The triumphant rise of variant types of media set apart from the traditional mainstream media corporations has often arguably been uncontemplated, and unprecedented. These variant forms of media separate from the mainstream, are in their conception mostly regarded as informal and passing phases, but their success and resilience in challenging the dogma of the mainstream media may well shake the very cores of journalism. Notably, scholarly studies of such variant media forms like alternative media, aboriginal media and ethnic media, indicate the existence of identifiable underlying similarities like their emergence to challenge mainstream hegemonies, advocacy for social justice, influence by multiculturalism policies and their identical leading accelerated adaptation to new technologies. Inherent differences like the difference in the audience they address and their modes of communication are additionally revealed.
The emergence to counter hegemonies propagated by the mainstream media is arguably one of the most notable similarities of alternative media, aboriginal media, and ethnic media upon their comparison. Notably, the mainstream media, in most countries and nation-states, often tends to reflect the views and interests of the dominant group, at the expense of the minorities. Additionally, those with contrary opinions are not afforded the space to express their sentiments. As such, this necessitates the rise of the preceding media forms as a resistance to the dominance, and to provide a platform for the expression of their sidelined needs and interests.
One of the hegemony warranting resistance is the conceptualization of national identity, which, as propagated by the mainstream media, consists of social inclusions and exclusions heavily informed by the values and beliefs of the dominant Caucasian Protestants. For instance, the definition is hesitant on the acknowledgment of gays and lesbians, and the legalization of gay marriage. As such, this exclusionary hegemony reinforced by the national media leads to the rise of the variant forms of media like alternative media to provide a platform for the expression of their interests. The emergence of aboriginal media to protect the cultural identities and practices of ethnic minorities from the colonial nuances also depicts such resistance. Notably, the preceding resistance in the discursive discourse, as per the Frankfurt school of thought, is essential as it leads to the development of new and better ideas for humanity.
The advocacy for social justice constitutes another factor that the three media forms have in common. Arguably, the dominant corporate media, in its articulation of the prevailing societal views, tends to systematically distort, marginalize, or underrepresent some interests, groups, or individuals, hence impeding progressive reform. This warrants the advocacy for social justice, which consists of activist quests for equal representation, treatment, consideration of their interests, among other societal ideals.
Notably, the alternative, aboriginal and ethnic media constitute explicit challenges to the actual concentrations of power. As such, through the quest for social justice, these media participate in the negotiation for identities for the repressed minorities with the dominant group, in the struggle for the achievement of greater democratic ideals. This quest for social justice, for instance, in ethnic media, actually occurs in the increased participatory discursive discourses of issues affecting the country as a whole.
In the alternative media, an instance of the quest for social justice is the setting of the agenda about gay rights in online interactive platforms like Twitter and Facebook. In aboriginal media, the quest for social justice occurs through the use of the platforms for political expression, similar to ethnic media. The preceding, therefore, reinforce that indeed, the quest for social justice is inherent among the aforementioned media forms.
The heavy influence of multiculturalism forms another common denominator to aboriginal, alternative, and ethnic media. Notably, the peoples of Canada possess complex historical, social, and cultural dynamics in specific groups, which consequently shape various identities. As such, multiculturalism, instead of attempts at assimilation, involves the acknowledgement and accommodation of all these various identities in the Canadian state, which necessitated the formulation of multicultural policies.
The existence of the variant forms of media is heavily influenced by the various multicultural policies in Canada, particularly those in recognition of the importance of ethnic discourse. The policies are based on section 3 (d) (iii) of the Broadcasting Act of Canada 1991. The act requires that the Canadian broadcasting system should reflect the circumstances and aspirations of Canadians, including the multicultural and multiracial nature of Canadian society. To further this objective, for instance through ethnic media, there have been numerous licensing of ethnic television and radio broadcasters in providing ethnic programming.
Additionally, the licensing of aboriginal media also relies on the preceding multicultural policy of the broadcasting act. As such, the justification by the policy of the existence of various multicultural societies consequently translates to the existence of aboriginal media corporations and ethnic newspapers. The impact of multicultural policy on the alternative media is denoted through the clamours by the gay community for the recognition of their rights and legitimization of the gay marriages, as they claim that such denial amounts to the denial of their existence as a distinct cultural group that warrants inclusion into the multicultural society of Canada. As such, the preceding denotes the influence of multiculturalism on aboriginal, alternative, and ethnic media.
The accelerated adoption of new technologies is also another common factor among the aboriginal, alternative, and ethnic media forms. Notably, the accelerated adoption of new technologies, especially in the pre-internet era, is attributable to the requirement of technologies with a narrow focus on their target audience. The narrow focus is because, for instance, in ethnic media, of the limited population levels of the targeted minorities, hence narrow focus technologies are better and more economical than the mass communication technologies since the target audience consists of small and scattered communities.
The accelerated adoption of narrowed technologies probably explains why the Indian community in Southhall, England, numerous families obtained VCRS as early as 1978 before most households in Britain. In Mexico, videotape was the means of increasing television program exports to the Hispanic geo-cultural region. This is also similar to aboriginal media. For the alternative media, the widespread adoption of internet-connected gadgets is attributable to their attractive ability to obtaining and sharing information and personal views instantly. As such, the alternative media, especially for the young generation, perfectly suits their needs. Therefore, as per the preceding, the accelerated, leading adoption of new technologies, does indeed reflect across the three media forms.
The preceding establish the existence of the underlying similarities between aboriginal, alternative, and ethnic media. These include inter alia, the challenge of the dominant dogma, the accelerated adoption of new technologies, and the massive influence of multiculturalism. However, the three, upon contrast, reveal fundamental differences in their target audience, and the content shared and the means of production.
The means of production and operation is the most fundamental difference between the three media forms. Notably, alternative media is mostly decentralized because of the dynamics of the internet; hence there is no way in charge. As such, alternative media lacks consolidation of media corporations, which, even if they do become dominant and combine, still happens on a minute scale. Additionally, they are subject to less regulation as compared to the other two. On the other hand, the aboriginal media and ethnicity reflect the structure of the dominant media corporations. As such, they may be able to achieve a dominant status, especially with globalization and the continuous quests for avenues of expansion. Unfortunately, this provides for the acquisition and control of the aboriginal and ethnic media through mergers with dominant media corporations.
The other notable difference between aboriginal, alternative, and ethnic media is reflected in their target audiences and the content shared. Alternative media basically cuts across all spheres of society, with no specific guidelines as to the content projected. Unfortunately, the dominant media corporations exercise influence over alternative media through the setting of the agenda. Essentially, as per Bernard Cohen, even though the dominant media corporations do not dictate to people how to think, its successful in directing what to think about. For the aboriginal and ethnic media, their content depends on the particular needs and culture of their societies, which also reflect their target audience. This is no different from other dominant media corporations, with the only difference being the scales of production. As such, content and target audience form another difference between the foregoing three media forms.
As per the preceding, it is explicitly established upon comparison and contrast of aboriginal, alternative and ethnic media, reveal substantial similarities and differences. The similarities include the rise of the media due as a form of resistance by the minorities to the dominant ideology, platforms for the quest for social justice, effect by multicultural policies, and their leading adaptation of new technological innovations. The differences, on the other hand, constitute the differences in structural organization, target audience, and content shared. However, there exists a need for the reduction of influence by dominant corporations on alternative media through the setting of the agenda, as it undermines the whole concept, independence, and significance of alternative media