Wie Sisyphus? – Die Bedeutung der alternativen Medien

Veröffentlicht am 10. September 2023 von TG. „Become more popular!“ This is what the publicist Rüdiger Rauls demands of alternative media in a text that has been published by some of these media in recent days. He is right where he argues that topics and content should be more related to the real situation and the interests of the „common people“. Only in this way can independent media attract more audience, Rauls is sure. He deserves contradiction when he believes that being popular, i.e., populist, alone leads to more attention and support. Because the obvious and widespread lack of interest in enlightenment about the causes and connections of the situation has various causes. The independent media have little influence on most of them because these causes come into play before people turn to media-mediated information. In the crosshairs of power Rauls believes that the number of so-called alternative media continues to grow. However, with the end of the obvious „corona crisis,“ the demise of some projects that arose in the wake of the panic-demic can be observed. The interest of the audience in alternative information also seems to be waning. The author is right when he states that the „spread and influence of independent media in society is low.“ There are cases where individual projects have had and still have a broad impact – this can be seen, among other things, from the counter-pressure they experience from the established media and also from politics. Examples of this are the NachDenkSeiten or Boris Reitschuster’s online magazine. They are targeted and fought with various means because, from the perspective of the ruling class and their political and media lackeys, they have too much resonance. And because they have become a serious competition for public broadcasting and corporate media. It is true that many people have little interest in political and social issues, let alone critical contributions, as Rauls points out. He is also right when he explains this with the increasing feeling of helplessness in the face of capitalist reality and a politics that serves the interests of a few rather than the entire society. Too much distance He is also right in saying that this could actually be a „driving force for alternative media“. However, he must – at least partially – be contradicted. For example, when he writes that it is almost solely due to the content distance of independent media from the realities of the „common people“ that no alternative media has become a true mass medium yet. Of course, this also has something to do with the „own bubble“ in which those who are also looking for media alternatives move. Too often, being different is even associated with ignoring journalistic standards compared to established media. This includes what Rauls criticizes, among other things: „The language is often too intellectual, the topics sometimes too psychological or even esoteric. Feelings are of great importance to many. That is far removed from the world of ordinary people. These are not the topics that concern them.“ The causes of this include the social background of many who, in the face of social realities, are looking for alternatives

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Wie Sisyphus? – Die Rolle der alternativen Medien

Veröffentlicht am 10. September 2023 von TG. «Volkstümlicher werden!» Dazu fordert der Publizist Rüdiger Rauls die alternativen Medien in einem Text auf, der in den letzten Tagen von einigen dieser Medien veröffentlicht wurde. Ihm ist dort zuzustimmen, wo er meint, dass Themen und Inhalte mehr mit der realen Lage und den Interessen der «einfachen Leute» zu tun haben müssten. Nur so können die unabhängigen Medien mehr Publikum finden, ist sich Rauls sicher. Widerspruch hat er verdient, wenn er meint, das Volkstümliche, also das Populistische allein verhelfe zu mehr Aufmerksamkeit und Zuspruch. Denn das offensichtliche und weitverbreitete Desinteresse an Aufklärung über die Ursachen und Zusammenhänge der Lage hat vielfältige Ursachen. Auf die meisten davon haben die unabhängigen Medien wenig Einfluss, weil diese Ursachen

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