AlterNet

Left-leaning news website

AlterNet

Type of site

| Progressive news website
Owner| Alternet Media, Inc.
John K. Byrne
Michael Rogers
Created by| Independent Media Institute
Editor| Roxanne Cooper
URL| www.alternet.org
Commercial| No
Registration| Optional
Launched| November 1987; 37 years ago (1987-11)[1]
Current status| Active

AlterNet is a left-leaning news website based in the United States.[2][3] It was launched by the Independent Media Institute.[4] In 2018, the website was acquired by owners of Raw Story.

## Coverage

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Coverage is divided into several special sections related to progressive news and culture, including News & Politics, World, Economy, Civil Liberties, Immigration, Reproductive Justice, Economy, Environment, Animal Rights, Food, Water, Books, Media and Culture, Belief, Drugs, Personal Health, Sex and Relationships, Vision, and Investigations.[5]

AlterNet publishes original content and also makes use of "alternative media", sourcing columns from Salon, Common Dreams, Consortiumnews, Truthdig, Truthout, TomDispatch, The Washington Spectator, Center for Public Integrity, Democracy Now!, Asia Times, New America Media and Mother Jones.

## Finances

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Until April 2018, AlterNet was financed through individual donations, by grants from major donors, and ad revenue.[6] In 2014, the top financial backers of the Independent Media Institute were Cloud Mountain Foundation, Craigslist Charitable Fund, Drug Policy Alliance, Madison Community Foundation, Nathan Cummings Foundation, New World Foundation, Panta Rhea Foundation, Park Foundation and Roseben Fund.[7]

## History

[edit]

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### Independent Media Institute

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AlterNet was founded in the fall of 1987 by the Institute for Alternative Journalism (IAJ),[8][1] which was incorporated in December 1983 with a mission to serve as a clearinghouse for important local stories generated by the members of the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies (AAN).

The founding editor of AlterNet was Alan Green, who with his deputy, Margaret Engle, created print and electronic mechanisms to syndicate both the works of AAN papers and freelance contributors, among them Michael Moore and Abbie Hoffman. Engle took over for Green in 1989 and ran the news service until 1993, in that time dramatically expanding AlterNet's base of contributors and client newspapers. Upon her resignation, Engle was succeeded by Don Hazen, who had been hired by IAJ in 1991 to be its first executive director. AlterNet publishes a combination of policy critiques, investigative reports and analysis, grassroots success stories, and personal narratives. Christine Triano was associate director of the Institute for Alternative Journalism, in 1996.[9][10]

Media Heroes are annual awards by the Institute for Alternative Journalism.[5] Frederick Clarkson was named among the "Media Heroes of 1992"[11] James Danky was named a Media Hero in 1993.[12] In 1995, Media Heroes awards went to Public Media Center, Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, Institute for Global Communications, Janine Jackson, Laura Flanders,[13] CounterSpin, Gary Delgado, David Barsamian,[14] Alternative Radio, Haiti Truth Team, Salim Muwakkil, John Schwartz, and Artists for a Hate Free America were presented in MediaCulture Review, January/February 1995[15]

In 1996, Leslie Savan was named one of "The Top Ten Media Heroes".[16] Patricia Scott, and Julie Drizin were named to the "Top Ten Media Heroes of 1996"[17] Paul Klite, Executive Director of Rocky Mountain Media Watch, received a Media Hero Award from the Institute for Alternative Journalism in 1996.[18] Amy Goodman, Bob Herbert, Detroit Sunday Journal, Gary Webb, Herbert Schiller, James Ridgeway, Karl Grossman, Mumia Abu-Jamal, Norman Solomon, and Urvashi Vaid received the 1997 Media Hero Award.[19] In 1997, Media Heroes awards were presented at the second Media & Democracy Congress.[5] The Institute for Alternative Journalism named Barsamian one of its Top Ten Media Heroes.

The IAJ became the Independent Media Institute some time before December 1999.[20] After the sale of AlterNet to the new company, AlterNet Media in April 2018, the Independent Media Institute[21][22] (IMI) launched a series of new programs[23] including the Make It Right Project.

