Alternative Media: Idealism and Pragmatism

This volume edited by Naren Chitty and Sripan Rattikalchalakornconsists of two parts, the first focusing on alternative media more generally and the second focusing on alternative radio. The first part begins with an examination by John A. Lent of comic art as an alternative medium, drawing on examples from five continents. Lent distinguishes between mainstream and alternative comics, discussing cartoon publications that have been called variously ‘[u]nderground, dissident, radical, activist, small press, independent, street press, new wave, mini and alternative’. Following this are discussions by Michela Ledwidge of audience modification of films and Sripan Rattikalchalakorn of weblogs. John F. Bourke’s discussion of Australian courts as an alternative medium takes the notion into a forum that is not normally a premise of media and communication. He discusses alternative texts representing events being presented and discussed in a public forum attended by groups of court observers whom he describes as alternative medium users.

The second part, on alternative radio, is led by a discussion of broadcasting audience research in Australia by Michael Meadows, Susan Forde, Jacqui Ewart and Kerrie Foxwell. This is followed by a case study of a particular university public radio station, CU Radio in Thailand, by Joompol Rodcumdee and Suwanna Sombatraksasook. Sripan Rattikalchalakorn and Naren Chitty report on field research conducted under a Macquarie University Research Development Grant on CU Radio, security and crisis management. Weerapong Polnigongit and Passawan Korakotchamas report on case studies of community radio in Thailand, the former focusing on transborder community radio on the Thai-Laos border and the latter on community radio as an alternative education provider.

Southbound Publications, Penang, Malaysia (2007).