Alternative Media: The Power of Street Art

Alternative Media is any media that is not Mainstream or not attached to a corporation. Alternative Media is usually media that is published by citizen journalists who want to express their opinions or want to talk about something that the Mainstream Media will not talk about. It is typically controversial and meant to persuade other’s thinking. 

Banksy is a street artist. He is well known for creating murals that are controversial. The photo pictured above is one of his famous works. The little girl’s balloon is flying away, she is sad because it flew away. The message behind this is not everything is in reach. Not everything is happy. The balloon brought happiness to the girl, but it was immediately taken away. Things do not always last forever. 

Banksy’s art does not last long. It is often taken down within a few weeks. It leaves an impact on those who see it. Many people photograph his work to protect the message he is trying to convey. Many of his pieces stand up to controversial topics. 

I really enjoyed learning about Alternative Media because it incorporated a lot of art. I am an artist and have worked on controversial topics before. It opened my eyes to the possibilities of publishing my work as an alternative media piece. 

Another street art Alternative Media project that has caught my attention is the concept of the flower. The flower represents a happiness, but a happiness that does not last long. This artist visited my town and painted a large flower on one of the buildings. The town loved the flower, but only several months after it was painted another building was built beside it, covering the flower up. The town was sad the flower was covered up. However, the artist, Micheal De Feo, knew this new building was coming. He put the flower there on purpose to show that not everything lasts forever. 

Alternative Media is not just art it comes in many other forms as well. Alternative media can be from the press, music, a video, a poem, etc. Above is a picture of a poster that was created to express the uprising of

underground newspapers. The underground press publishes things that Mainstream Media may not publish. For example, in in January of 1998 The Drudge Report an underground newspaper published a story claiming President Bill Clinton had an affair with an intern. The story was factual, but it did not hit Mainstream Media until much later. Mainstream Media reporters even admitted to knowing the information months before, but they waited to publish the story.

Some people do not like Alternative Media and do not prefer to read blogs or non-corporate media. The biggest reason they prefer to only read Mainstream Media is because some Alternative Media may be false. Anyone can write anything, so some stories are based only on opinion rather than facts. Others are written in as if it is factual, but in reality, it is not.  Mainstream Media only covers a small amount of news, Alternative Media covers everything. It is important to read Alternative Media to be able to hear others’ opinions and views. 

Alternative Media today, is often used for activism. A lot of activists keep blogs or create art that spreads a message. Historians and writers believe that the future of Alternative Media will be based on controversial subjects. People will express their opinions in hope of persuading others to feel the same way. With the evolving Internet people can quickly post media in seconds. Most Alternative Media users post on a blog or have a website. 

Alternative Media is a way for citizens to voice their opinions. It is something that everyone should pay attention to. It is important to listen to opposing opinions. It is also important to read about other things that may not be in the Mainstream news.