According to Forde (2011), alternative media encompasses various forms of media: community, grassroots, radical, citizens and independent. Alternative journalism engages their audience in the public debate which in turn creates a more active public instead of basic consumers of what ever being fed to them.
Alternative journalism can be practiced at any media venue (radio-Tv-commercial-non-commercial). However what makes it differ from the mainstream journalism is its refusal to operate on a major media ownership group. This is why its coverage of news tends to be different and genuine as it is not subjected to ownership power and domination. The alternative media journalism is unfiltered since also its journalists must not have any political affiliations or relationships.
Alternative journalism may range from a daily program or publication reaching a significant audience to an individually-produced blog or fanzine read by less than ten people Those working for the alternative media outlet could be amateurs or professionally trained journalists.
References: Forde, S. (2011). Chapter 1: Understanding alternative and ‘independent’ journalism [read excerpts]. In Challenging the News: The Journalism of Alternative and Community Media. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Retrieved from: https://www.macmillanihe.com/resources/sample-chapters/9780230243569_sample.pdf
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