Alternative media - alternative publics - alternative realities? Users and usage of anti-system alternative media and their significance in the media repertoire over time
Final Report Abstract
The project "Alternative Media – Alternative Publics – Alternative Realities" investigated the use of anti-system alternative media over three years (2021–2024), focusing on users' motives and expectations as well as the consequences of engaging with these media. Consequences were examined in three areas: first, the composition of media repertoires—how alternative media fit into the overall media use and how their centrality evolves over time; second, the impact on political positions and perceptions of social and political realities in Germany and beyond; and third, the consequences of using alternative media use for following communicative actions and positioning in political and social questions. While alternative media are increasingly suspected of promoting disinformation, conspiracy myths, and polarization, they can also serve as platforms for legitimate criticism or are at least perceived as such by their users. The empirical study was conducted through a three-wave qualitative panel study with 33 participants, aiming to analyze the long-term development of alternative media use and to understand how their role within users' media repertoires evolves. The study examined whether alternative media consumption leads to a departure from traditional publics and a turn toward alternative (media) realities. A major democratic concern is the potential loss of a shared basis and common public grounds for interpreting reality, replaced by ideologically charged alternative realities. The project investigated the conditions under which alternative media use can contribute to distancing from democratic discourse and fostering radicalization. The findings indicate that key events—such as the Covid-19 pandemic, geopolitical challenges like the war in Ukraine, and the escalating war between Israel and the terrorist organization Hamas—encouraged the turn to alternative media but did not remain consistently relevant over time. A central finding of the project is that, beyond a sense of community and affective engagement, three core self-narratives play a key role in the use of alternative media: the victim narrative, the chosen-one narrative, and the assurance of normality. Over time, alternative media became more central within users' media repertoires, while traditional journalistic sources, if still part of the repertoire, were approached with an antagonistic attitude. Longitudinal analysis revealed that system-critical positions can be reinforced through the use of alternative media. The findings contribute to understanding the role of alternative media in a heterogeneous public sphere facing challenges such as disinformation and polarization.
Publications
-
Conceptual amiguities, historical peculiarities, theoretical complexities. A bottom-up approach to rethink Alternative Media & Counter Public Spheres. Vortrag im Rahmen der ECREA Communication History Section Preconference. Oktober, via Zoom
Schöppl, K.
-
The theft of counter-publics? Rethinking conceptual and methodological challenges for affective publics of resistance after the Corona-Pandemic. Vortrag im Rahmen der Jahrestagung der European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA). Oktober, Aarhus, Dänemark
Schöppl, K. & Schwarzenegger, C.
-
Ambivalences of News Avoidance: Alternative media use between dissatisfaction, a search for happiness and radicalization. Votrag im Rahmen der International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) Konferenz. Juli, Lyon, Frankreich
Schwarzenegger, C. & Schöppl, K.
-
Avoid, resist, turn elsewhere: Alternative media use as a form of news avoidance and media resistance. Vortrag im Rahmen der International Communication Association (ICA) Preconference „News avoidance, resistance, and related audience practices: definitions, predictors, and consequences“. Mai, Toronto, Kanada
Schöppl, K. & Schwarzenegger, C.
-
Misstrauen in – Misstrauen durch – Misstrauen dazwischen. Medien-Misstrauen und die Nutzung von alternativen Medien. Vortrag im Rahmen der DGPuK Jahrestagung der Fachgruppe Soziologie der Medienkommunikation. November, Mannheim, Deutschland
Schöppl, K. & Schwarzenegger, C.
-
“Alternative authenticity?“ How users of alternative media negotiate authenticity. Vortrag im Rahmen der International Communication Association (ICA) Preconference „Mis/disinformation and the Artifices of Authenticity and Authentication“. Mai. Toronto, Kanada
Schöppl, K. & Schwarzenegger, C.
-
„Lass‘ uns die Geschichte neu schreiben“ – Geschichte und Vergangenheit in der visuellen Kommunikation von alternativen Medien. Vortrag im Rahmen der DGPuK Jahrestagung Kommunikationsgeschichte. März, Leipzig, Deutschland
Schöppl, K.
-
„Wissen Sie, ich hab‘ Angst, mich gerade zu radikalisieren…“ – Rekrutierung, Erhalt & Adaption als Herausforderungen in einer qualitativen Langzeitstudie zu Nutzer:innen alternativer Medien. Vortrag im Rahmen der 4. Tagung des Netzwerks Qualitative Methoden. April, Augsburg, Deutschland
Schöppl, K., Angrick, V., Pfau, T. & Schwarzenegger, C.
-
100+ Alternative Ways to be a Victim. Perceptions of Victimhood among Alternative News Media Users. Vortrag im Rahmen der ECREA-Preconference “We are all victims now” – Emotions and affects of victimhood identities in media and mediatised politics and culture. September, Ljubljana, Slowenien
Schöppl, K. & Schwarzenegger, C.
-
Alternative media and the fluid dynamics of trust and distrust: implications for social cohesion and democracy. Vortrag im Rahmen der Jahrestagung der European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA). September, Ljubljana, Slowenien
Schwarzenegger, C. & Schöppl, K.
-
Kein Vertrauen ist auch keine Lösung . Vielschichtigkeit und Inkonsistenzen in der Nutzung (Alternativer) Nachrichtenmedien. Eingeladener Vortrag an der Universität Mainz im Rahmen der Vortragsreihe Trust Talks
Schwarzenegger, C.
-
Trust Isn't Lost, It's Just Somewhere Else: Understanding Distrust in Traditional Media and Exploring Alternatives. Eingeladener Vortrag im rahmen des Workshops Trust, distrust and epistemic crisis, in Stockholm, Schweden
Schwarzenegger, C.
-
Alternative Medien, Alternative Werte? Alternativmedien als Orte der öffentlichen Wertaushandlung und ihre Implikationen für soziale Kohäsion. Angenommen für die 70. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Publizistik- und Kommunikationswissenschaft Öffentlichkeit(en) und ihre Werte. März, Berlin, Deutschland
Schöppl, K. & Schwarzenegger, C.
-
Die Antidemokraten sind immer die anderen. Über das Gefühl selbst Werte zu verteidigen und auseinanderdriftende Wirklichkeiten. Eingeladener Vortrag im Rahmen des Workshops Erosion demokratischer Werte? Antidemokratische Akteure in der Öffentlichkeit, März, Berlin, Deutschland
Schwarzenegger, C.
-
Gegenöffentlichkeit als Gefühl? Alternative Medien und Public Dissent als Wille und Vorstellung ihrer Nutzer:innen. Publizistik, 70(1-2), 73-97.
Schöppl, Katharina & Schwarzenegger, Christian
-
Hard to Reach Groups in der qualitativen Langzeitforschung: Herausforderungen und Lösungsansätze zur Rekrutierung und Bindung. Medien • Kultur • Kommunikation, 65-87. Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden.
Schöppl, Katharina & Schwarzenegger, Christian
-
Qualitative Langzeitforschung. Medien • Kultur • Kommunikation. Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden.
Schwarzenegger, Christian; Wimmer, Jeffrey; Schöppl, Katharina & Waldenburger, Lisa
-
The Comfort of Victimhood: Emotional Engagement and Media Choices in Alternative Media Spaces. Angenommen für die 75th International Communication Association (ICA) Conference. Juni, Denver, USA
Schöppl, K. & Schwarzenegger, C.
