When discussing media, it is important to distinguish the differences between mass/mainstream media, and independent media. Mass media can be defined as any form of media that has the ability to deliver its messages to millions of people worldwide. An important factor to consider when discussing mass media is the possibility of it having profit-driven motives as they tend to be funded or owned by corporations. Independent media is fundamentally different. It is participatory, unconventional and potentially even dangerous – particularly in places where it is illegal to express dissent. It is important to note that independent media has a propensity to be influenced more by personal opinion, rather than hard fact.

Independent media recognizes the power of mainstream media... (more)

When discussing media, it is important to distinguish the differences between mass/mainstream media, and independent media. Mass media can be defined as any form of media that has the ability to deliver its messages to millions of people worldwide. An important factor to consider when discussing mass media is the possibility of it having profit-driven motives as they tend to be funded or owned by corporations. Independent media is fundamentally different. It is participatory, unconventional and potentially even dangerous – particularly in places where it is illegal to express dissent. It is important to note that independent media has a propensity to be influenced more by personal opinion, rather than hard fact.

Independent media recognizes the power of mainstream media and its limitations. Independent journalists report stories that don’t get covered in the mainstream media and question the power structures that create news and information. They write articles that deal with human rights and social justice issues, globalization, economics, and environmental sustainability, and build their own networks through grassroots organizing. Sometimes, independent journalists get in trouble with local authorities and governing bodies for challenging the status quo or publishing revealing articles.

The largest organized independent media network is Independent Media Center (Indymedia), made up of hundreds of organizations and journalists with a strong online presence. Indymedia is “a democratic media outlet for the creation of radical, accurate, and passionate tellings of truth.”

Another form of independent media is do-it-yourself media. New and experimental writers can write and distribute zines (hand made magazines), or write their own blogs. The surge of blog popularity has opened a new realm of reporting. According to the Reporters Without Borders’ Handbook for bloggers and cyber-dissidents, “Bloggers are often the only real journalists in countries where the mainstream media is censored or under pressure. Only they provide independent news, at the risk of displeasing the government and sometimes courting arrest.”

Media literacy is a vital skill for students of all ages who seek out reliable information sources. Deciphering the credibility of information on the Internet and in print is an integral skill for consumers and producers of both mass media and independent media. To be media literate requires effort, consideration and critical thinking.

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