking to connect people and events? This is a good starting place. Check out the Rotten Library Page. | |
Good enough to merit its own link–a good way to search for recent coverage of a topic | |
Investigative reports of note | |
Washington Post report on the meteoric rise of the security industry (and the gazillions spent) since 9/11. | |
Washington Post–great reading, if you have the stomach fot it | |
Washington Post investigates the man behind the man in the Oval Office for two terms | |
Washington Post’s take, anyway, on what went wrong that precipitated the economic slide | |
And you thought national health care was the budget buster?? | |
NY Times, and how the Pentagon stacked the deck with retired generals to ensure favorable coverage of the Iraq War. | |
Yet another one that ran right off of Karl Rove, like teflon prison bars …. This is mostly my own collection of news stories | |
Hey, WOFTSL!! (NY Times, ‘watch out for that stop light)) | |
They do investigative journalism, and take on stories no commercial organization would tackle for very long | |
Washington Post | |
And we’re not talking oil . . . but pharmaceuticals (NY Times) | |
NY Times (collection of articles, analyses) | |
Hasn’t been higher since the Great Depression. NY Times (stats, stories, trends, etc.) | |
NY Times | |
The Guardian is one of the five newspapers with which WikiLeaks is cooperating | |
Of war | |
Dhar Jamail’s unvarnished coverage of the Iraq war | |
good weblog for news on Iraq. Cole is a professor at the University of Michigan, and very well-informed on goings-on in Iraq. | |
‘formed in 1996 to nonviolently challenge the economic warfare being waged by the US against the people of Iraq. Voices continues its work today, acting to end to the US occupation of Iraq.’ | |
Arabic news site. Much less filtered than mainstream U.S. media | |
the Guardian (from the UK) | weblog special page on Iraq |
conservative weblog | |
support our troops | a mishmash of stuff supporting the military effort |
think tanks of various stripes | |
Non profit consumer advocacy group. “Public Citizen does not accept funds from corporations, professional associations or government agencies.” | |
Liberal think tank–extensive coverage of current events, 9/11 commission, Iraq War. They have a very nice database of claims versus facts from the White House and beyond. Pick a topic, a speaker, and enjoy! | |
trying to keep the PR industry honest. By the authors of ‘Trust us, we’re experts!’ They even have a ‘Spin of the Day‘ page | |
Conservative think tank. Cato’s mission is to “increase the understanding of public policies based on the principles of limited government, free markets, individual liberty, and peace.” | |
Conservative think tank. Heritage was founded in 1973 by brewery magnate Joseph Coors together with prominent activist Paul Weyrich and wealthy benefactors Richard Scaife and Edward Noble. | |
Conservative think tank. “The Institute is an independent, nonprofit organization supported primarily by grants and contributions from foundations, corporations, and individuals. AEI is strictly nonpartisan and takes no institutional positions on pending legislation or other policy questions.” | |
Excellent for critiquing White House statistical manipulation, and shedding light on economic policy spinjobs. | |
Centrist think tank. Check out some of their funding sources. “The Brookings Institution is an independent, nonpartisan organization devoted to research, analysis, education, and publication focused on public policy issues in the areas of economics, foreign policy, and governance.” | |
Liberal think tank. “The Commonweal Institute is a multi-issue research and educational institute – a think tank – and communications organization committed to advancing moderate and progressive principles through message leadership and strategic marketing and aggressive communication of ideas.” | |
Ecclectic assortment –the chronology of 9/11 is worth checking out | |
Brings up many sites that focus on events surrounding 9/11 | |
Lots of resources, links on this site | |
left-leaning, some highly regarded authors | |
this is mission control for the right-leaning authors | |
for the other side of the ‘tort reform’ debate | |
great place to get the latest news stories–this filters out all the other kinds of websites you’d normally get with a google search. | |
A humanitarian group that often enters after natural and human-caused disasters | |
some media watchdog sites | |
a wide variety of stuff on this page, mostly left-leaning | |
Okay site for seeing some of the distortions floating around; I find it reflects mainstream biases, though | |
This is a ‘meta’ site that links to other watchdog sites | |
Fairness and accuracy in reporting. Respected analysts and critics of journalistic ethics | |
from their site: “MediaChannel is a media issues supersite, featuring criticism, breaking news, and investigative reporting from hundreds of organizations worldwide. As the media watch the world, we watch the media. “ | |