### Acquisition

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On April 9, 2018, it was announced that AlterNet was acquired by owners of Raw Story, an online news organization, under the newly created company AlterNet Media. In an online statement, Raw Story founder John K. Byrne stated, "AlterNet will continue to carry content from the Independent Media Institute, its prior owner. Thus, much of the content you expect will remain the same. You will see articles by former AlterNet writers appearing with the Independent Media Institute byline." AlterNet Media later acquired the New Civil Rights Movement.[24][25][26]

## Staff

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### Don Hazen

[edit]

Don Hazen[27][28][29] was hired by San Francisco's[30] Institute for Alternative Journalism in 1991 as its first executive director. The AlterNet editorial staff was headed by executive editor Hazen,[31][32][33] a former publisher of Mother Jones, until December 2017 when he was placed on indefinite leave by the Independent Media Institute's Board of Directors due to sexual harassment allegations.[34][6][35] Following the allegations, Hazen resigned on 22 December 2017.[36] An episode of the public radio program This American Life, "Five Women",[37] recounts alleged sexual harassment in the workplace by Hazen.[38][39][40]

## Awards and recognition

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* Webby Awards
* Nominated: 2002, 2004
* Winner: 2003, 2005
* Official Honoree (Politics section), 2008[41]
* Utne Independent Press Awards
* Nominated: 2004, 2005
* Winner: 2002, 2003 (Reader's Choice)
* One of NPR's five "best on the internet", 2001[42]

