AlterNet

Coverage

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.

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

Until April 2018, AlterNet was financed through individual donations, by grants from major donors, and ad revenue.

History

Independent Media Institute

AlterNet was founded in the fall of 1987 by the Institute for Alternative Journalism (IAJ), 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.

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

In 1996, Leslie Savan was named one of "The Top Ten Media Heroes". Patricia Scott, and Julie Drizin were named to the "Top Ten Media Heroes of 1996" Paul Klite, Executive Director of Rocky Mountain Media Watch, received a Media Hero Award from the Institute for Alternative Journalism in 1996. 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. In 1997, Media Heroes awards were presented at the second Media & Democracy Congress. 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. After the sale of AlterNet to the new company, AlterNet Media in April 2018, the Independent Media Institute (IMI) launched a series of new programs including the Make It Right Project.

Acquisition

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.

Staff

Don Hazen

Don Hazen was hired by San Francisco's Institute for Alternative Journalism in 1991 as its first executive director. The AlterNet editorial staff was headed by executive editor Hazen, 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. Following the allegations, Hazen resigned on 22 December 2017. An episode of the public radio program This American Life, "Five Women", recounts alleged sexual harassment in the workplace by Hazen.

Awards and recognition

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

Books

References

References

1. "About AlterNet".
2. (27 December 2017). "Progressive Media Executive Don Hazen Resigns After Five Women Accused Him of Sexual Harassment". BuzzFeed News.
3. (18 October 2017). "Fake news" or free speech: Is Google cracking down on left media?". Salon.
4. "AlterNet.org".
5. "(1/3/98) 1997 Media Heroes".
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.AlterNet.org, ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20170110102625/https://blogs.alternet.org/alternets-supporting-foundations/ "AlterNet Supporting Foundations"]''
7. "Institute for Alternative Journalism [WorldCat Identities]".
8. Adelson, Andrea. (16 September 1996). "In Los Angeles, War of Weeklies Erupts".
9. (31 May 2017). "The Independent Media Institute - Alternet".
10. "| Interview with the Blogger, Part 1".
11. "James Danky :: UW–Madison Experts".
12. (20 September 2015). "The 4th Media » The Violence of the Broken Economy".
13. (8 October 2017). "David Barsamian to speak in Taos".
14. (17 January 1999). "Ten Media Heroes".
15. "Leslie Savan - Penguin Random House".
16. "The Pacifica Foundation".
17. "Paul Klite Obituary".
18. (January 3, 1998). "1997 Media Heroes".
19. (9 December 1999). "A Report From the IMI Board Meeting • Association of Alternative Newsmedia". Association of Alternative Newsmedia.
20. "Internet Review: AlterNet".
21. "College and Research Libraries News Internet Reviews Archive".
22. "Projects & Programs - Independent Media Institute". Independent Media Institute.
23. Byrne, John. (9 April 2018). "It's a new day for AlterNet".
24. 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]].
25. [https://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/about/ About] {{Webarchive. link. (November 24, 2022 , New Civil Rights Movement. Accessed June 3, 2024.)
26. "Don Hazen - The New Press".
27. "L.A. confidential".
28. "Don Hazen - C-SPAN.org".
29. "Confab Seeks Cure for Journalism's 'Crisis'".
30. "MIT CIS: Spotlight Archive".
31. (22 April 2005). "OJR article: The Wired Left Awakens".
32. "Independent Media Institute - GuideStar Profile".
33. North, Anna. (22 December 2017). "Sexual misconduct allegations against former Alternet executive editor Don Hazen".
34. Melissa A. Wall, "Social Movements and the net: Activist Journalism Goes Digital", in Kevin Kawamoto (ed, 2003), ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=dG9vHwHyDFUC&dq=alternet&pg=PA113 Digital Journalism: Emerging media and the Changing Horizons of Journalism]'', Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
35. (21 December 2017). "Five Women Are Accusing A Top Left-Leaning Media Executive of Sexually Harassing Them".
36. (22 December 2017). "Don Hazen resigns as publisher of progressive news site AlterNet".
37. (23 February 2018). "Episode 640 'Five Women'".
38. Herreria, Carla. (22 December 2017). "Several Women Accuse Progressive Media Executive Don Hazen of Sexual Harassment". HuffPost.
39. (23 March 2018). "Conflict in Context". www.mediate.com.
40. (22 December 2017). "A Message from AlterNet's Board of Directors".
41. link. (11 June 2008)
42. (3 July 2001). "Media Online: A Few Firms Thrive While Many Fail". NPR.