InterActions: UCLA Journal of Education and Information Studies

A media literate citizenry is at the core of vibrant democracy in civil society. However, local issues are frequently neglected in mass media, de-legitimizing the existence of real democracy. Alternative media mediate this discrepancy in providing access to communication venues through outreach and teach strategies. Many segments of civil society are searching for opportunities to voice their opinions through alternative media. Studies of citizen-produced media indicate that there are links between media use and learning, and that these links are embedded in socially interactive projects. This paper examines two examples of alternative media that use outreach and teach approaches in the United States: Free Speech TV and Indymedia. Our discussion explores the praxis of these media, their contribution to the teaching and learning of civil society and healthy democracy, and the cultural-political intersections of alternative media in formal and informal education.