Why Common Sense Alternative Media Is Unstoppable

By Jody Leach


A few years ago the media was owned by a number of large corporations who controlled what you knew and how much. This trend has drastically reversed with the advent of common sense alternative media. It is cheap to setup and run, while at the same time it is very influential. This is attributed to several factors.

Specialized- outlets operating as alternative media are highly specialized in their content and style of delivery. They focus on a particular area and therefore have an audience that is ready to watch or listen. This is contrary to conventional broadcast where a station would air all manner of content through a single channel. It has created a loyal viewership and allowed such stations or platforms to handle issues with greater depth.

Specialization has seen the emergence of channels offering exclusive reality shows, soap operas, drama series, games and music, among other thematic content. Such exclusivity offers a guarantee that your favorite content will be available whenever you need to watch it. This has come to replace the cocktail programming that is characteristic of mainstream broadcasting tradition.

Cost of production- traditional broadcast was expensive because of equipment, office space and cost of producing programs. This has been altered by the advent of technology which makes it possible to record using devices like mobile phones. They come with applications that can be used to edit sound, graphics and images and still produce excellent results.

Internet- starters are taking advantage of the internet to display their work. It offers platforms to blog and post videos or graphic images for review before launching a career. Some sites like youtube allow live streaming of the nature of a television station. The internet has a global reach without having to invest in satellite equipment.

Social media- the platform allows an individual to first interact with friends. This is important for genuine as well as positive criticism. Demos can be posted on such sites as instagram, facebook and twitter for comments. The author or creator then takes it up from there and improves before commercializing.

Domestication- audiences around the world are getting more interested in local content. This has created numerous opportunities for locals to generate exciting broadcast material. It is easily adopted by populations and is highly influencing decisions. This trend has seen the acceptance of different languages as a medium of broadcast. This has sidelined mainstream corporations and greatly reduced their share.

Instant reach- new media provides an opportunity to reach your audience within minutes. There are no schedules when you can access certain information and neither is there restriction on location. The channels have a global reach that is instantaneous. This makes them convenient and reliable sources of information compared to the traditionally scheduled broadcast.

Mainstream platform is quickly loosing its place as the source of information of choice. The audience is becoming more selective and finding alternative and cheaper ways to broadcast. These changes have given room for variety and allowed more people to share their ideas about life. The risk of being obsolete is real unless something drastic happens. This has created a world that is cheaper and freer.




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