## Books

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* Hazen, Don; Winokur, Julie, eds. (1997). We the Media: A Citizens' Guide to Fighting for Media Democracy. New York: The New Press. ISBN 978-1-56584-380-6. OCLC 807833771.
* Hazen, Don, ed. (2001). After 9/11: Solutions for a Saner World. San Francisco, Calif: AlterNet.org. ISBN 0-9633687-1-0. OCLC 894785867.
* Scheer, Christopher; Lakshmi Chaudhry and Robert Scheer (2003). The Five Biggest Lies Bush Told Us About Iraq. New York: Seven Stories and Akashic Books. ISBN 1-58322-644-3. OCLC 56044650.
* Hazen, Don; and Lakshmi Chaudhry (2005). Start Making Sense: Turning the Lessons of Election 2004 into Winning Progressive Politics. White River Junction, Vt.: Chelsea Green Pub. Co. ISBN 978-1-931498-84-5. OCLC 835761618.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "About AlterNet". AlterNet. Archived from the original on February 22, 1997. "Launched in November 1987 by the Institute for Alternative Journalism (IAJ)..."
2. ^ Hernandez, Salvador; Lewis, Cora (December 27, 2017). "Progressive Media Executive Don Hazen Resigns After Five Women Accused Him of Sexual Harassment". BuzzFeed News. Archived from the original on January 5, 2019. Retrieved December 29, 2018.
3. ^ Sheffield, Matthew (October 18, 2017). "Fake news" or free speech: Is Google cracking down on left media?". Salon. Archived from the original on October 24, 2017. Retrieved December 29, 2018.
4. ^ "AlterNet.org". Library of Congress. Archived from the original on December 13, 2020. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
5. ^ a b c "(1/3/98) 1997 Media Heroes". albionmonitor.com. Archived from the original on June 20, 2018. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
6. ^ a b Melissa A. Wall, "Social Movements and the net: Activist Journalism Goes Digital", in Kevin Kawamoto (ed, 2003), Digital Journalism: Emerging media and the Changing Horizons of Journalism, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
7. ^ AlterNet.org, "AlterNet Supporting Foundations"
8. ^ "Institute for Alternative Journalism [WorldCat Identities]". Archived from the original on June 21, 2018. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
9. ^ Adelson, Andrea (September 16, 1996). "In Los Angeles, War of Weeklies Erupts". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 20, 2018. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
10. ^ "The Independent Media Institute - Alternet". May 31, 2017. Archived from the original on May 31, 2017. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
11. ^ "| Interview with the Blogger, Part 1". Archived from the original on September 1, 2018. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
12. ^ "James Danky :: UW–Madison Experts". experts.news.wisc.edu. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
13. ^ "The 4th Media » The Violence of the Broken Economy". September 20, 2015. Archived from the original on September 20, 2015. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
14. ^ "David Barsamian to speak in Taos". taosnews.com. October 8, 2017. Archived from the original on August 6, 2018. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
15. ^ "Ten Media Heroes". January 17, 1999. Archived from the original on January 17, 1999. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
16. ^ "Leslie Savan - Penguin Random House". www.penguinrandomhouse.com. Archived from the original on September 26, 2018. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
17. ^ "The Pacifica Foundation". www.pacifica.org. Archived from the original on June 30, 2018. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
18. ^ "Paul Klite Obituary". bigmedia.org. Archived from the original on October 31, 2020. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
19. ^ "1997 Media Heroes". albionmonitor.com. January 3, 1998. Archived from the original on June 20, 2018. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
20. ^ "A Report From the IMI Board Meeting • Association of Alternative Newsmedia". Association of Alternative Newsmedia. December 9, 1999. Archived from the original on October 11, 2018. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
21. ^ "Internet Review: AlterNet". www.bowdoin.edu. Archived from the original on October 27, 2020. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
22. ^ "College and Research Libraries News Internet Reviews Archive". www.bowdoin.edu. Archived from the original on June 20, 2018. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
23. ^ "Projects & Programs - Independent Media Institute". Independent Media Institute. Archived from the original on October 11, 2018. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
24. ^ Byrne, John (April 9, 2018). "It's a new day for AlterNet". AlterNet. Archived from the original on April 10, 2018. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
25. ^ O'Reilly, Lara (April 10, 2018). "CMO Today: Zuckerberg's Congress Hearing; P&G to Build Cross-Holding Company Creative Agency; Movie Theaters Go Upmarket". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on April 10, 2018. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
26. ^ About Archived November 24, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, New Civil Rights Movement. Accessed June 3, 2024.
27. ^ "Don Hazen - The New Press". thenewpress.com. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
28. ^ "L.A. confidential". Detroit Metro Times. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
29. ^ "Don Hazen - C-SPAN.org". www.c-span.org. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
30. ^ Silverman, Jason. "Confab Seeks Cure for Journalism's 'Crisis'". Wired. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
31. ^ "MIT CIS: Spotlight Archive". web.mit.edu. Archived from the original on August 20, 2016. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
32. ^ "OJR article: The Wired Left Awakens". April 22, 2005. Archived from the original on April 22, 2005. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
33. ^ "Independent Media Institute - GuideStar Profile". guidestar.org. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
34. ^ North, Anna (December 22, 2017). "Sexual misconduct allegations against former Alternet executive editor Don Hazen". vox.com. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
35. ^ "Five Women Are Accusing A Top Left-Leaning Media Executive of Sexually Harassing Them". buzzfeed.com. December 21, 2017. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
36. ^ "Don Hazen resigns as publisher of progressive news site AlterNet". rawstory.com. December 22, 2017.
37. ^ "Episode 640 'Five Women'". This American Life. February 23, 2018. Archived from the original on June 9, 2018. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
38. ^ Herreria, Carla (December 22, 2017). "Several Women Accuse Progressive Media Executive Don Hazen of Sexual Harassment". HuffPost. Archived from the original on May 31, 2018. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
39. ^ "Conflict in Context". www.mediate.com. March 23, 2018. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
40. ^ "A Message from AlterNet's Board of Directors". December 22, 2017. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved September 26, 2018 - via AlterNet.
41. ^ Webby Awards, 12th Annual Webby Awards Official Honoree Selections Archived 11 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine
42. ^ "Media Online: A Few Firms Thrive While Many Fail". NPR. July 3, 2001. Archived from the original on August 4, 2019. Retrieved April 5, 2018.

## External links

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* Media related to AlterNet at Wikimedia Commons
* Official website
* Institute for Alternative Journalism \- Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania