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| indy:independent_media [2025/12/05 10:15] – created - external edit 127.0.0.1 | indy:independent_media [2025/12/17 04:30] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1 |
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| There’s always been plenty of choice when it comes to independent media. | _There’s always been plenty of choice when it comes to independent media._ |
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| </figure> | </figure> |
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| The mainstream media is obsessed with the vacuous lives of celebrities, distracting the public from what’s really happening in the world. | _The mainstream media is obsessed with the vacuous lives of celebrities, distracting the public from what’s really happening in the world._ |
| </caption> | </caption> |
| </figure> | </figure> |
| ### Democracy | ### Democracy |
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| This has huge implications for [democracy](/thde/the_democracy_problem). It’s not possible to have real democracy when most people get their information only from the powerful, in the interests of the powerful. This creates mainstream consent, so that those who dissent are then seen as ‘outsiders’. We have to have independent media that will question the powerful, or we can’t have a functioning democracy. | This has huge implications for [democracy](/demo/democracy). It’s not possible to have real democracy when most people get their information only from the powerful, in the interests of the powerful. This creates mainstream consent, so that those who dissent are then seen as ‘outsiders’. We have to have independent media that will question the powerful, or we can’t have a functioning democracy. |
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| Peter Oborne, who was political editor and right-wing pundit at the Telegraph during the [Libor scandal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libor_scandal), [resigned](https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/opendemocracyuk/why-i-have-resigned-from-telegraph/) after being prevented by the Telegraph’s owners, the Barclay Brothers, from publishing anything about the role of HSBC, who were providing around half the Telegraph’s advertising income. Usually, journalists don’t have to be told who they can’t investigate – they know what to do if they want to keep their job (as Noam Chomsky had to explain to a young Andrew Marr – see video below). | Peter Oborne, who was political editor and right-wing pundit at the Telegraph during the [Libor scandal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libor_scandal), [resigned](https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/opendemocracyuk/why-i-have-resigned-from-telegraph/) after being prevented by the Telegraph’s owners, the Barclay Brothers, from publishing anything about the role of HSBC, who were providing around half the Telegraph’s advertising income. Usually, journalists don’t have to be told who they can’t investigate – they know what to do if they want to keep their job (as Noam Chomsky had to explain to a young Andrew Marr – see video below). |
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| First issue of [New Internationalist](https://newint.org), March 1973. Still going strong and still a co-op. | _First issue of [New Internationalist](https://newint.org), March 1973. Still going strong and still a co-op._ |
| </caption> | </caption> |
| </figure> | </figure> |
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| [Open Democracy](https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/) – independent online news. | _[Open Democracy](https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/) – independent online news._ |
| </caption> | </caption> |
| </figure> | </figure> |
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| If billionaires can influence the result of elections, how will that affect government policy? | _If billionaires can influence the result of elections, how will that affect government policy?_ |
| </caption> | </caption> |
| </figure> | </figure> |
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| There are local independent news providers all over the UK, and the world, like Manchester's [Meteor](https://www.themeteor.org/). | _There are local independent news providers all over the UK, and the world, like Manchester's [Meteor](https://www.themeteor.org/)._ |
| </caption> | </caption> |
| </figure> | </figure> |
| ## Further resources | ## Further resources |
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| | - [Bureau of Investigative Journalism](https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/) - independent journalism made available to mainstream outlets to maximise audience |
| | - [Independent Community News Network](https://www.communityjournalism.co.uk/) |
| | - [Independent Media Association](https://www.uk.coop/directory/independent-media-association) |
| | - [Open Democracy](https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/) - UK-based independent global media organisation |
| | - [Real Media](https://realmedia.press/) - challenging the ownership models of media |
| | - [United Diversity](https://office.uniteddiversity.coop/s/H5AiHz4PnG8frkg?dir=/&editing=false&openfile=true) - listing of UK media co-ops |
| | - [Wikileaks](https://wikileaks.org/) - analysis and publication of large datasets of censored or otherwise restricted official materials involving war, spying and corruption. |
| | - [Centre for Investigative Journalism](https://tcij.org/) - training, events, handbooks, incubation of independent investigative projects |
| | - [Community Media Association](https://www.communitymedia.uk/) - UK representative body for the community broadcasting sector, committed to promoting access to the media for people and communities |
| | - [Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR)](https://fair.org/) - US-based, challenging corporate media bias |
| | - [Hacked Off](https://www.hackedoff.org/) - campaigning for a free & accountable press |
| | - [Journo Resources](https://www.journoresources.org.uk/) - helping diversify the media industry |
| | - [Media Diversified](https://mediadiversified.org/) - working to diversify and enrich the UK's media landscape |
| | - [Media Lens](https://www.medialens.org/) - describing how mainstream newspapers and broadcasters operate as a propaganda system for elite interests |
| | - [Media Reform Coalition](https://www.mediareform.org.uk/) |
| | - [SpinWatch](https://spinwatch.org/) - investigating the way the PR industry and corporate and government propaganda distort public debate and undermine democracy |
| | - [Media Bias / Fact Check](https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/) - independent online media outlet dedicated to educating the public on media bias and deceptive news practices |
| | - [Shareable](https://www.shareable.net/how-to-find-and-support-trustworthy-journalism/) - how to find and support trustworthy journalism |
| | - [TruthOut](https://truthout.org/articles/what-does-independent-media-mean-birthday-contemplations-from-the-truthout-staff/) - what does independent journalism mean? |
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| ## Specialist(s) | |
| | ## Specialist curators of this topic |
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