revolutionizing grassroots political activism | |
Works to change media policy, support citizen journalism, and cultivate media literacy. | |
excellent site for sniffing out pure propaganda | |
an equal opportunity site for criticizing the deceptive use of spin in the media (they go after the left or the right) | |
excellent site for looking to see who’s behind what organizations. Especially good for looking at the money behind think tanks. | |
AIM (Accuracy in Media) | from them: “AIM is a non-profit, grassroots citizens watchdog of the news media that critiques botched and bungled news stories and sets the record straight (without that nuisance of rigorous documentation …) on important issues that have received slanted coverage.” They forgot one thing: corporate-sponsored. |
Committee to Protect Journalists (from others, not from themselves), especially deals with journalists working in combat zones | |
‘the alternative to monopoly media’ | |
Astroturf Alert! | You may think it’s a grassroots organization, but can you see the roots? Here’s wikipedia’s description and here’s Sourcewatch’s. |
If you’re looking for a specific kind of site, this is a good way to search (try this one) | |
Another site that tries to peel off some of the layers of secrecy that have shrouded government activities in recent years. | |
Fighting a global war against censorship. | |
Students were assigned to critique different sites–you can at least see what they thought of them (some critiques are better than others), and what other campuses are looking at with respect to mass media. | |
Thanks for bringing up the site in class, Cassandra. Write your own spin. This is actually pretty useful for understanding some of those key themes that politicians try to focus the public on. | |
unusual critique of advertising industry | |
They watch Fox, so you don’t have to! | |
good at uncovering deception and untruth, mostly from the right (the deception, that is). Up to date. Founded by David Brock, a neocon turncoat. | |
David Horowitz is on a well-funded junket to expose liberal thinking in academe | |
This is an entertaining, but pretty insightful analysis of spin. To the left. | |
‘news about the news’ | |
‘The Leader in Documenting, Exposing and Neutralizing Liberal Media Bias’ | |
‘interactive museum of news’ | |
analysis of the news | |
an analysis of some of the anti-feminist perspectives that find their way into the weekly news magazine | |
homemade in every way . . . always good to be wary of entities that claim truthfulness in their names | |
Pew does lots of public opinion polling–reasonably balanced site | |
‘media watchdog and conservative news site’, targeting the San Francisco Chronicle | |
one of several fact checkers–will hit from the right or left | |
by the College of Jouranlism at the University of Maryland | |
good critique site–the stories are provocative (from a public broadcasting station) | |
Don’t read this if you think the right and left are balanced in their use of deceptive tactics … | |
focused on the effects of TV on children, mostly | |
Keeping a conservative eye on the NY Times’ allegedly leftist reporting (the Times may be barely left of center …, but it is considered the paper of record–an important source) | |
Excellent site–sort of a reference site for all kinds of media chicanery–you can search it for individuals, groups, etc. | |
ZNet has an extensive page of links to alternative media sites | |
right column on this page–many interesting, alternative sites | |
newspapers, sites | |
good source for fastbreaking news. Many news outlets subscribe to AP and run their stories in their own papers. | |
centrist, good reputation | |
right-of-center Time-Warner site | |
from the UK; probably the most respected financial newspaper in the world | |
Unofficial news agency of the White House? You decide. | |
owned by GE, using Microsoft technology, right-of-center | |
owned by Rupert Murdoch–way right of the Washington Times | |
maybe slightly left-of-center (except for war coverage) | |
Accessed through Pierce Library, and now owned by Rupert Murdoch | |
This is an influential paper/site. Editor William Kristol is one of the spokespeople for the neoconservative movement. | |
conservative news site | |
Pretty centrist | |
One of the most incendiary right wing news sites this side of Rangoon (depending on which direction you’re traveling) | |
slightly left-of-center (war coverage has been to the right, though) | |
to the right–ever heard of Rev. Sun Myung Moon? | |
Some international sites | |
The further from the U.S., the more bold the journalism becomes | |
an important news outlet in the Arab world | |
UK’s version of indy media | |
covers events in the Middle East | |
among others–there are lots of independent media sites | |
from the U.K.–has good offbeat stories | |
BBC radio is the choice of much of the world with short wave ( from the U.K.) | |
daily from the U.K. | |
BBC radio is the choice of much of the world with short wave ( from the U.K.) | |
from Canada. It’s actually sort of conservative. For Canada (but liberal in comparison with mainstream American papers). | |
Non commercial news sites | |
What is says, pretty much; there is also a Media Culture page that is interesting. | |
Endorsed by Project Censored | |
‘where the left wing can get pretty graphic.’ He analyzes photos in the news. | |
Using the internet for something besides pushing products … | |
also with news and opinion from the left-of-center | |
Common Dreams is a ‘filter’ news site–it picks up stories and editorials from other outlets around the world. Pretty liberal. The news articles are on the left and right columns; opinion in the middle. | |
Run by investigative journalist Robert Parry | |
Amy Goodman’s campaign to take back the media from corporate control. Radio, TV and Web | |
Lots of irreverence, they take a special interest in uncovering BS (sort of a low-budget Daily Show) | |
A good source for news on Congress–especially stories you won’t see in–guess where?? The mainstream press! | |
What is says–again, you’ll see much here that you won’t see elsewhere (this is the DC site) | |
links to lots of independent media sites from here | |
They’re heavy on audio files–I’d recommend listening, low end of your dial, mornings and after 5:00 pm. | |
Read what the rest of the world deals with. Be forewarned: you won’t find much on Ben and J-Lo here. | |
Good source of news you won’t find on commercial sites | |
News you’ll get few other places. Check out their newswire, too. They are a source of diversity and ethnic news. | |
Public interest journalism, good freelancers–they break stories regularly | |
You’ll find few of these stories in mainstream press (from co-founder of Truthout) | |
An excellent source for investigative journalism and smart reporting from Tom Englehart et al. | |
if you didn’t think the American mass media was missing something, you will after you see this site (although American mass media misses almost everything but the commercials). They have a hodgepodge of interesting pieces on this site–it’s a web-based box o’ chocolates | |
Thomson-Reuters–calls itself the world’s humanitarian news site. A wide variety of kinds of news covering all corners of the globe. | |
Decent source of environmental news. | |
Influential old-conservative (as opposed to neo-conservative) | |
sort of like commondreams–left-of-center site with news, opinion | |
independent web news site (left-of-center) | |
Web logs (blogs–where does that news go that doesn’t pass through network filters, you ask?) | |
good BS detectors . . . | |
Covers politics well, but also has an interesting perspective on issues affecting the gay community. | |
Atrios is a 32 year-old recovering economist . . . | |
War protestors, includes postings from soldiers who are in Iraq or who have finished their duty | |
‘Reality-Based Commentary, Analysis, and Tirades on Politics in America’. Infrequent but intelligent. | |
Smart political commentary. They also collect what they consider the best arcticles of the week. | |
Recommended by the Crisis Papers web authors–a good list | |
Here’s a list from the QandO blog | |
Good coverage of Iraq, among other things–links to other sources available, too | |
good current ‘anti-news’ coverage | |
good blog site for analyzing the news; Schechter’s good at war coverage | |
From an Iraqi scientist | |
“Daily news and comments on the situation in post Saddam Iraq by an Iraqi dentist” | |
Arianna Huffington’s weblog–she has an affinity for going after corruption and scandal | |
good weblog for news on Iraq. Cole is a professor at the University of Michigan, and very well-informed on goings-on in Iraq. | |
Covers issues that are largely ignored by mainstream press-right now focusing on voting machine fraud. Miller is a media and TV critic, and a professor at New York University. | |
the title says it all–critical of the current White House | |
What is blogging ? | |
Dhar Jamail,s unvarnished coverage of the Iraq war | |
This is a pro-American blog (and this is a story about it) | |
one of many blog, or weblog, sites–they have lots of breaking political stories you won’t see in many outlets | |
This is a good resource–if you’re checking out some issue relying on scientific expertise, you’ll probably find it discussed on one of the many weblogs accessible from here. | |
From the American Prospect–good news analysis, especially on welfare issues | |
Covers news but in the context of the broader battles over corporate influence in mainstream media | |
Kevin Drum from Washington Monthly. Good discussion of hot political issues. | |
Left o’ center, rich in sarcasm | |
good dissection of the news (leans left) | |
there was a schism at the gadflyer . . . (left-leaning) | |
He’s network (MSNBC), but hasn’t been fired yet . . . | |
‘we bring angry things to light’ (well, life, actually. or left.) | |
another blog site. Focuses a bit more on tech stuff. | |
what it sez (mostly left) | |
Josh Micah Marshall (left-leaning–good spin analysis–try to forgive him for supporting the Iraq invasion for so long) | |
Interesting stuff that is must-read for political types in DC–hard to pigeonhole the wonkette (Ana Marie Cox). | |
news analysis from the right . . . | |
Wanna learn spin? This is the man behind Fox News Network | |
air-blown feedback from the right | |
from the right | |
This is an interesting site–it’s a search engine of weblogs–so find out what’s being discussed right now. I linked to the politics page. | |
more news analysis from the conservative side of the spectrum | |
Columnists of some repute (not saying what kind …), w/ online articles | |
(mission control for conservative columnists) | |
Good on covering corporate welfare, slime and pork | |
Good on health care–he’s a moderate liberal who comes from corporate America. Very good at detecting BS in mainstream press | |
Knows George W. Bush like her own nephew … | |
moderate liberal–very smart | |
writes on international issues | |
(pop culture cynic extraordinaire–very entertaining writer to boot | |
NY Times–neocons hate him–find the ‘columns’ link on the top left. He’s on vacation until the new year (2005) | |
a respected and feared investigative journalist | |
good on health care, BS detection | |
save the toilet! He’s funny, but for the last several years has repeated too many booger jokes–too bad he can’t get ‘seriously funny’ occasionally | |
Looking for right wing slander and character assassination? Ann’s your woman. She claimed for a long time to be a constitutional scholar. Her style is, well, literary homicide? | |
never met a neoconservative he didn’t like … | |
good investigative journalism, especially on Iraq (this is a link to some of his stuff on truthout) | |
NY Times columnist–very insightful views on the media (he’s now ‘subscription only,’ but truthout carries many of his pieces) | |
excellent investigative journalist who writes for the New Yorker–a few columns can be accessed from this page | |
a mainstream critic of mainstream media. | |
one of the most feared and fearless investigative journalists. He broke the story of the Flordia election theft in 2000, and has broken several on this year’s election as well–few covered in mainstream outlets, of course. | |
pronounced Katowski–she served in the Defense Department and knows how the system works. Interestingly, she’s a traditional conservative, but an eyewitness to the Iraq War propaganda machine. | |
best on the Web for unfounded rumor and innuendo. He has broken some pretty bogus stories over the years, and is seen by many as a mouthpiece for conservatives looking to smear one of their critics. | |
Magazines | |
good for coverage of welfare issues | |
Monthly magazine that is doesn’t depend on corporate advertising | |
cerebral, left of center | |
independent, good writing | |
includes some ads these days, but still covers the uncovered | |
what it says … | |
warning: may contain intellectuals | |
very good longer pieces–thoughtful magazine | |
comic relief for the scientist | |
lots … mostly political cartoons | |
edgy tech stuff | |
Read what Karl Rove reads! And then read about Karl Rove! | |
Almost always a good article online in every issue | |
trying to hold corporations accountable | |
a different, global kind of journalism–you need to see it to understand | |
focusing the electorate’s outrage | |
good interviews–much is not on the Web, though | |
excellent, but only a few articles are posted online | |
A few things online, good print magazine | |
Miscellaneous | |
fairness and accuracy in reporting–a respected media watchdog site | |
BS watchdogs, the site’s now archived | |
bills itself as the ‘anti-environmental watchdog group,’ rooting out greenwashing and astroturfing | |
committed to rooting out lame journalism | |
systematically and rigorously covering the uncovered stories | |
“Audits of conventional wisdom” takes on the Iraq War, U.S. Foreign Policy, ‘war on terror,’ the global economy, etc., challenging conventional assumptions in mainstream media. | |
Can spin be used for good ??? | |
AIM | most underreported stories (from a conservative flak shack viewpoint … don’t expect the sort of rigor project censored displays) |
Excellent analysis, deconstruction of public policy | |
for ‘true’ chain emails, especially where the sender swears they’re true | |
shedding credible light on economic policy spinjobs | |
devoted to exposing corporate and public PR and BS | |
political (and non-political) satire | |
‘promoting reform in sentencing law and practice, and alternatives to incarceration. Almost anyone can find something here of interest. | |
the ‘unauthorized site’–definitely funnier, perhaps more accurate … | |
studies issues of privatizing public resources | |
write letters to your representatives–they may not read them, but they can count | |
